‘It’s alright’

Above: Ron and Tim cruise by Athol Bay in Sandbanks Provincial Park.

Runner driven by mother’s love and encouragement

It was with heavy heart that Ron Hackett ran the marathon through the County on Sunday. His mother is dying. In fact he didn’t know when he started the run in Wellington whether she would still be alive when he finished the race and returned to her bedside in Kingston.

Ron’s mother, Lois, has been the steel that kept him together through a challenging and sometimes difficult life. When she goes, a part of the force that has propelled him forward will go with her.

Ron is blind. In 1966 a drunk driver hit head-on the car in which Ron was a passenger. Among his injuries, Ron lost his sight. In an instant his world went black and the light has never returned. He was just 11 years old.

Some parents might have responded to such a tragedy by redoubling their efforts to shelter their child from the dangers and hardship of life. But that wasn’t Lois. She prodded him to chase his dreams, pursue his ambitions—not to let his challenges become shackles on a life not yet lived.

“It was her quiet encouragement that enabled me to push through,” explained Ron after crossing the finish line in Picton. “She encourages me to keep going. All through my life, whenever I had a down spell she was the one who said it was alright. Even if I was far from home—I would tell her what was worrying me and she would say “it’s alright Ronny.” If anybody else had said that it wouldn’t make any difference, but when she said it—I felt better.”

NO BOUNDARIES
Ron has accomplished a great deal in his 57 years. He has competed in at least nine marathons, countless races and several triathlons. In 2009, he finished a gruelling 250- kilometre run across the Sahara desert in five days—through sand, wind and “crazy” heat. The final leg was 90 kilometres.

Ron and Tim cross the finish line in Picton on Sunday.

PARTNER AND FRIEND
In 2010 he met Tim Scapalitto, a runner from Gatineau near Ottawa. Tim, 58, is about the same age as Ron, 57. They met through Facebook. Tim had run many marathons and was looking for a new challenge and a way to give back to a sport that had given him so much. Through Facebook he found and subsequently “answered the call” to volunteer for a group called WonforOne, founded by Jan Ditchfield, an organization that works to empower blind and visually impaired athletes.

Ron and Tim run side by side. Ron interlocks his left arm with Tim’s right. They are shoulder to shoulder for nearly four hours. In fact, Ron cannot run a step without holding onto something. Since they run so closely together, their legs and pace must be continu ously synchronized. Tim’s right foot must fall at the same instant as Ron’s left. And then the reverse. For 42 kilometres.

It was an adjustment for Tim—he doesn’t like running in a group or listening to music—but one made easier as he had much in common with Ron.

FIRST STEPS
Their first race together was the 2010 Prince Edward County Marathon. Tim, while an accomplished marathon runner, had never done anything like this before and expected more training before embarking on full marathon guiding a blind runner. But with just a short jaunt around Ron’s Kingston neighbourhood—the pair of athletes clicked.

They finished that race in a respectable time. Since then they have competed in six marathons, including twice running in the famed Boston Marathon.

They mostly talk about music and American politics while on the road, leaning toward heavy metal and Republican points of view. They’ve become good friends on and off the race course.

“He is the best partner ever and a great friend,” says Ron.

Tim continues to be humbled by Ron’s character and determination. “He never loses his patience,” remarked Tim. “There are times I can feel him struggling a bit but he never says anything. He’s tough.”

Tim says that even though Ron is blind, he clearly isn’t handicapped. “He does whatever he decides he wants to do,” explained Tim. “Last winter he was up shovelling snow off his roof.”

Ron has a daughter who is currently studying at McGill in Montreal. He lives with his girlfriend of seven years, Karen Craig.

GREY DAY
Ron and Tim didn’t talk much on Sunday as the pair ran through grey drizzle toward Picton. Ron’s mind was elsewhere, his burden made heavier by the fact that he had wrenched his back while pulling a boat out of the water the day before.

“It was a quiet day,” said Ron. “I’m afraid I was in my own world most of the race.”

They finished the race knocking 10 minutes off their previous best time.

When he crossed the finish line, Ron learned his mother was still alive. Before rushing back to Kingston, Ron spared a few precious moments to explain why he had come to the County this day.

“I want to use this opportunity to tell as many people as possible what a fantastic mother I have,” said Ron, for the first time allowing tears to fill his eyes. “I did this for her.” Back in Kingston, Ron presented his finisher medal to his mother. Taking it in her hand she opened her eyes wide for the first time in several days.