PRESS RELEASE from the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Manchester, NH lawyer Ron Abramson has been a runner since 2006. Having completed over 25 marathons and ultra-marathons, Abramson decided to set his sights on a new challenge. On July 18, 2015, Abramson will join 300+ other runners – and dozens of horses – at the start of the Vermont 100 Endurance Run, where he’ll tackle his biggest running challenge to date: 100 miles through the trails and back roads of eastern Vermont. As if that wasn’t challenging enough, he will do a portion of it blindfolded to raise funds and awareness for the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (MABVI).
Having connected with the MABVI’s Team With A Vision a couple of years ago, Abramson has served as sighted guide to blind runners from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, California and beyond at the Boston Marathon, Bay State Marathon, and the 2014 National Blind/VI Half-Marathon Championships. While realizing that a sighted person can never truly appreciate the challenges and realities of being blind or visually-impaired, Abramson plans to cover a portion of Vermont’s notoriously hilly, twisting course while blindfolded. Abramson’s 14-year-old son Carter and other members of his support crew will serve as his sighted guides.
“Not sure why just trying to run 100 miles with both eyes wide open wasn’t enough for me. I seem to relish adding on little ‘twists’,” Abramson said. “The nature of distance running is so solitary and often selfish, that it just makes sense to turn the actual race into a platform for something greater than my own goals,” Abramson said. “I now consider many blind and vision-impaired runners among my greatest inspirations, and closest friends. Having gotten so much from that wonderful community, I’d like to give something back if I’m able.”
Abramson’s personal goal is to finish the full 100 miles in under 24 hours, which would earn him a coveted belt buckle, the traditional award for completing that distance in less than a day. But, his greater aim is to raise awareness of the challenges faced by the blind and visually-impaired community, and not just the inspiring athletes, but everyone who takes on a series of daily challenges. MABVI is the oldest social service agency in the country providing services to individuals who are blind or visually impaired, offering services such as low vision exams, in-home vision rehabilitation, volunteers, and support groups to individuals with vision impairment.
For more information and to support Abramson’s run, visit the following links:
• Donation link: https://www.crowdrise.com/vt100formabvi
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RonVT100Blind
• Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired: http://www.mabcommunity.org/mabvi/home.html
• MABVI’s Team With A Vision: http://mabvi.org/teamwithavision
