In Episode 35 of the Eyes Free Sports podcast, we visit with blind long distance runner and marathoner Abigail Shaw. She talked about:
- Her diagnosis of a visual impairment at age four
- Attending Appalachian State University to earn a bachelor’s in music and audio production and Fordham University for a Master of Social Work
- Her guide dog from the Running Guides program at Guiding Eyes for the Blind and a special harness to make running with her dog more efficient
- How she got involved in running with Achilles International, an organization that helps engage people with disabilities in running and other recreational activities
- The half-marathons, marathons, and triathlons she has competed in
- What she enjoys most about running and how accepting the running community is for people of diverse abilities
- Her job with Learning Ally, an organization providing audiobooks and mentoring to students who are visually impaired, dyslexic, or have other challenges
- Her advocacy work on the Advisory Committee on Transit Accessibility through the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York
Learn more about Achilles International at http://www.achillesinternational.org. Learn more about Learning Ally at http://learningally.org.