Below is the article published in UR Mag, sharing the story of creating the AWD Division at the VT100.
(Amy guiding Kyle, and Jonathan guiding Eric at the 2018 VT100. Photo by Faith)
Over the past few years, runners like Kyle Robidoux and Dave Mackey have made the ultrarunning news for their participation in races. Most ultrarunners likely know Dave’s story, including his running accomplishments pre-accident and now as a below the knee amputee. Kyle is a well known fixture in the New England running scene, having completed races such as the Vermont 100 (both 100 mile and 100k), Pineland Farms 50 (both 50 mile and 50k), and Ghost Train 100. Kyle is a visually impaired athlete. This year, Kyle toed the line at the Western States 100 (as did Dave, actually).
Visually or mobility impaired runners such as Kyle and Dave are nothing new to the ultrarunning scene. In 2010, Amy Palmiero-Winters, a below the knee amputee, was named to the US 24-hour team and competed in the World Championships where she finished in 18th place. And there’s an amazing video online of blind runner Harry Cordellos running the Dipsea Race in the 1970s. However, there has been a growing trend of ultra and trail races including ‘Athletes with Disability’ divisions over the past few years.
I’m proud to say that the Vermont 100 was the first ultra or trail race to include an AWD division. Of course, it was due to a classic ‘foot in mouth’ situation on my part. A few years ago before I knew Kyle, he reached out to me as the race director of the Vermont 100 to ask about obtaining a qualifier for the next year’s race – specifically, he wanted to know if running 45 miles at Ghost Train would qualify him. (Ghost Train is a 15-mile out-and-back that runners can do as many times as needed to get their desired distance – so 3 laps is 45 miles and 4 laps is 60 miles.) Since Vermont 100’s qualifying standards require runners to complete at least a 50 mile race, I explained to Kyle that he would need to run 4 laps at Ghost Train to get his qualifier, not the 3 that he was planning on. He responded back ‘ok, no problem…I just need to find a guide for the last 15 miles’.
I read his response, and was initially confused. Then, thanks to a bit of internet stalking, I came upon Kyle’s website as the Blind Beer Runner. Woops! Doh! Would you like a bit of salt with that foot Amy? In my response to that email, I told him that if it was a matter of finding someone to guide him that I would be happy to learn how and get him his qualifier. He took me up on the offer.
Through the 15 miles that Kyle and I shared at Ghost Train, a friendship was formed. But more importantly, an idea of including an Athletes with Disabilities division in ultras and trail races, similar to what exists at road races such as Boston Marathon and California International Marathon, was envisioned. Over the next few months, Kyle and I got to work in creating the rules, the framework for what accommodations are reasonable for visually impaired or mobility impaired athletes in trail and ultra races while not giving these athletes undue preferential treatment.
Athletes with disabilities have been competing in trail races and ultras for years – so the natural question is why it’s important to have an AWD division. What does that change for the runner? Many of them are already competing in trail races and ultras – so what’s the big deal? As Kyle says ‘a race with an AWD division embodies the spirit of access and inclusion that empowers athletes of all abilities to participate. By having an AWD division, the race director shows they are going to be aware of anything that I will need to participate and be supportive of my request to run.’
(Guiding Kyle at the 2019 TARC Spring Classic)
As a runner who has guided Kyle in numerous races, I’ve gotten to watch how running has transformed his life in a way that’s similar to how it affects so many others. Kyle is able to show his daughter Lucy what it’s like to set goals and work hard to achieve them. He’s found a community that accepts him and encourages him, and not as the ‘blind runner’ but as a fellow athlete. He’s gained confidence, become a healthier adult (who lost 70 pounds!), traveled to incredible places, and met amazing people all due to running. And by having an AWD division at races, Kyle no longer has to identify himself as a ‘blind runner’ and request accommodations for participation – those barriers to participation are removed and allow him to register and participate according to the race regulations, just like everyone else.
No comments:
Post a Comment