Running Blind

When blind runner Simon Webb was training for his first marathon in London 2011, aware that he wouldn't be able to pass the time during the race by admiring the sights of the city, he researched a few facts about some of the points of interest around the 26.2 mile course. Using the route which has changed little since its first running in 1981 and which has been completed by over 800,000 people, this book focuses on London's history, culture and sport, famous and not so famous landmarks, people and pubs - lots of pubs. From climbing the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster, which houses Big Ben, to going underground into what the Victorians branded the 8th Wonder of the World, better known as the former entry hall to the Brunel Tunnel in Rotherhithe, this book is as much an alternative tour guide to London as a sport book. During every mile there are stories to tell and reflect on: the location for England's first home rugby international on Blackheath, the restoration of the Cutty Sark after a devastating fire, the Deptford pub which hosted early gigs for Squeeze and Dire Straits and how the Chinese in Limehouse gained literary notoriety. When it does focus on running, we learn how it feels to run when you can't see, what the guide runner experience is like and are left in no doubt that 'hitting the wall' is no fun at all. "What Simon has achieved is incredible. His story is truly compelling." Michael Dobbs, author of House of Cards