Originally posted on Salty Running on September 15, 2014.
The other day my running partner decided to bring a friend to our run who was training for the Savannah Half Marathon. Imagine my surprise when they arrived and I discovered his friend was blind! I will admit that for the first few minutes I was a bit apprehensive; I’m not sure why, but I was. I mean, I knew blind people can run. Marla Runyan has been one of my personal heroes so I knew it was possible, but I had not met any blind runner until now. I mean, what would we talk about? Would we have to hold her hand the whole way?
Not exactly…
Marla Runyan was the world’s first visually impaired Olympian, and being blind didn’t stop her from breaking tape! img via dokter-hanny.blogspot.com
Blind people can run, just like the rest of us. Their legs work just like yours, it’s their eyes that are different, which is something I already knew, but just needed to be reminded of. In fact, that wasn’t the only lesson I re-learned from this run. In many ways, my new blind friend was just like the rest of us runners, and running with her was an exercise in practicing my running etiquette.
- Really running is a time to bond, and as with any running partner you can talk about anything when your partner is blind. She had a great personality and we talked about random things and found things in common. For instance, we both love traveling outside of the United States.
- When running with others it is nice to let them know about the curbs, changes in terrain such as cobble stones, and potholes. This is especially true with the visually impaired.
- Also make sure to speak up when it’s time to switch to single file or if you need to hug the curb a bit more. This should always be done because I have been bumped when my running partner decided to move from the sidewalk to the road pushing me in the process.
- Think for two. You are not running alone, you are a team. You may be able to fit between the parked cars, but can two of you?
We had to amp up the communication and pay more attention to road obstacles, but in the end running is running, whether you’re guiding a blind runner or just running with someone new. In hindsight, running with her was not much different than running with a sighted person: it was a wonderful experience because she is an awesome person.
If you’re interested in more information on running with those who have visual impairments, a great place to start is the United States Association of Blind Athletes, where you can read about how best to guide athletes or find a chapter near you.
Have you ever run with a runner who is blind or has some other physical impairment? Would you like to try it? Why or why not?
