Running blind? Well, yes and no

Running with no vision for 12km is not for the faint of heart, but for Jacob Vennix, it will be one of the most important things he does.
Inspired by his one-year-old son Cole, who was born with bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia impacting his vision, Jacob will run the
Lumary City-Bay Fun Run next month blindfolded, with his partner Kimberley guiding him from start to finish.
The Adelaide parents are running to raise money and awareness for their son’s condition, which only allows him to see about 60cm in front of him.
“I want to know what it’s like to live without my vision and experience what I can only guess is Cole’s fear and hesitation,” Jacob told the Sunday Mail.
“I also want to raise awareness that vision impaired people can do the same things as those with full sight … people with limited vision can still do amazing things.”
In a twist of fate, he met Kimberley in February 2022 at a Coles supermarket when he saw his now-stepson Isaac, 4, playing on a Guide Dogs donation box.
“It’s a bit of irony and almost fate … the fact that we met at the Guide Dogs donation box,” he said, adding that their meeting place was the inspiration for naming their son “Cole”.
Jacob and Kimberley’s run will raise funds for Guide Dogs SA/NT, an organisation that now helps Cole receive occupational and orientation therapy every fortnight.
“They’ve been really helpful in terms of moral support for me and my partner, but also (providing help) for Cole,” Jacob said.
“That’s all covered by … the money they receive through donations essentially, which is what made me want to give back to them because they’ve given us so much.”
Jacob and Kimberley will run in the 12km event at the City-Bay on September 15, with a goal of raising $2000- plus for Guide Dogs SA/NT.

Written by Douglas Smith – Sunday Mail