How these visually impaired runners are set to run the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026

Most runners talk about switching off once they find their rhythm This group canrsquot On the training loop between Shivaji Park and Marine Drive they run with a tether at the wrist or waist a guide at their side and a running commentary of potholes crossings slopes and sudden turns If the guide misses a cue the risk is instantThey are visually impaired runners preparing for the Tata Mumbai Marathon thatrsquos set to kick off on January 18 And this year one major change will make all the difference for them mdash Instead of being paired with a stranger on race day this time around they have been practising for months with the same buddy runners from the NGO Heed IndiaThe idea came to longtime marathoner and trustee at Heed India Jignesh Barasara from a moment that stayed with him During an early practice run he missed warning his partner Penav Mota about a speed breaker ldquoHis leg slippedhellip and that was my turning pointrdquo he recalls From then on every bump every uneven patch every crossing became his responsibility He realised that visually impaired runners donrsquot just need support at the start line They need runners who understand their pace their rhythm and the road they are navigating together That kind of attention can only come from training as a team not just showing up as a volunteerHeed India has spent the past decade working with underserved communities through sports and publichealth programmes The buddyrunner programme grows out of the same idea access dignity and a level playing fieldMarketing manager Siddesh Nayak says the pairing of a visually impaired runner with a veteran marathoner was crucial Nayak says that their goal was to offer buddies who had run ample marathons so that they would focus on the visually impaired runnerrsquos goals instead of their own Of course pairing the runners with veterans also meant that pace could be matchedAll runners trained together for weeks assessed pace and comfort and found partners depending on their pace and timing ldquoDuring some runs they get to know their speed If it does not match then we exchangerdquo Nayak says explaining how it took them months to train and pair people for the upcoming marathonPenav Mota left who is 100 per cent visually challenged is tethered at the wrist to Heed India trustee Jignesh Barasara and senses any change in speed or direction through itPenav Mota a criminal lawyer who is 100 per cent Blind has seen the consistency in practice change the way the run itself is conducted The tether becomes a signal system he explains and trust is built one turn at a time ldquoIf the rope becomes tight I get to know if my buddy is fast or slowrdquo he saysHis earlier races often meant showing up and being assigned to any runner who was available The intent was kind but the mismatch could be risky especially in crowds Consistent training with the same buddy removes doubt Pace timing hand signals and even foot movements start to align He says that this time around he feels more confident and prepared for the 42km full marathonHalfmarathoner Lalita Pawar has had similar experiences In the past she often ran with volunteers who wanted to help but werenrsquot runners themselves ldquoDuring practice nobody pays attention Usually volunteers are not fully aware of how they need to guide usrdquo she says This time as pairing was based on timing and goals she says she feels excited to run Pawar says ldquoOn the day of the marathon that bonding matters The buddy runners have to have the mentality that this run is not about their timing but oursrdquoRunning as a guide changes how you run Barasara who will be guiding Mota calls it a different kind of effort The focus is relentless You have to read the road narrate every change in terrain stay alert when others drift into autopilot ldquoItrsquos not about my pace anymorerdquo he says ldquoI have to see Penavrsquos strengths and weaknesses I canrsquot lose myself in the processhellip I am responsible for himrdquoOver time the two have found a rhythm that other runners notice Feet landing in sync strides aligned rope steady between them ldquoBeing a buddy runner has helped improve my concentrationrdquo says BarasaraHowever longdistance categories for visually impaired runners remain limited Many inclusive runs exist only as short symbolic circuits Mota puts it bluntly ldquoThere is nothing for longdistance runners It can be demotivatingrdquo He suggests that if the number of visually impaired runners is small introduce timed challenges instead of keeping runners out He also adds that organisers should build awareness so crowds understand why space matters ldquoThey could simply send out an email to all participants informing them that there will be visually impaired runners among them That way if we accidentally bang into someone itrsquos not awkward Additionally then every runner on the path can be more aware of their spacerdquoNayak adds that registration itself is a hurdle and support systems rarely extend beyond race entry The work lies in training safety and continuity instead of token inclusion ldquoTherersquos no separate criteria for the visually impaired This initiative has gone on smoothly but our challenge was registering the runners especially as the halfmarathon was already fullrdquo Nayak is positive that the 12 runners who have trained with them will reach the finish line in their desired time ldquoWe have four runners running the full marathon two are running the half marathon and six are running the dream run which is six kilometresrdquo he saysTraining began in October at dawn and the runners along with their buddies have been practising every Sunday After running for about 2030 km during training their nerves now give way to anticipationBarasara and Mota are thinking about the finish line they have earned together Pawar is chasing a steady confident run The team is hoping the sight on race day mdash pairs running in sync rope between them mdash shifts how the city reads ability on a marathon course