Voices – November 2024

I’m Vanessa and I’m a runner.

There are many different types of sight impairment, and mine is called Retinitis Pigmentosa. This means that I have tunnel vision in both eyes, with less than 10% of vision left in each.

I started running five years ago and have never looked back.Firstly a little bit at a time, and I remember collapsing at the end and hanging on to a tree for support! Now I really enjoy it, especially getting to the end of a run and doing a PB, or improving my stamina and endurance. I have found that everyone is extremely helpful and friendly.

I have run six 10k races with my running guide, the latest one with Amanda in Leicester where I got a PB of 1.15.24!

I want to share with you what it’s like being a runner with a guide, as, like other runners who can’t see, I’d like to include you in our world, as well as being included in yours.

Running with a guide involves a lot of trust on both sides, and I’m particularly grateful to Amanda from HAC who often guides me when I’m running especially at ParkRun, and also takes me training twice a week when I’ve entered my 10k. races.

When I run with a guide, we use a band that we hold in a figure of eight between us. This means that I can feel every slight movement that my guide makes with their arm, so I can sense immediately any change in pace and direction even before they say anything. It also means that we can both still use our arms to help us run.

I find it difficult to run in dappled lighting that can play tricks with my eyes, so going from sunshine into shade or areas between lampposts in the dark means I have to put all my trust into what my guide and other people are saying. In ordinary daylight, I can generally get an idea of what it is like if it is close by, but not at a distance, so pointing at something and saying “over there” means nothing to me. I rely totally on my guide and the people around me to say very clearly and specifically what I need to know, like “there’s a bend to the left coming up “,” there’s a short uphill “, “we’re about to go over a patch of uneven ground “, “runners are passing on our right”. This also means that as a sighted runner at an event or in a training session, you can say before you overtake “I’m coming past you on your right” for example – and please don’t cut in front of me immediately you’re past! I can’t see you to judge your distance and it helps my guide too, so please give us some space. And if you know me, please say who you are and Hello, as that’s what helps make it fun for me too.

There are lots of ways that not only guides but other peoplecan make it easier for us. The first thing to remember is don’t worry about offending us by offering help – you won’t offend us by asking us what would be helpful, as long as you don’t take hold of us and guide us in a direction without asking first! And never be afraid to ask us any questions about our sight loss, because if you understand our world as much as we need to understand your world, then we can all enjoy our running.

Running is Fab! And I never thought I would say that. Neversay you can’t do something, always give it a try. I couldn’t run before 2019, and now I’m enjoying my kind of running. 10 k is enough for me. I just want to improve. So thank you everybody for your support over the years, Amanda and all you guys, love you lots, and keep on running. Keep smiling and keep on trying!