Imagine lacing up your favorite running shoes and heading to downtown Austin to the hike and bike trail or crossing the finish line at a springtime race. Now imagine doing either of these activities with your eyes closed. Unfortunately, for many people with visual disabilities or blindness, going for a run is not an option and competing in races has remained a distant dream.

Taking the concept of a seeing eye or guide dog one step further, a new program pairs sighted athletes with visually impaired runners. Running Eyes for the Blind was created to establish a support network of volunteers willing to act as guides, enabling visually impaired runners to participate in a variety of athletic events. Blind people often lead sedentary lifestyles because of the difficulties associated with exercising without assistance. Volunteers and visually disabled runners meet every Saturday for training runs on the track at the Texas School for the Blind in preparation for their first event--the 20th Annual Schlotzsky's Bun Run 5K Race and Family Fun Run on Sunday, April 21, 2002.

In addition to training for the physical demands of a five- kilometer race, the teams are learning how to run together and how to guide one another. On Saturday, April 13, the runners will leave the track and hit the streets for their first off-track training run.

Schlotzsky's, Inc. is pitching in and is footing the bill for entries for both the blind runners and their sighted running partners. Guide and blind runners will be wearing special Bun Run T-shirts identifying them to other race participants.

Schlotzsky's also operates a Bun Run in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a group of elementary students have heard about the Austin Running Eyes for the Blind program. The students are working on a special project to support the Austin program.

"It would be wonderful if we were able to get a group together in Tulsa to run in the Schlotzsky's Bun Run there," said Margo Ahern, Running Eyes coordinator. "Eventually, I would love to see a running eyes program in every community to assist the blind in road races all over the country."