[Sportsandrec] Road Racing

[Thornbury, Kelly]

While I probably stand in a minority in my thinking, and might receive some flack for it, I wonder if it is really necessary to create a separate "blind classification" at running events. Unlike cycling where tandem teammates both contribute to the speed of the bike, running with a guide shouldn't help you run beyond your physical capabilities, and a blind runner should be able to compete with sighted peers based on their own merits. In a society where we are trying to compete as equals with sighted counterparts in so many aspects of sports and life, does it send the wrong message to seek out the use of a segregated category for blind runners? In a venue where I could compete equally with sighted runners, I personally would rather accept a 100th place certificate over a 1st place "blind" trophy. To me it would be like asking for a separate blind category in a cycling event simply because the stoker of a tandem was blind. I guess if I were in your running shoes I would see this as an opportunity to demonstrate the equality of blind athletes by competing in the open events (the prohibiting of the use of a guide not withstanding). Take inspiration from the fact that there are Olympic-level blind runners competing with sighted peers. This might be a case where a little extra adaptation on our parts may go farther towards proving we are capable of more than many expect of us.