Running might not seem an ideal sport for people with visual impairments, but Republic of China Association for Visually Impaired Runners director Lin Yao-yi (林瑤義) said that is a misconception, as blind or partially blind people can enjoy running paired with a guide.
Visually impaired people have taken up the challenge of running, with guides acting as their eyes as they conquer middle and long-distance races.
Customer service adviser Chen Hui-chin (陳惠琴), who was born with congenital blindness, said she took up running two years ago because she was alarmed by the damage her lifestyle — sitting all day in an office without keeping a balanced diet — had done to her health.
Photo: CNA
She was out of breath from running a mere 200m on her first run, but her stamina and mental strength have increased by leaps and bounds over two years of training, she said, adding that she recently finished a half marathon in 2 hours, 33 minutes.
Chen attributed her success to her guide and a veteran marathoner Tsao Hui-ping (曹惠萍), saying Tsao is a harsh trainer because she always asks Chen to make up for the training she has missed.
Chen said Tsao does not like her taking a rest during training, because “you cannot run any more once you stop.”
Tsao was a competitive marathon athlete and helps guide visually impaired runners with her expertise.
She said she does not give special treatment to her trainees, even if they are blind.
Tsao said that she had not had many dealings previously with blind people, but has come to understand their courage and persistence after she volunteered to train them, adding that she was deeply touched to see Chen achieve a good result.
Many sighted people could not match the impressive perseverance people with visual impairment possess, Tsao said.
Masseur and former soldier Wang Chieh (王傑), who lost his eyesight in a car accident three decades ago, said there is no lack of long-distance runners among visually impaired athletes.
A familiar face in road running events, Wang said he trains twice a week, and the post-workout feeling is what motivates him to persist.
He said he enjoys the cheers people give him and especially likes the excitement of overtaking other runners.
Wang said he was at the lowest point in his life after the accident, which haunted him for a long time, adding: “There were three people in the car, but I was the only one injured. I resented [my fate] and became irritable.”
He could not break out of the slump and was quick to take offense during the days shortly after he was injured, he said.
He learned to come to terms with his situation with the help of Institute for the Blind of Taiwan and an occupational rehabilitation program that helped him enter the massage business, he said.
Although he became self-sufficient with his new job, he struggled to regain peace of mind and had a hard time banishing distracting thoughts if he could not fall asleep, he said.
Working out is his stress relief, but it took him quite a while to find a guide to resume his running habit that he cultivated during army life, he said.
He eases up and his shoulders relax as soon as he is on a running track, he said, adding that: “All the distracting thoughts disappear as soon as I hold on to the running tether [that is attached to a guide].”
He runs at least 10km per training session and there are few guides who can keep up with his pace, so sometimes it takes several volunteers to guide him in turns, he said.
He gives total trust to guide runners and uses movements of the tether to detect changes in direction, Wang said, adding that he deeply treasures the efforts and company of the guides.
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