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Blindrunner Home Page Sponsors Training Diary Guiding Hints & Tips Other Links Contact Details Email Mike 
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Blindrunner Home Page Sponsors Training Diary Guiding Hints & Tips Other Links Contact Details Email Mike
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Mike's Running Site
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Hi there. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Michael Lloyd and I live in Birkdale on Auckland's North Shore in New Zealand. I am vision impaired an have taken up the sport of long distance running, and more recently cycling . I have put this BlindRunner site together to share my efforts with others to show that blindness (and other disabilities for that matter) are no reason to stop participating in sporting events, exercise and enjoying life for what it has to offer. Initially it began in 2006 with the goal to travel to the US and do the 2007 ING New York City Marathon with my brave brother Gavin as my guide and survive. A 42.2 kilometre run through the streets of New York's five boroughs with the support of over two million enthusiastic spectators. Check out my build-up and how I did by viewing my New York Marathon page. Also, I discovered that my devotion and commitment to training and the persistent quest to overcome physical barriers due to my blindness had, and is still having an inspiring positive effect on both the general community as well as other people with physical impairments. I am constantly receiving comments from people who see me training and participating, that it makes them realise that everybody can achieve far more than they realise as long as they commit their mind, body and soul to the goal, and are prepared to find solutions to challenges that can easily be perceived as barriers. I have been running with the Achilles Track Club. The Achilles Track Club New Zealand supports people with disabilities to take part in local sports events as well as the New York City Marathon. For more details check out the Achilles Website Recent EventsAnlene Devonport Classic (Sunday 29 March 2009). Ran with Allison Roe as my guide through the streets and beaches of Devonport on Auckland's North Shore. We were planning to do the 5km course, but took a wrong turn somewhere so accidentally invented a 7.5km course of our own. Which I guess means we came first in that division (smile). Awesome weather and great day out. . "Thanks Ally".
Shore to Shore (Sunday 22 March 2009). Ran the 10km coastal course with Achilles with support from Westpac Bank from Devonport to Milford on Auckland's North Shore. With my guide Diane, we covered a mixture of interesting terrains that included running on road, beach and steps, clambering over rocks and wading in the tide. Awesome day, but none of us could of guessed that the course would be as challenging as it was. A big learner for all including the guides/helpers. "Thanks Diane". Laugh of the day was Mr random kayak man who stunk of fish trying to man-handle me over some rocks. "What the . . .?" Round the Bays (Sunday 15 March 2009). Auckland's famous 8.4km fun run that has around 100,000 participants running along the waterfront of Auckland. Ran with Achilles with support from Westpac Bank, My guides Diane and John kept us on track. It's always an interesting challenge to navigate your way through such a huge crowd, specially when so many of them are walkers with kids. I managed to squash at least one child and run up the back of heaps more. You've got to consider that a successful days work. Panasonic People's triathlon (Sunday 14 December 2008) at Mission Bay. We did the sprint tri as a team, with gillian doing the 500m swim guided by Rox and Hayley, and me doing the 20km cycle and 5km run with Wayne. The girls did an awesome swim, Wayne and I kicked ass on the bike, and then my legs crapped out on the run. Got to the end, but it wasn't tidy and felt every step. "Well done all, and many thanks". Panasonic People's triathlon (Sunday 16 November 2008) at Maraetai Beach. We did the sprint tri as a team with Gillian doing the 500m swim with Roxanne, me and Lloyd on the 20km cycle and gillian and Rox doing the 5km run. An awesome swim by the girls, mind blowing ride by Lloyd and myself and a strong run by the girls. Great introduction to this type of event. We came second out of the sprint teams. "Well done all. Thanks again".
Check out my Training Diary to see what I have been doing as far as training. (This needs updating as I haven't touched it for ages, but shows the NY 2007 build up etc) Visit my Links Page to view the many media releases that have been published relating to my efforts as well as many other interesting related links. To help you guys who have never run with a blind runner or want to be guides, I have compiled a list of hints and tips to guiding as a basic introduction to being a running guide for a blind runner. I am always fund raising to help finance all future events. All donations/sponsorships are very much appreciated. All sponsors will have their company/organisation logo showing proudly on this site. There has been a lot of public interest in my past and future plans and I am more than happy to wear your company T-shirts on my training runs/rides around the streets if you can support me. I would be more than happy to speak to any interested groups who would like to hear about what I am doing and get behind me or other people with some kind of disability who want to get their butt off the couch. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions/suggestions about sponsorship or training or even if you want to get out there and have a go guiding me around the streets, cycling or swimming, or whatever else sounds challenging. I really appreciate all of the help that you have all shown to support me in this on-going crazy quest for pain. The rewards are worth every minute of training. Many thanks. Cheers Mike © Copyright Blindrunner.com 2007 |
