h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I am not, never was, and never will be a speedy runner. One of my mantras is "There's more to running than going fast", and earlier this year I volunteered to train as an assistant to visually impaired runners. I jokingly refer to this as my "guide jog" training.

So far I've done the classroom course, which included guiding a sighted person wearing a blindfold, and vice versa. I've also completed the safeguarding course, now compulsory for anyone working with children or vulnerable adults (and quite emotionally draining). I've passed the written test following that, obtained my security/ disclosure check, and today I had another practical session. This time I was leading an actual blind person in the actual outdoors.

We had to cope with crossing the road at traffic lights, walking on uneven surfaced footpaths, crossing roads with kerbs, going through narrow passages between sandwich boards and tables and chairs outside a cafe, going up stairs, getting in and out of a car, and sitting down in a chair. The trickiest bit I found was going through the doors. I had to communicate which side the hinges were on, whether the door opened towards us or away, and think which was the safest way through.

The next stage will be running - but today I was learning how to walk before I can run.

Well done, you

that sounds really interesting Bea. Maybe something I should be looking at as a way to get right back into running - thanks for the tip!

Are the visually impaired people just learning to run with a guide as well?

In terms of experienced runners, there's not all that much difference between the World Records for T11 and Olympic running

As for the difficulty of doors... You should just do what everyone who guides me does.... and walk them into the doorframe

Sasha, I don't think we will be breaking any records! It's mostly to allow parkruns to be inclusive, though I have hopes we might put together a relay team for the Belfast marathon next year.

Normal walking guiding is done with a hand on the elbow ( or shoulder if the height difference makes that uncomfortable). Running might involve some sort of tether.

It's a brilliant idea.

[Amy P]

I read "crossing roads with kerbs" as "running roads with herbs." The roads are paved with herbs?

I'm wondering if you are replacing some other guide who already ran with a visually-impaired person, or starting out with someone is just beginning to run. perhaps your "slowness" will not be a problem at first. By the time the visually-impaired person gets faster, you might find yourself speeding up, too, with the training effect.

I think the idea of making visually imapred/blind people do running, is just plain cruel... I hope no one trys it with me