On Sunday 3rd December 2017 at Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield I completed the Use Your Senses 5k Run for Guide Dogs. I did not believe I could have so much fun having never run before.
I did the run in a time of 55 minutes, the course had a variety of terrain making it a challenge in parts. I signed up in September for the run after my younger brother who is fully sighted did a 5k run for Guide Dogs at Telford Park. He told me how much he enjoyed the run and I was inspired to do one myself despite having limited vision.
Signing up for the event was simple, all I had to do was go onto Guide Dogs website and find the next local 5k event. For myself this was in Sutton Coldfield, however, Guide Dogs are planning to do more over the country in 2018. Once I had signed up online, a few days later I recieved a training pack via email to help prepare myself for this new challenge.
My sister also signed up to the event and she was my sighted guide. By having my sister it helped motivate each other as we both could have easily have given up especially in the cold, dark nights. The training plan was simple to follow but was challenging for those like me who had never run for the bus let alone 5k.
On the day, the atmosphere was electric with music playing, the smell of food from the food
vendors and people talking to one another. There was lots of guide dogs with their owners who also paricipated and guide dog puppies who were in training. My guide dog Flora, was at the start and finished line with my husband supporting me on my run. I think Flora was worried that she would have to run but realised that I was running off into the distance without her.
The run was all about using your senses as when you lose your sight you have to rely on other sense. This meant that throughout the course, there was check points the first was about sound. There was a local choir who sang as you went passed. The second check point was bubbles that were scented with mint; the third was taste, where we were given cinnamon snowflake biscuits; the fourth was running through powder paint representing sight and the final was touch where we had to run through foam.
Running across the finish line I felt liberated and excited. I would highly recommend this event to challenge yourself. There was a variety of ages and abilities taking part.
I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who supported the event and Guide Dogs.
