Anyone who has run in or spectated at some of the larger marathons has seen people running in Achilles International shirts -- either athletes (be they amputees, blind, mobility impaired, or those in racing hand cycles) or guides. While non-runners often marvel at how the runners are able to go for 26.2 miles, we runners are similarly floored at so many of these Achilles athletes being able to overcome whatever their particular impairment is to persevere and go the distance.
Today, the newly formed Loudoun County chapter held its first training run, and I joined in. Slowly but surely, the word will spread. We had many more guides (or newbie guides, like me) than we had athletes, so several of the newbies were paired up with some veteran guides to help simulate -- in my group's case -- guiding a blind runner.
It's one thing to have seen lots of these small 2 or 3-person groups in dozens of marathons over the years, but this training run very much opened my eyes as to just how difficult it is for a blind runner to navigate a race, a guide to provide the appropriate directions and communication, and the trust that a blind runner must place in their guide, possibly meeting that person for the first time at the race itself.
At least for the time being, unless someone has and transports their own racing chair, our chapter will be focused on those athletes who are ambulatory. I'm looking forward to being able to expand my repertoire in races where I'm not running for myself. While I expect most of the time will still be as a pacer, whenever otherwise possible, I hope I can be used as a guide.
I'm also in the process of applying for their charity team for the Boston Marathon next year. Regardless of whether that pans out or not, I will continue my journey to guide Achilles athletes and do more than simply yell "Go Achilles!" on the course.
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