Tomorrow, Tuesday, Running blind – Count down begins to LA hosting third leg of blind man’s global Seven Magnificent Marathons challenge at Rose Bowl

dave and mac
Dave and Mac Run Together at the Rose Bowl Tuesday

The excitement is building in Los Angeles as the city prepares to host the third leg of blind Dave Heeley’s global Seven Magnificent Marathons, challenge on Tuesday 08 April 2008. Braille Institute of America is sponsoring the race, which will be held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dave and his sighted running guide, Malcolm Carr, will complete laps of the Rose Bowl totaling 26.2miles. Local running clubs have been invited to join Dave, and other people wanting to offer their support can come along and join in the action to offer the best possible support and motivation from LA to get Dave and Mac through third leg.

Getting involved: Feel inspired and want to be a part of history? Join Dave as he completes the third leg of his Seven Magnificent Marathons in Los Angeles, and help him to become the first blind person to complete seven marathons, on seven continents, in seven days. This is just a reminder that the third leg of the Seven Magnificent Marathons challenge is tomorrow at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The run will begin at 11 a.m. and we will be at The Rose Bowl until approx. 4 p.m. You are welcome to come by any time you’re free to run, walk or cheer for Dave as he attempts this incredible journey. He has already completed the 1st leg in Antarctica and he’s doing great! Your support means so much to everyone at Braille Institute. As for the logistics, when you arrive at the Rose Bowl, please come to parking lot F. You will see our signs and tents set up adjacent to Parking Lot F and you can park your car there for free. I am attaching a map of the Rose Bowl in case some of you are unfamiliar with the area.

Inspired by the totally life-transforming independence provided by his guide dog, Dave’s Seven Magnificent Marathons challenge aims to increase awareness of visual impairment around the globe. Dave, who has been blind for the past 20 years, won’t be able to see the locations, routes and supporters. He will rely on his sighted guide Malcolm Carr to accompany him around the global marathon circuit. The challenge is far beyond the capabilities of most people, and Dave will need enormous physical and mental stamina to complete his Seven Magnificent Marathons.

The punishing schedule involves running 183.4 miles in a week – 26.2 on each continent – putting incredible strains on his body. He will need to remain focussed and use every ounce of strength, as he smashes through pain barriers, time zones and jet lag; all factors he will have to overcome as he pushes the boundaries of human endurance to realise his dream. If successful, 50-year-old Dave, a married father of three, will become the first blind person to complete seven marathons, on seven continents, in seven days.
Dave and Malcolm, both from West Bromwich, in the West Midlands, UK – and their Seven Magnificent Marathons support team – will arrive in Los Angeles one day after beginning the extraordinary event at on Monday 07 April, in Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands (Antarctica). They will have completed the second leg in Rio De Janeiro (South America) within the same 24-hour period. The Seven Magnificent Marathons team will only be on the North America continent for a total of 14hours and 50minutes hours before departing for the next leg of the global challenge in Sydney, Australia (Autralia). Having completed the Sydney leg of the Seven Magnificent Marathons, Dave will progress onto three subsequent grueling legs in Dubai (Asia), Tunis (Africa) and London (Europe) – arriving in spectacular style for the Flora London Marathon on Sunday 13 April.

“Around the world, every five seconds, someone loses their sight, and in many countries there are few services or none at all to help them,” Dave said. “In the UK alone, 100 people start to lose their sight every day – with many thousands receiving inadequate support in getting their lives back together after experiencing this loss. I know how terrifying life can seem when you lose your sight, but I have been fortunate enough to have had my life transformed by Guide Dogs. That is why I am determined to create awareness of visual impairment around the globe in an effort to improve services for blind and partially sighted people. By doing this, I am hoping to make a personal difference to the lives of people with sight loss worldwide by bringing mobility issues to the forefront of people’s minds.”

Marathon Focused, Steve Mackel – MarathonTraining.TV Head Coach

April 7, 2008 | Filed Under Steve's Posts 

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