NI man Tony running ultramarathons after being registered blind at 36

Tony Barclay, 64, from Carrickfergus has completed numerous 10ks, half marathons, marathons and ultramarathons (a race beyond the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles), all whilst tethered to a sighted guide runner, helping to raise awareness of visual impairment, whilst, as he says, ‘smashing barriers’.

“I never imagined I could run with limited vision, never mind develop a passion for the sport. It wasn’t always that way, though," said Tony, who was awarded an MBE this year for Services to the Visually Impaired Community.

“I was diagnosed in my late teens with a brain tumour and consequently degenerative sight loss, and I was registered blind at 36. I was a police officer at the time, making a positive difference and confident, and all that was taken away. For over 20 years, I believed that life had given up on me. I lost my passion, my drive. I lost myself.”

Tony said taking up sport never crossed his mind.

"Why on earth would it? I mean, I walk into the walls in my own home. Why would I take up sport? So somebody said to me, ‘why don’t you come and run Couch to 5k?’ I thought no, but they wouldn’t take no for an answer. So I went and did it.

“That first time running, it wasn’t easy. I hadn’t run for 26 years. But with the support of the people around me, the person next to me, I could do this. That feeling of being able to run for the first time in years, it’s indescribable, that emotion. Just going home, floating on air, believing again.”

Tony said doing the Couch to 5k transformed his life and inspired him to join a running club, where he has made lots of new friends.

“It also helped me to lose weight. I lost over two and a half stone in less than three months.

“In the running community, you’re a person. They see the person. They don’t see the sight loss. The running community is welcoming to you.

“Even though I’ve run into many things, car mirrors, trees, tripped over kerbs, I’m never giving up. Just because we can’t ‘see’ or we can’t see fully doesn’t mean we can’t ‘do’. We just got to believe in ourselves and magic will happen.”

Since his first Couch to 5K, Tony has amassed a number of impressive runs, including his first marathon in Londonderry, in May 2015, which he has now done five times and was favourite, after Dublin. His first ultramarathon, which was in 2017, was East Antrim Marathon Series 'Knockathon' – three 10.3 mile loops of the Knockagh, Carrickfergus. He’s now done this one three times. He has also completed Run Wild NI’s 'Magical Mystery Run' in 2020 - from Lisburn to Newtownards – a whopping 40 miles.

"The concept was to take runners on a 50km run without them knowing where they where going until they arrived at the registration point on the morning of the run,” said Tony.

As well as running, he is the founder of VI and Guide Runners NI - providing training and matching guide runners to visually impaired people. Tony was also the first visually impaired licensed, qualified running coach in NI and Ireland, and is Parkrun ambassador for visually impaired people in NI.

The See Sport Differently campaign tackles reasons why sport isn’t accessible for blind and partially sighted people. In a series of emotive videos, the campaign shares the real stories of blind and partially sighted people who have overcome the many challenges that often prevent them from getting involved in sport and physical activity, and celebrates their journey to get involved and stay active by taking part in activities such as swimming, martial arts and adapted team sports such as Goalball.

RNIB and British Blind Sport have created an accessible online hub to provide information and guidance on accessible sports and activities.This portal includes an interactive quiz where people can find out what sports and activities best suit them.

Derrick Errol Evans MBE, widely known as Mr Motivator, who is supporting the campaign with a series of free audibly accessible home workout videos said: “Exercise is for everyone, regardless of age, weight, ability, or sight loss. Whether it is simple chair exercises or a cardio workout, there is something out there for everyone.”

Vivienne Francis, RNIB’s chief social change officer, said: “Unfortunately, our research shows that one in three blind and partially sighted people said there were sports or fitness activities they would like to try but haven’t been able to. The accessible online hub that RNIB and British Blind Sport have created will pinpoint the local activities that already exist for people with sight loss to get involved in.”

Alaina MacGregor, chief executive of British Blind Sport, said: "Our new hub contains a variety of resources, activities and information that can help to remove some of the barriers to participation, provide positive experiences and encourage blind and partially sighted people of all ages and abilities to participate in sport."

To find out more information about See Sport Differently and watch the full stories visit www.seesportdifferently.org.uk