Simon Wheatcroft described himself as a technologist rather than a marathon runner. Studying computer science, he lost his sight at 17 to Retinitis Pigmentosa.
Over a period of seven months, Simon went from running between the goalposts on a football field to his first race of over 100 miles. Partnering with leading technology firms and using social media to find running partners, Simon has gone on to run marathons and ultra marathons. In 2014, he decided that the 26.2 mile New York City marathon wasn’t enough, so he started in Boston over 250 miles away.
Leveraging his experience of working with leading technology firms including IBM, MIT and Google, Simon created the next generation of technology to enable himself and others to achieve what many bystanders would consider unattainable. Much of this technology was put to the test as he became the first ever blind person to run solo the 4 Deserts Marathon in Namibia in May 2016.
He eventually was able to run free at the New York Marathon — a remarkable story of how technology can open up possibilities that might otherwise seem impossible.