DAYTON, Ohio – For a lot of people, the idea of running a full or even a half marathon is difficult enough.
Imagine doing it — and doing it pretty well — without your sense of sight.
67-year-old Marine Corps veteran Jose Centeno has been legally blind for over five years.
When he started losing his vision, he began seeing Dayton VA Medical Center Optometrist Dr. Tim Morand. The two share a love of running and have completed almost ten races together.
Most of the races they do are marathons or half marathons.
Centeno is able to run side-by-side in tandem with Morand with the help of a simple band. Now, they’re looking to finish this Sunday’s half marathon in Xenia in under 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Centeno says the most important thing for him is to stay active. “Don’t just feel sorry for yourself. Go out and do something for yourself, for your life,” he said.
He learned a lot of his resilience through his twenty years of service in the military.
When he trains, he likes to run on the treadmill or on familiar trails around his neighborhood. When he’s not racing with Morand, his son runs by his side, guiding him every step of the way.
