I’ve always loved helping people to experience the same joy I get from running (I am also one of my running club’s mental health champions and mental health first aiders). Running outdoors is wonderful for the soul! It started in summer 2018 when a local visually impaired runner (Haseeb, he is completely blind, look up his story!) asked in our local running community’s Facebook group for more guide runners (no experience needed) as he can’t run outdoors otherwise… a post I completely ignored! The reason being that he is the world record holder for a blind Ironman and has done a sub-3 hour marathon. There was no way I could run as fast as him, let alone have enough breath to give instructions at the same time. However, a few months later he posted again that he still needed guides, and this time gave examples of pace. Not expecting to be taken up, I said that perhaps I could guide at his easy/recovery pace and asked how far he would run at this pace. He said 45 minutes, although it turned out our first run would be over 9 miles! I had zero experience, but Haseeb introduced me to a tether of which we would hold opposite ends whilst running, and trained me up. It helped that he was a confident runner with nimble feet to negotiate terrain, but I was still nervous.

I then completed a workshop to become a licensed guide runner, as soon as they were available with England Athletics (EA). This enabled me to put my profile up on the “Find a Guide” database set up by British Blind Sport with EA. VI runners use this to find a local guide runner, with the confidence that the guide has completed the workshop, has a DBS check and is insured for EA-related activities. Through this I was running weekly with one new VI runner in particular. He had never run before and intends to eventually run marathons. I introduced him to (a very rainy and puddle-ly) parkrun and we even had a lot of races up to half marathon distance booked before they were cancelled. Unfortunately, during this pandemic, we are not training together as the round-trip of over 100 miles for me is not appropriate at this time. I could only advise him to keep up his walks and indoor exercises. Ever since we started running together we have tried to build a network of other guide runners more local to him, but it is proving difficult.

The VI runner’s trust is in the guide so you can’t switch off. I’m slower crossing roads when guiding, to the point where I will sometimes ask the runner to start slowing down to almost a complete stop before crossing, rather than risk having to stop abruptly. This also helps when the kerb is raised so that we can safely step off and on to the kerb, rather than trying to warn exactly when a kerb is coming up. Other instructions include going round bends, running directly behind me on narrow paths, calling out to pedestrians in front for more room when overtaking or a countdown to a kerb or turn. I have on occasion forgotten to take account of things like hedges brushing against the VI runner’s side or taller runners having to duck under overhanging branches. The rest of the run is social chit chat! I try to run at the same cadence as the VI runner, with opposite leg to theirs out in front, three-legged race style, so your arms are swinging in sync. VI runners have different preferences, for example, being instructed “round to you” rather than “round to the left” or in which hand they will hold the tether. In addition, different VI runners have different degrees of sight. It is best to ask what they can see and whether they might have preferences for instructions.

I would definitely recommend guide running if you have any interest. You don’t have to become licensed, but it is informative for you, and beneficial for VI runners. There are a few Facebook groups connecting VI runners to guides. Guiding is also a run-volunteer role at parkrun! Workshop info can be found at https://www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/our-programmes/find-a-guide/become-a-guide-runner/ I hope there will be both more guides and VI runners enjoying running in the future!

Sarah Thi

Follow Sarah on Instagram @sarah_thi