A Burnham-On-Sea runner says he’s experienced a “whole new perspective” on running by becoming a trained guide for visually impaired joggers at the town’s Parkruns.
Jon Jacobs has recently qualified as a licensed guide and is now able to help blind and impaired runners to take part in the weekly runs at Apex Park in Highbridge.
His first guided run was held last Saturday when he helped a visiting visually-impaired runner, Iris Peel from Nottingham, to complete the run.
Talking to Burnham-On-Sea.com, Jon said: “It was a humbling experience – you really do get a whole new perspective on running.”
“As a guide, you have to be thinking ahead all the time for your running partner, giving them advance warning of corners, watching out for kerbs, changes in the surface, and other runners. You also have to concentrate on your own running too and keeping the same pace.”
“It’s really wonderful being a guide as it allows blind or visually-impaired runners to take part.”
“Without the guides, they would be unable to join in. The guiding scheme really does open up running to all.”
As part of a commitment to making running accessible and safe for everyone, England Athletics, in partnership with British Blind Sport, have developed a training and licence scheme for runners wishing to become guides.
It also operates a national database of guide runners known as ‘Find a Guide’ to help visually impaired individuals search for, and contact, licensed Guide Runners to support them to run. Jon is featured on the database.
Pictured: Guide Jon Jacobs with visually-impaired runner Iris Peel during this week’s Burnham-On-Sea parkrun (photos Mark Benton)
