The Original Blind 777

OWinter

Looks like a chap called Blind Dave Heely completed the 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days despite being blind in 2008.

Ed Mc Groarty

He was destined to go blind with a name like that

kit3

Fair play to him - the logistics alone are mind boggling !

Working class heroes

OWinter wrote: »

Looks like a chap called Blind Dave Heely completed the 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days despite being blind in 2008.

Was he blind just for that year?

jamule

Working class heroes wrote: »

Was he blind just for that year?

I'd imagine he was blind since birth, if he wasn't he'd be just called Dave.

cjt156

Remarkably, despite his sight loss, he went on to invent a product to baffle the middle aged in supermarkets for generations.

OWinter

Sorry I can't link to the article and apologies to the chap for using his nickname but his blog is called that.

Just thought it was interesting as I see an Irish runner has been in the media lately talking about a world record attempt as first blind runner to do 777

Sir Ranulf Fiennes believes he is legit anyway.

RayCun

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1584959/Blind-Daves-7-day-marathon-ends-in-London.html

The Antarctic leg was in the Falklands, which I would have considered part of South America...

Working class heroes

RayCun wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1584959/Blind-Daves-7-day-marathon-ends-in-London.html

The Antarctic leg was in the Falklands, which I would have considered part of South America...

Or Europe.....

kit3

RayCun wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1584959/Blind-Daves-7-day-marathon-ends-in-London.html

The Antarctic leg was in the Falklands, which I would have considered part of South America...

Ran Fiennes & Mike Stroud are credited with doing the 777 also in 2003 & they did one in the Falklands. Blind Dave Heely did his in 2008. If there was any issue as to location this would surely have been raised / disputed before now

Working class heroes

Another attempt under way.

https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/living/2017/0117/845569-blind-runner-tells-tubridy-about-her-7-marathons-in-7-days/

Neady83

Working class heroes wrote: »

Another attempt under way.

https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/living/2017/0117/845569-blind-runner-tells-tubridy-about-her-7-marathons-in-7-days/

I heard the interview that she did with Tubridy, she's a remarkable individual.

Neady83

Sinéad Kane will be guided by John O'Regan.

She will start her quest to complete the World Marathon Challenge of 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days next Monday(Jan 23).
Here's the schedule:
Day 1(Jan 23) Union Glacier,Antarctica,
Day 2(Jan 24) Punta Arenas,Chile.
Day 3(Jan 25) Miami,USA.
Day 4(Jan 26) Madrid,Spain.
Day 5(Jan 27) Marrakech,Morocco.
Day 6(Jan 28) Dubai.
Day 7(Jan 29) Sydney,Australia.

Follow their progress on the World Marathon Challenge Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theworldmarathonchallenge/?fref=ts

kit3

This challenge seems to have turned into a business - a number of people doing it, chartered flights etc. Doesn't take from the magnitude of the challenge of course but it must have been so much more difficult for the original people who used commercial flights & had to organise everything themselves.

RacoonQueen

RayCun wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1584959/Blind-Daves-7-day-marathon-ends-in-London.html

The Antarctic leg was in the Falklands, which I would have considered part of South America...

In the original Fiennes/Stroud attempt, they were meant to go to King George Island but weather and flight issues I think scuppered that so Falklands was used as a substitute. Doesn't seem to have been any questioning of the 'record' or achievement.
I remember reading about this years ago in Mike Stroud's ''Survival of the Fittest'' book and being fascinated and thinking I'd love to do it.
Not a freakin chance now. How young and foolish I was.

Everything, even articles from 2016 calls it the ''777'' and doesn't question that there was no marathon on Antarctica or the presence of the Falklands as a continent/being part of Antarctica.

kit3

RacoonQueen wrote: »

In the original Fiennes/Stroud attempt, they were meant to go to King George Island but weather and flight issues I think scuppered that so Falklands was used as a substitute. Doesn't seem to have been any questioning of the 'record' or achievement.
I remember reading about this years ago in Mike Stroud's ''Survival of the Fittest'' book and being fascinated and thinking I'd love to do it.
Not a freakin chance now. How young and foolish I was.

Everything, even articles from 2016 calls it the ''777'' and doesn't question that there was no marathon on Antarctica or the presence of the Falklands as a continent/being part of Antarctica.

I read about it there too - loved that book

Working class heroes

RacoonQueen wrote: »

In the original Fiennes/Stroud attempt, they were meant to go to King George Island but weather and flight issues I think scuppered that so Falklands was used as a substitute. Doesn't seem to have been any questioning of the 'record' or achievement.
I remember reading about this years ago in Mike Stroud's ''Survival of the Fittest'' book and being fascinated and thinking I'd love to do it.
Not a freakin chance now. How young and foolish I was.

Everything, even articles from 2016 calls it the ''777'' and doesn't question that there was no marathon on Antarctica or the presence of the Falklands as a continent/being part of Antarctica.

http://www.worldmarathonchallenge.com/html/7-continents/
Clarifies here re Falklands/King George/Continent

JsepP

How blind do you need to be to qualify as blind in these things. My grandma is legally blind but explains it as being a bit blurry. Certainly sees enough to clatter me anyway.

OWinter

WCH that is just the definition of the organiser. As this is essentially a made up challange you could lay down any parameters and have them be true.

I am hoping to set a world record in this next year as the first Irishman to complete the whole thing in tights, not shorts

RacoonQueen

Working class heroes wrote: »

http://www.worldmarathonchallenge.com/html/7-continents/
Clarifies here re Falklands/King George/Continent

That seems to have been decided by the person who runs this particular challenge. The Fiennes/Stroud and Heeley attempts all came before the 'World Marathon Challenge', which according to Wikipedia began in 2015.

I'm not entirely sure the link to that website can be left here btw, given the organisers previous 'history' with boards...

JsepP

So this one is just a pile of bollixology made up to suit the participants so they can say they are the first to do it ?

walshb

Neady83 wrote: »

I heard the interview that she did with Tubridy, she's a remarkable individual.

That was a good interview.

jamule

JsepP wrote: »

So this one is just a pile of bollixology made up to suit the participants so they can say they are the first to do it ?

you can't say thay without weighing it all up

Is it for charidee -Check
A great lad/girl- Check


Its a RECORD!


I am officially the first person to run 200m around the office I work in while posting here, unfortunately I'm a bollox and don't do charidee, so no official world record for me!

PaulieC

JsepP wrote: »

So this one is just a pile of bollixology made up to suit the participants so they can say they are the first to do it ?

sounds like it.

Neady83

Record or no record, we have an Irish person attempting to do the 777 and what's more is she is visually impaired and a great role model to kids and adults with and without disabilities. It will be a fantastic achievement if when she pulls it off.

Working class heroes

RacoonQueen wrote: »

That seems to have been decided by the person who runs this particular challenge. The Fiennes/Stroud and Heeley attempts all came before the 'World Marathon Challenge', which according to Wikipedia began in 2015.

I'm not entirely sure the link to that website can be left here btw, given the organisers previous 'history' with boards...

Sorry not familiar with the history, feel free to delete.

TFBubendorfer

JsepP wrote: »

How blind do you need to be to qualify as blind in these things. My grandma is legally blind but explains it as being a bit blurry. Certainly sees enough to clatter me anyway.

Anything up to 10% vision is defined as legally blind. The person in question in this thread has 5% visibility and falls comfortably into that category.

Working class heroes

OWinter wrote: »

WCH that is just the definition of the organiser. As this is essentially a made up challange you could lay down any parameters and have them be true.

I am hoping to set a world record in this next year as the first Irishman to complete the whole thing in tights, not shorts

Good luck.

JsepP

What's the situation with the current attempt. Is that a like for like 5% vision?

Might not matter that much in fairness. That's seriously impressive no matter what way you look at it to be honest.

walshb

JsepP wrote: »

That's seriously impressive no matter what way you look at it

Nice pun!

JsepP

walshb wrote: »

Nice pun!

Wasn't a deliberate one!

The Officer

Good luck to her I say, whether she's partially sighted or fully sighted it's a trip of a lifetime for this lady.

I see she set the World Record anyway. Well done to her.

RacoonQueen

Seems there is some argy bargy going on. Not following this, but looks like she is trying to discredit his original attempt? Anyone following all of this?

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/blind-runner-dismisses-earlier-record-claim-x6kbbkbx2?shareToken=25f11911b6f0df14efc8f3d961ab6750

kit3

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Seems there is some argy bargy going on. Not following this, but looks like she is trying to discredit his original attempt? Anyone following all of this?

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/blind-runner-dismisses-earlier-record-claim-x6kbbkbx2?shareToken=25f11911b6f0df14efc8f3d961ab6750

First I've seen of this. Am I right in thinking that Fiennes & Stroud are acknowledged to be the first to complete the 777 (before it became a business with chartered flights & everything arranged) even though they had to use the Falklands due to weather conditions ? Blind Dave Heely's achievement was also acknowledged at the time & since. Why is this being called into question all these years later ?

Fair play to Dave Heely - very dignified response.

The Officer

I've been following some of this, I'm scratching my head, who is advising her to engage in a social media campaign that is at very best a debate.

I couldn't care less about Guinness world records, they don't hold any gravitas anymore, people hold Guinness world records for running a marathon dressed as a fridge!

If the intention was to promote that these challenges are achievable with poor eyesight and encourage others like her then surely it's unwise to demean the achievement of a blind runner.

Whether that or purely a self-promotional endeavour I refer back to my first paragraph.

PaulieC

All getting a bit undignified. Great achievement doing what she did, but this is a bit pathetic. All comes across as very self serving. I can't imagine the people who stumped up the cash for this jolly being happy with it either.

JsepP

No matter what way you look at it it's a massive achievement to run 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents by a partially sighted runner. Absolute kudos to the lady involved.

Dave Heely was / is widely accepted as the first blind runner to run 7 marathons in 7 days and up until very recently on 7 continents. Dave as well as being totally blind didn't have the luxury of a private jet to transport him. I believe the Falklands were a last minute change due to weather conditions and were widely accepted as being part of Antarctica. I find it quite unsavoury how there have been attempts to discredit his original achievement and have the utmost respect for the dignified restraint he has shown in his responses. Personally if I were him I'd have been pointing out the irony of his achievement being questioned on geographical grounds in favour of someone else who keeps on being reported as the first blind person to do it when they appear to have some vision.

Both of them achieved something absolutely extraordinary. One of them is fast eroding the respect that achievement deserves though and that's a real shame. Let them both claim their own achievement.

ultrapercy

JsepP wrote: »

No matter what way you look at it it's a massive achievement to run 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents by a partially sighted runner. Absolute kudos to the lady involved.

Dave Heely was / is widely accepted as the first blind runner to run 7 marathons in 7 days and up until very recently on 7 continents. Dave as well as being totally blind didn't have the luxury of a private jet to transport him. I believe the Falklands were a last minute change due to weather conditions and were widely accepted as being part of Antarctica. I find it quite unsavoury how there have been attempts to discredit his original achievement and have the utmost respect for the dignified restraint he has shown in his responses. Personally if I were him I'd have been pointing out the irony of his achievement being questioned on geographical grounds in favour of someone else who keeps on being reported as the first blind person to do it when they appear to have some vision.

Both of them achieved something absolutely extraordinary. One of them is fast ertougheroding the respect that achievement deserves though and that's a real shame. Let them both claim their own achievement.

I'm not being contrary and I have no alligence to anyone involved but as a point of fact Dave Heely did not complete the challange as stated. What he did may have been tougher but he didn't run in Antarctica. If I take a notion to run 32 marathons in 32 counties I can't run them all in Mayo and claim that castlebar is now actually in Galway or any of the other 30 counties. She may be undignified and self serving in the view of some but factually she is correct. The Falklands are in south America so Heely only ran on 6 continents. It may have been more difficult from a logistics point of view but it was not the advertised challange.

Lougheee

I see Gary Thornton won the 2018 World Marathon Challenge.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0206/938849-world-marathons-galway/

Hurrache

His times were pretty decent too given the task.