[Colorado-talk] Guided running techniques for blind grade-school kids

[Randall Crosby]

I have been running all distances of races from 5K to full marathon (26.2
miles) as a blind person for the past 7 years or so.  I personally do not
recommend the method you described with the cane.  I, as most prefer to use
a cord, rope or tether that is very flexible of a length of about 18 inches.
The sighted guide runs with me side by side and as we run he/she tells me
about the course and any obstacles or hazards.  I tell my guides that the
most important thing is that they say "stop" if they have any doubt about
our safety.  I tell them its like the brakes on a car, better to know the
brakes than the accelerator when learning to drive.  Putting safety first
will make it much more fun & avoid injury.  The young age of this person
makes me wonder if she may need an older sighted guide for safety but maybe
not.  I have benefited a lot from running and being a runner, not just for
the health part but for the social, mental & emotional rewards it brings as
a by product.  I will be glad to answer any questions for the parents or
teachers involved.  I don't know about the volleyball but there is a game
specifically for blind athletes called goal ball and it is played locally at
a gym in boulder and it is very popular and is played as a team sport on the
state and national level as well. It is a combination of volleyball & soccer
in my opinion as a way to describe it best.     
I will refer you to a local running expert of blind runners & sighted
guides, Deb Conley, email: deborahconley19 at gmail.com
She is sighted and is the pres of Lending Sight in Boulder.  She has been
committed to assisting blind runners of adult & youth age blind runners to
pursue their running dreams by matching them with sighted guides and by
arranging for their transportation to races all over Colorado.  She is an
accomplished runner and sighted guide as well.   
For more info on goalball & many other sports & activities for blind persons
contact Jennifer Heilveil at the Boulder Rec Center.  
heilveilj at bouldercolorado.gov

Randall Crosby
Randallcrosby1779 at comcast.net


-----Original Message-----
From: Colorado-talk [mailto:colorado-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Arielle Silverman
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2014 5:20 PM
To: NFB of Colorado Discussion List; blindkid at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Colorado-talk] Guided running techniques for blind grade-school
kids

Hi all,

I'm on a message board where a mom of a blind 6-year-old described how her
daughter hates PE and running. She wanted to decrease her daughter's gym
time. I asked her how her daughter runs in PE class, and she said that her
daughter runs with another child and she folds her cane in half, holds one
side and has the other child hold the other to guide her. That method
doesn't sound great to me, but I'm not very athletic and don't know what the
best alternative is to suggest.
What do you think would be the best way for a young blind student to
participate in running along with her peers? The mom also asked whether
volleyball can be adapted for the blind and I didn't know the answer to that
either. So any advice from you more athletic folks would be great!

Arielle

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