Panek,a blindrunnerwitha wallfullofribbons
frommarathonsheranwitha humanguide,
developeda caninerunningguidetraining
programfiveyearsagoafterhebecame
presidentandCEOofGuidingEyesfortheBlind
insuburbanNewYork.Lastyear,hebecame
thefirstblindfinisheroftheNewYorkCityHalf
Marathontobeguidedentirelybydogs.
Now,he saidhisdogBlazeplaysan
essentialroleinmaintaininga healthy
lifestyleamidgymshutdownsandother
pandemicrestrictions.
“Therunningguideprogramisincredibly
importantrightnownotonlyforphysical
healthbutemotionalwellbeing,”Panek
saidina recentZoominterview.“Forpeople
whoraninthepastandhadtostoprunning
becauseofthepandemic,thisenablesthem
tocontinuetoexercise.”
Panekhasalwaysbeena runnerandcontinued
tocompeteinroad racesafterhelost hissight
toa geneticconditionin hisearly 20s.Like
otherblindrunners,he reliedon volunteers
holdinga shorttethertoleadtheway.
“I’vehadseveralguidedogsandI’vealways
wantedtorunwiththem,butI followedthe
rules,”Paneksaid.Conventionalwisdomsaid
dogswould beunable tonavigatesafelywhile
running,andthattheirhealthmightsuffer.
“Noguidedogprogramintheworldwould
allowyoutorunwithyourguidedog,”hesaid.
Hesetouttochangethatwhenhetookthe
helmatGuidingEyesandvisuallyimpaired
runnersaskedhimtoconsidera running
guidedogprogram.
Image: Kathy Willens