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Visually impaired runners and their guides have spoken about their experiences taking part in the Lions Running Community based in Chorley, which supports people of all abilities to take part in running.
The start of this month saw the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. As part of this, the runners wanted to make people aware of their positive experiences whilst also highlighting some of the challenges they face at events.
Visually impaired runner, Rob Bywater, who lives near Chorley explained how getting involved in the running community helped him take to the sport.
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“It’s great as I get to know different regular routes and try to improve my times every week. Of course, running with a club is not all about times, but for me, it’s a great yardstick of how I’m doing.
“It’s also an enjoyable and social experience and I get to catch up with lots of different people.”
Some visually impaired runners run with a guide and others use tethers as a guiding aid.
Stuart King-Brown, a runner from Preston is one of the club’s guides.
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He said: “The best thing about guiding is that I feel we are a real team. I love chatting with Rob generally about football, but we spend a lot of time just having a good chat.
“When we’re running, I call out obstacles and changes in surfaces always checking if the pace is okay. What it does more than anything else is build a friendship, so it becomes more enjoyable and less of a worrisome undertaking. Some people are put off because of the responsibility….and it is a huge responsibility, but it is also hugely rewarding and very enjoyable.”
However, there can be challenges at running events for both people.
Rob said: “In general, events are great for visually impaired runners. It’s the things you can’t predict really. As they are generally new courses it can be difficult to get a feel for the route and the crowds can be a challenge at the start in particular as everyone vies for position.
“I run behind my guide who wears a bib, but people wearing headphones, even the open-ear ones have run between us and split us in the past, which is very unnerving.
“I always worry that if someone is smaller than me and runs between me and my guide, I won’t see them. I could not only trip and fall, but I could seriously injure or hurt them, which is my main concern.”
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Andrew Carr from Hoghton who is another guide runner offered his advice to people who may be running with other visually impaired people.
“Give the guide and runner a wide berth and don’t run between them. The finish straight at events is always interesting as everyone wants to sprint to the finish, but most people are respectful.
“I think announcing in the safety and race briefs that there may be visually impaired persons and guides running would be a great idea. Also wearing mandatory VI or Guide bibs or running shirts would help so people know to pass or give space would be helpful.”
To find out more about the Lions Running Community, you can visit their Facebook page.
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