A Guide’s View
By Emily Lachtara, Achilles Boston
I’d like to share a personal experience with a friend that has inspired me, and many others, to push the limits of what we know is possible.
Two years ago I saw a video of a visually impaired runner and his guide runner winning a Paralympic race. It was amazing watching the pair running in tethered synchronization through the finish line; you could almost feel the excitement through the video. I was curious and inspired, so I did some research and decided to join the Achilles International Boston running group and begin my journey as a guide.
At my first practice with Achilles, I quickly learned that runners come with many different abilities, some visible and some invisible. I was amazed by the resilience, strength, and positive spirit of all the athletes and felt the warm welcoming embrace of the patient and kind guide runners. Achilles was more than a running group, it was a family that welcomed me with open arms.
It didn’t take long before I was paired with Justin for a run on a frigid December Saturday morning. Although he is not the tallest guy, Justin has a big personality that brightens up every room he walks into. From being told he would never walk again, to running over 20 marathons, this young man was the definition of resilience.
After running a few 5k’s together, Justin invited me to run the NYC marathon as his guide. I was honored that he asked me and excited to be alongside him for one of the biggest races in the world. We spent many summer mornings training together for the big day. Even though the weather got the best of many runners that day, Justin was eager to recover from this race and dominate on his home turf: Boston.
Justin had run the Boston Marathon prior to Monday, but had never qualified for the race. He ran a stellar race in Chicago that qualified him for the Boston Marathon. He was eager to get on the course and break his own personal records (PR) in order to guarantee his bib for next year’s race. I was excited when he asked me to guide again, and knew that this was an opportunity for Justin to break the limits of what he thought was possible.
He amazed everyone with his tenacity and commitment to the training plan Coach Joe LeMar helped us create. Justin went the distance (physically), and even trained the infamous heartbreak hill a few times in order to ensure that he was prepared for one of the biggest races of his life.
Race day came, and the conditions were less than ideal, however; Justin remained positive and reminded many of the other athletes that “a little rain doesn’t hurt anybody”. Justin was on familiar turf and having a good time running his home city. Despite the pouring rain, and headwind he was running hard and I was just along for the ride.
It wasn’t until halfway through the race that he started to face some serious pain and muscle tightness. While this is something we accounted for in training, we always hoped the pain would stay at bay. Instead of giving up when his body was physically unable to carry him, Justin decided to put his well-being on hold in order to finish this race. You could tell by the look on his face and silence that he was suffering an unimaginable bout of pain. Even through his worst pain, Justin was still chugging along high-fiving spectators and encouraging other runners. I was in awe of his toughness, and so were many others.
When faced with the physically impossible, Justin pushed past the limits of possibility. Through tears, rain, cramping immobility, and heartbreaking hills, he persevered even when the odds were stacked against him.
Justin completed the race, and not only did he break his Boston Marathon PR by nearly two hours, but his overall marathon PR. So many people were star-struck and wanted a picture with Justin on the course. He was inspiring the other runners, the fans in the stands, and the people watching at home.
Justin is one of my heroes, and I was lucky enough to be by his side when he showed the world how to achieve the impossible.
His story has inspired me, and I hope it inspires you to push your own limits of possibility.
