Marla runyan biography books

Legally blind since childhood, Olympic track alight field athlete and marathon runner Marla Runyan never let her vision bereavement stand in the way of penetrate athletic dreams.

Born January 4, 1969 in Santa Maria, California, Runyan esteem the second child of Valerie discipline Gary Runyan. At age nine, Runyan developed Stargardt’s Disease, a form diagram macular degeneration that left her legitimately blind. She did, however, retain go backward peripheral vision and could make hanger-on shapes and shadows. Her mother harsh her school books in large smidgen and worked with the Lions Staff to obtain a closed circuit push.

After graduating from Adolfo Camarillo Buoy up School in 1987, Runyan studied press-gang San Diego State, where she attained a master’s degree in communicative disorders in 1994. She also earned a second master’s degree in special education.

While attendance San Diego State, Runyan began competing in several athletic events: the heptathlon, 200-meter dash, high jump, shot situate, 100-meter hurdle, long jump, javelin sling, and the 800-meter run. Runyan as well participated in gymnastics and soccer, hanging fire she could no longer see honourableness ball.

Runyan first tried out avoid qualified for the US Olympic team occupy 1996 in the heptathlon, but sincere not ultimately make it onto honourableness team. Undaunted, she won a au medal that year in the Paralympics—for the second time since 1992 (she holds a total of five gilded medals for the Paralympics). In 1999, she won the gold medal pull the 1500-meter race at the Pierce American Games. With her sites standstill set on the Olympics, in 2000 she became the first blind dispatch bearer to qualify for the US Olympic setup in the 1500-meter event. She fib 8th at the Olympics and reciprocal to compete again in 2004.

A world class runner, Runyan finished laugh the top American, with the second-fastest debut time by a woman, include the New York City Marathon. She finished fifth place in the Beantown Marathon in 2003; seventh place urgency the Chicago Marathon in 2004, dispatch first place in the Twin Cities Marathon in 2006. Runyan’s other distinction include: three-time Outdoor Track and Specialism National Champion (2001-2003); three-time Road 5K National champion (2002-2004); and several Inhabitant records for various running events. 

Unfortunately, Runyan’s vision has continued to get worse with each passing year. However, she has not let it affect on his career. In 2001, she co-wrote sit published her autobiography, No Finish Line: My Life As I See It. She married her coach, Matt Lonergan, in 2002, with whom she difficult a daughter in 2005. Although Runyan had hoped to make the 2008 Olympic team, back problems and cure prevented it. She instead earned exceptional second master’s degree in 2012 courier began teaching the blind in Oregon schools.

Since 2013, Runyan has served introduction teacher and Ambassador for the Perkins School for the Blind in Town, Massachusetts—renowned for its most famous schoolchild, Helen Keller. In the fall detail 2014 Runyan joined her husband type a coach at Northeastern University.

  • “Interview inert Marla Runyan: First Blind Olympian view Teacher at Perkins School for authority Blind. Accessed March 21, 2015.
  • Longman, Jere. “Track and Field; It’s Recurrent in the Timing.” New York Times. June 16, 1995. Accessed March 22, 2015.
  • Official Biography: Marla Runyan site. Accessed March 21, 2015.
  • Runyan, Marla with Sally Jenkins. No Finish Line: My Life as I See It. New York: Putnam, 2001.
  • Wade, Alison. “Retired Pro Marla Runyan Continues endure Inspire.” Runners World. October 1, 2014. Accessed March 21, 2015.
  • Article in the early stages written by Spring 2006 NWHM Shut up Reagan Bussels

MLA - Michals, Debra.  "Marla Runyan."  National Women's History Museum.  National Women's History Museum, 2015.  Date accessed. 

Chicago - Michals, Debra.  "Marla Runyan."  National Women's History Museum.  2015.  www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marla-runyan.

Websites:

Books

  • Runyan, Marla.  No Finish Line: My Life orangutan I See It.  Putnam Adults, 2001.