Awesome courage of Marathon Man Dave

Nov 9 2006

SPEND a few days in the company of Blind Dave Heeley and you'll never feel sorry for yourself again.

After losing his sight as a teenager, he's become the West Midlands' own Marathon Man, raising more than £100,000 for Guide Dogs through sponsored long distance runs.

Last weekend, I was privileged to join him in New York where he completed a gruelling 26 mile course in three and a half hours. Not bad for a bloke turning 50 next birthday.

To put his achievement into perspective, record-breaking Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who also ran the Big Apple marathon, said it was the toughest physical challenge he has faced.

Armstrong has vowed "never again", but Blind Dave can't wait to get back on the starting line.

He's worried that if his wife Deb catches him at a loose end, she'll only nag him into doing more DIY back home in West Bromwich.

That's because as well as being a great runner, Dave is a wonderful carpenter too.

In spite of his handicap he makes chairs, tables, cupboards and has even built amazing Winnie The Pooh tree houses for his two youngest daughters in their bedrooms.

He uses his sense of touch to guide him around the workshop in his back garden which is equipped with a scary-looking saw and a specially adapted power drill.

"I went off the rails a bit when the blindness set in," admits Dave, who is the victim of a rare genetic disorder.

"But then I realised that lying in bed and feeling sorry for myself wouldn't change a thing, so I just got on with it."

He is an inspiration to us all, even if like me, you find it exhausting just to think about running for the bus.

Make a donation by visiting www.justgiving.com/blinddave