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[Lovingheart]

Visually impaired man aims to complete Everest marathon
PTI
Monday, May 14, 2007  14:00 IST

KATHMANDU: An Irish man, who lost his sight nine years ago, is aiming to become the first visually impaired person to complete the highest marathon at the
Everest base camp at an altitude of 5,000 metres.

Thirty-one-year-old Mark Pollock, who hails from Dublin, will try his luck in the Everest region on May 29 when the anniversary of the first human ascent
to the Mount Everest is celebrated.

Mark will be relying on his tracking sticks connected to compatriot John O'Regan and his guidelines to complete the marathon that starts from Everest base
camp at an altitude of 5,150 meters, according to officials.

John, who also hails from Dublin, is trained in arctic survival techniques and has trained Mark since 2003 when Mark undertook six marathons a week in the
Gobi Desert.

"We have come here to finish the race," says Mark with a determination when asked about the possibility of finishing the race for a man who has not gone
above 3,500 meters.

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Mark could not see with his right eye initially but in April 1998, he completely lost sight when his left retina became
detached.

Before losing sight altogether, Mark was a rower and within six months of the incident returned to sports.

"When I lost my eyesight, I didn't think I would be able to do anything. I feared I would not be able to even get out of my house," he recalls upon arrival
at the Kathmandu airport on Sunday.

Mark also completed the North Pole marathon in 2004 and is in Nepal to complete the second part of his twin challenge of completing the lowest marathon
on Earth as well as the highest.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1096709

_________________
Warmly,

Amit Bhatt
New Delhi, India
Mob: +91-9013323229
"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much"-Helen Keller.

Visually impaired man aims to complete Everest marathon
PTI
Monday, May 14, 2007  14:00 IST

KATHMANDU: An Irish man, who lost his sight nine years ago, is aiming to become the first visually impaired person to complete the highest marathon at the
Everest base camp at an altitude of 5,000 metres.

Thirty-one-year-old Mark Pollock, who hails from Dublin, will try his luck in the Everest region on May 29 when the anniversary of the first human ascent
to the Mount Everest is celebrated.

Mark will be relying on his tracking sticks connected to compatriot John O'Regan and his guidelines to complete the marathon that starts from Everest base
camp at an altitude of 5,150 meters, according to officials.

John, who also hails from Dublin, is trained in arctic survival techniques and has trained Mark since 2003 when Mark undertook six marathons a week in the
Gobi Desert.

"We have come here to finish the race," says Mark with a determination when asked about the possibility of finishing the race for a man who has not gone
above 3,500 meters.

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Mark could not see with his right eye initially but in April 1998, he completely lost sight when his left retina became
detached.

Before losing sight altogether, Mark was a rower and within six months of the incident returned to sports.

"When I lost my eyesight, I didn't think I would be able to do anything. I feared I would not be able to even get out of my house," he recalls upon arrival
at the Kathmandu airport on Sunday.

Mark also completed the North Pole marathon in 2004 and is in Nepal to complete the second part of his twin challenge of completing the lowest marathon
on Earth as well as the highest.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1096709

_________________
Warmly,

Amit Bhatt
New Delhi, India
Mob: +91-9013323229
"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much"-Helen Keller.

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[UKRobin]

Anybody know if there is an update anywhere to this story?

_________________
Disability & Disabled Mobility Advice
Disabled Accessibility Audit

Anybody know if there is an update anywhere to this story?

_________________
Disability & Disabled Mobility Advice
Disabled Accessibility Audit

[Kr_iyer]

Contact Gillian with your views on this story
A BANBRIDGE man has become the first visually-impaired person to complete the world's highest marathon – without his guide dog.
Mark Pollock (30) is celebrating after setting a new world record by finishing the Tenzig-Hillary Everest Marathon in 16 hours, 27 minutes and 39 seconds on June 3.

Source : http://www.newsletter.co.uk/9231/MARK39S-WORLD-RECORD-GLORY.2955694.jp

_________________
If they answer not to thy call walk alone,
If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,
O thou unlucky one,
open thy mind and speak out alone.
RABINDRANATH TAGORE

Contact Gillian with your views on this story
A BANBRIDGE man has become the first visually-impaired person to complete the world's highest marathon – without his guide dog.
Mark Pollock (30) is celebrating after setting a new world record by finishing the Tenzig-Hillary Everest Marathon in 16 hours, 27 minutes and 39 seconds on June 3.

Source : http://www.newsletter.co.uk/9231/MARK39S-WORLD-RECORD-GLORY.2955694.jp

_________________
If they answer not to thy call walk alone,
If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,
O thou unlucky one,
open thy mind and speak out alone.
RABINDRANATH TAGORE

[UKRobin]

Thanks for the above link, i remembered him planned this so it was nice to hear it went ahead and he did so well.

_________________
Disability & Disabled Mobility Advice
Disabled Accessibility Audit

Thanks for the above link, i remembered him planned this so it was nice to hear it went ahead and he did so well.

_________________
Disability & Disabled Mobility Advice
Disabled Accessibility Audit