It was one of those Facebook moments, seeing a post and before I knew it I had put my hand up (very last minute) to fill in as a replacement guide at the North Shore Half Marathon . And then I started to worry… What if I am not running a fast enough pace for the blind runner I am guiding and end up holding him back ? What if I don’t warn him of any obstacles in the road and he falls down and injures himself ? What if I get cramp or injure myself and can’t finish the race, hence stopping him reaching his goal ?
Long story short – I should not have worried. Joined by another guide, the three of us had a blast and got up the hills , along the beach and down the hills in a very respectable 2 hrs 37. Well done, Tamati !
Achilles l New Zealand provides New Zealanders with disabilities the opportunity to participate alongside able-bodied athletes in local mainstream events like Cigna Round the Bays, Taupo Half Marathon, the Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington Marathons (and more), as well as the high-profile international New York Marathon.
I have long heard about this wonderful organization from a number of clients (Kiri, Sarah and Rachel – this is all your doing !) and admired the work they do, secretly wondering if I could take on the responsibility of keeping somebody safely running along the footpaths, beaches and pavements of an event.
So there we were on a wonderful North Shore Sunday morning! And now I know the 3 things I learned from running with a blind runner:
I learned a lot about how faith in somebody is more important, than knowing where you are going.
I also learned that running in NZ or running in NY – it’s all about the journey, rather than the finish line.
And lastly I learned that as long as you keep talking, you can overcome just about anything!
Happy running as always 🙂
Carmen
