GOING THE DISTANCE.Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer An inability to make out anything more than a few feet in front of her is normal to Marla Runyan Marla Runyan, born January 4, 1969 in Santa Maria, California, is a marathon runner who is legally blind. After graduating from Camarillo High School in 1987, Ruyan went on to study at San Diego State University, where she began competing in several sporting events: the . When she's out on the track, she's alone. Other runners disappear into a blur blur (blur) indistinctness, clouding, or fogging. spectacle blur the indistinct vision with spectacles occurring after removal of contact lenses, especially non–gas-permeable lenses; it is . She's never quite sure how many competitors are in front of her or what turns lie ahead. That's old news to Runyan. The former Camarillo Camarillo (kă'mərē`yō), city (1990 pop. 52,303), Ventura co., S Calif.; inc. 1964. It is the center of a fertile farm area where citrus fruits and flowers are grown. High athlete has never known it any other way. She's waited a long time for her lack of eyesight eye·sight n. 1. The faculty of sight; vision. 2. Range of vision; view. to become as accepted by everyone else. Four years after becoming the first legally blind Olympian at Sydney, her story finally is old news. Now Runyan is just another elite athlete elite athlete Sports medicine An athlete with potential for competing in the Olympics or as a professional athlete; EAs are at ↑ risk for injuries, given the amount of training, for psychological abuse by coaches and parents, and self abuse. trying to earn a medal on the world's biggest athletic stage. ``I think I'm kind of a footnote Text that appears at the bottom of a page that adds explanation. It is often used to give credit to the source of information. When accumulated and printed at the end of a document, they are called "endnotes." now, which is kind of nice,'' Runyan said. ``I kind of hoped it would be that way. I don't think people are as interested in my blindness now. They just want to see me run well.'' If she's a footnote in history, Runyan could claim her own chapter in Athens by becoming the first legally blind athlete to medal at the Olympics. She has an entirely different mind-set - and a different event - than at her first trip to the Games. Back then, making it to the Olympics was the ultimate goal of the four-time Paralympics champion. After becoming the first Paralympian to make the jump to the Olympics, she set a new goal to reach the finals and did so, finishing eighth in the 1,500 meters. Runyan began to think about what she needed to do to take the next step and compete for a medal. She decided to make the third major event change of her career. Originally a heptathlete before a short distance runner distance runner n. A runner who competes in distance races. , Runyan moved to the longer distances with the 5,000. ``In championship races, you need a really good finishing speed,'' Runyan said. ``I have a kick, but it's all relative It's All Relative is an ABC sitcom about a man who dates the adoptive daughter of a gay couple, which forces their very different families to learn to coexist. Overview to who I'm running against. My thinking was if I trained for longer distances, my speed would be more effective at 5,000 meters.'' Runyan's strength and speed seemed the perfect fit for the 5,000, and the change immediately paid dividends. She won three consecutive U.S. titles in the event. ``Marla has marathon strength combined with the finishing speed from the 1,500,'' said marathon Olympian Deena Kastor Deena Michelle Kastor (born February 14, 1973 in Waltham, Massachusetts) is an American long distance runner. She holds American records in the marathon, half-marathon, 10000 meters, and numerous road distances. , who grew up nearby in Agoura Hills. ``That makes a pretty mean 5K runner.'' Medalling won't be an easy task. Although she finished second in the U.S. Olympic Trials to make the team, Runyan expects she will have to drop at least 15 seconds to be a contender. ``With the 5K still being a relatively new event for me, I have a lot of room to improve,'' Runyan said. ``I'm hoping that improvement will happen at the Games and I'll have a breakthrough performance.'' Of course, Runyan has never known easy. That's where her strength comes from. Former Camarillo High coach Chuck Stevenson Chuck Stevenson (October 15, 1919 Sidney, Montana – August 21, 1995 Benson, Arizona) was an American racecar driver. He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1949-1954, 1960-1961 and 1963-1965 seasons with 54 starts, including the remembers how much more effort Runyan had to put in at practice, memorizing the steps so she could compete in the high jump and hurdles while not seeing them until she was right on them. ``She couldn't afford to practice half-heartedly because the steps didn't come out right,'' Stevenson said. ``I believe her eyesight helped her be a better competitor.'' Runyan worked so hard over the years that no one who watches the Olympics will notice she's legally blind without a commentator's mention. About the only evidence of Runyan's eyesight these days is the way she gives back to visually impaired. Runyan serves as an ambassador for the Perkins School for the Blind Perkins School for the Blind, at Watertown, Mass.; chartered 1829, opened 1832 in South Boston as the New England Asylum for the Blind, with Samuel G. Howe as its director; moved 1912. , which gave her a grant when she was getting her graduate degree at San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. State. Otherwise, while the Sydney Games were about her eyesight, the spotlight in these Olympics will be on Runyan's talent. ``Marla has grown up with her eyesight problem and learned to cope with it,'' Stevenson said. ``It is her athletic ability that has brought her to the Olympics for the second time. We need to give her credit for what she does well.'' Matthew Kredell, (818)713-3607 matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Marla Runyan attracted attention in the 2000 Sydney Games as the first legally blind Olympian. Now she hopes people will take notice of her talent. Kirby Lee/Special to the Daily News |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion