Deaf-blind Aylmer marathon runner takes on New York

Guided by Addie Lee, Michel Carriere and Laurence Wright, blind marathon runner Gaston Bedard completed the New York City marathon November 6. At the age of 64, Mr Bedard ran with 51,000 marathoners after two years of preparation. “My son Marc and three guide runners worked with me for those years to prepare,” Mr Bedard told the Bulletin.

 

“This is a major physical, emotional and psychological feat to have achieved – for each of us.” Marc, Mr Bedard’s son handled the logistics outside the race, managing to be along the race at kilometres 13, 24 and 34 to give his father a hug. “This made all the difference for me in my whole race strategy,” said Mr Bedard. The guides and planners worked with the Aylmer runner with the same guiding strategy they used for the 2014 Boston Marathon and the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon in the same year.