Apologies that today’s weekend debrief is – much like my running at the moment – rather slow. I’ve just been at a launch event for the Standard Chartered Great City race. The race aims to raise funds for Seeing is Believing (I say aims – as it has raised more than $80m, it would be more accurate to say “spectacularly succeeds”), the charity that works to eliminate avoidable blindness. At the event were Paralympians past and present, Noel Thatcher and Libby Clegg, who talked about guided running.
It is probably something most fortunate people (myself included) have never really considered, but suddenly the practicalities seemed astonishing. Finding a guide whom you like, trust, get on with – well enough to spend a lot of time with, when you factor in training together. Talking to them even when running – Clegg explained how even during a 12 second 100m her guide Mikail still has to talk or give steers or guidance. How not having a guide (in some categories it is optional) can lose you a medal – Thatcher talked about missing a break in a Paralympic final. How even having one can cause problems: the guide mustn’t cross the line ahead of the athlete, so there have been cases of disqualification when that happens. Libby Clegg talked about how a guide runner needs communication skills and tolerance and a “very thick skin!”.
Then we gave it a go, over a very short course, both as blindfolded runner and as guide. We even had Olympian and world record holder Jonathan Edwards as guide. This was on the immaculate flat turf of a cricket pitch, so at least we didn’t have to worry about potholes or other runners, but even then the twists and turns were disorientating and destabilising. The idea of doing that in the melee of a mass start on potholed streets was, well, terrifying.
So, my week has started with an insight into another corner of the running world. What did the weekend hold for you? As always, share your triumphs and woes below the line.
