Irish blind man aims to finish highest Marathon
14/5/2007 15:49
An Irishman is trying to become the first blind person to complete the
highest marathon, local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported today.
The
31-year-old Irishman Mark Pollock, nine years after losing his sight, is to
complete "the Everest Marathon", the highest marathon, to be held annually on
May 29.
Mark will be relying on his tracking sticks connected to compatriot
John O'Regan and his guidelines to complete the marathon that starts from
Qomolangma Base Camp at an altitude of 5,150 meters.
"We have come in
Kathmandu to finish the race," says Mark with a determined grin when asked about
the possibility of finishing the race for a man who has not been above 3,500
meters.
"But I'm concerned about the boulders and rocks on the tracks," says
the genial lad who is also involved in charitable works.
Born in Belfast,
Northern Ireland, Mark could not see with his right eye initially but on the
10th of April 1998, he suddenly lost sight completely when his left retina
became detached.
"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," said
Mark, who used to be a rower before losing sight.
Mark also completed the
North Pole marathon in 2004 and will be in Nepal to complete the second part of
his twin challenge of completing the lowest marathon on Earth as well as the
highest.
When he is not on daring missions, Mark works as a motivational
speaker giving lectures on resilience, decision-making and creativity. He has
also written a motivational book titled "Making it
happen".
Xinhua
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