Blind runner starts on 680km journey

Press, 16 July 1979, Page 6

Blind runner starts on 680km journey

PA Wellington A blind runner, John Stratford, yesterday set out i on a two-week, 680 km record-seeking run from Wei- , lington to Auckland. , Stratford, who is 40, is ; known as a marathon runner and as a telephonist at the]. Foundation for the Blind in j Auckland. After a Mayoral send-off!' from the Wellington Town ! Hall at 9 a.m. he ran to IJ Paekakariki, where he spent!, the night. ;! He runs with his wrist tied to a sighted runner to keep! him on course. Members of I' the Air New Zealand Run-p ning Club are taking it in turns to accompany him. ' The longest recorded distance for a blind runner is 80km, so as soon as John 1 Stratford has run 81km he will be a record-holder. As well, he plans to try to run the 81km in one day some- : where along the route. h

His reasons for the run? “I like to do things first, just like anyone else. ‘Tv got limiting factors which are going to stop me doing really great things like some runners. "I am out to improve the New Zealand public’s attitude to disability—it’s I archaic,” he said. “Just look! round: how many blind] ipeople are there in top execu-1 tive positions? Yet they are] I some of the most talented] [people in the. country. i “A lot of blind people] I have proved themselves as] scholars and musicians but' (somehow that doesn't count as much. “Running is different. Somehow physical achievement means more,” he said. John . Stratford said his third reason was personal. I “Marathoner Denny Stepenson was a good friend of! imine who died in 1965. I]

think of this run as a sort of ; memorial to him.” He plans to collect dona-, tions for the Blind’ F.oundatipn along the way and to I drum up support for BrailleWeek, which starts on Sun-i day.

He will run about six hours! each day, with three twohour breaks. His days will start at I 5.30 a. mt With coffee and! chocolate ■ and he will eat; snacks prepared in the ac-i companying caravan during; the day and a meal in a hotel | in the evening. Sponsors are paying for; most of his accommodaton! and food costs. At nights he will give! talks to local groups on cop-| ing with a disability. “As long as I can beat the! mental weariness 1 know I’ll! enjoy the trip,” he said.; “There is nothing like run-] ning.”