[Sportsandrec] The Visually Impaired category

[Gaston Bedard]

Good morning Bill.
Thank you for responding.

I have much much more to say on the issue of, the Visually Impaired category
for blind, deaf blind and partially sighted runners.
My main objective is to encourage, motivate more blind runners to take up
running and participate in road races.

Here's food for thought on this VI category issue.

How do we encourage full participation in running events?
How do we get more blind, deaf blind and more partially sighted folks to run
road races?

I will give everyone time to think about it, check their local road races,
speak to race organizers, and then chat about what they have discovered.

You may want to know the following.

I started running as a sighted guy some 30 years ago.
I ran 14 full marathons, numerous road races as a sighted runner.
Gradually over the years, I lost all my vision, and my hearing.
So, I ran as a sighted runner, as a partially sighted runner, as a legally
blind guy and now I'm running totally blind and deaf.
And, yes, there's a really big difference from one stage to the other.

Stay healthy and well.
Gaston


-----Original Message-----
From: Sportsandrec [mailto:sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Kociaba Fitness via Sportsandrec
Sent: August-24-15 8:57 AM
To: 'Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List'
Cc: Kociaba Fitness
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] The Visually Impaired category

Good morning gaston,
I am not a runner but think I have something to offer on your thought.  As a
former promoter of bodybuilding and fitness events I see the
promoter/organizers side of things. If you have a category of contestant
that does not draw l large numbers its not logical to devide it into sub
catagorys.  In other words if there are more VI runners and a demand for
more sub catagorys is there its likely the organizers will be open to a
change.
The reality is its all about the economics.


Bill Kociaba
www.kociaba-fitness.com
"Building Better Bodies Since 1981"


-----Original Message-----
From: Sportsandrec [mailto:sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Gaston Bedard via Sportsandrec
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2015 6:55 AM
To: 'Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List'
Cc: Gaston Bedard
Subject: [Sportsandrec] The Visually Impaired category


Hello folks,

It is good to know there are runners on this list.

I've been thinking of this issue for some 6 years now, discussing it with
other blind, deaf blind and partially sighted athletes.
I began my comeback as a totally blind and deaf runner in May 2012.
Since May 2012, I have run and completed 21 road races including 2 full
marathons, as a deaf blind runner.

Most of these road races were run here in Canada.
I ran and completed a full marathon in the state of Massachusetts, in 2015.

Here's where it gets a little fuzzy and somewhat difficult to understand.

In all the road races that I have run so far since May 2012, I discovered
the following.

There is only one category for blind, deaf blind, partially sighted runners.
This category is, the Visually Impaired category.

In this VI category, there are no age categories.
This VI category, includes female and male runners, regardless of age,
regardless of blindness, regardless of sight loss.

How do you feel about this Visually Impaired category ?

I thought it would be good to get the ball rolling, chat about it.
Stay well and healthy.




_______________________________________________
Sportsandrec mailing list
Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Sportsandrec:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/kociabafitness%40g
mail.com


_______________________________________________
Sportsandrec mailing list
Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Sportsandrec:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/sportsandrec_nfbnet.org/gasbedard%40videot
ron.ca