Kyle Coon, a visually impaired athlete from Colorado, is gearing up to compete in the Boston Marathon on April 21, marking his return to the gruelling race after a seven-year hiatus. This time, however, he will navigate the 42.2-kilometre course with the invaluable support of his Canadian running guide and friend, Nico Lightbody, from Sidney, B.C.

Coon, 33, has been completely blind since the age of six, but that hasn't stopped him from pursuing his passion for endurance sports.

This year's Boston Marathon will be his first foray into the para-elite division.

"It's been a long road to get here," Coon said. "I've been doing endurance racing and competing as a professional triathlete at the Paralympic level since 2014."

The American runner is now in Saanich, visiting his long-distance partner and fellow Paralympic athlete Jessica Tuomela. He met Lightbody through a mutual friend, and they have been running together for five years.

Lightbody, a 33-year-old professional endurance coach and ultra-trail runner from Sidney, is embracing the challenge of guide-running for the first time. However, it won't be his first time tackling the marathon. 

"I did the marathon with my partner, not as a guide, but just supporting her and keeping her pace," Lightbody recalled. "The atmosphere in Boston is insane, people watching and screaming the whole way."

Since receiving the invitation to participate in January, Coon and Lightbody have been diligently training together, running at least once a week and occasionally incorporating other partners into their sessions. They run around the Peninsula on Elk Lake, Lochside trail, road and PKOLS for their uphill endurance training.

Their focus extends beyond simply completing the distance; they aim to achieve a competitive time.

"We've just been training our entire lives, so to run a marathon, I wouldn't say is a big stretch for us to do, but to be able to run one fast is a lot harder," Lightbody said.

While acknowledging the presence of top marathoners in their division, Coon remains grounded in his expectations.

"As much as I would love to say we're gonna compete for the win, I'm not looking to clock a two-hour, thirty-minute time," Coon said. "But knowing we’re up against three or four of the top marathoners in the world in that division is already an honour."

Successfully navigating the marathon requires more than just physical prowess; it demands seamless communication and trust between Coon and Lightbody.

They will be running side-by-side, connected by a short tether, approximately 18 inches long, linking Coon's left wrist to Lightbody's right.

"If I want him to come towards me, I'll pull," Lightbody explained, detailing their communication strategy. "I'll tell him there's a speed bump and count three, two, one...so just visually communicating what's going on with him."

The pair will start at the front with the visually impaired elite field, which mitigates the challenges of navigating a crowded course. They anticipate having a clear path for the first 30 minutes of the race.

"Even if runners get ahead of us, the street course in Boston is nice and wide," Coon said.

The Boston Marathon route, characterized by long straight stretches and only four turns, further simplifies Lightbody's guiding task.

"Nico's job is to make sure that when we do run past aid stations, he steers me away from plastic cups on the ground, speed bumps that appear and minor cracks on the sidewalks that may potentially trip me up," Coon explained.

In addition to avoiding obstacles, Lightbody will monitor their pace, ensuring Coon maintains an optimal speed throughout the race.

"It's his job to crack the whip and be like, 'Hey, come on, I know you're better than this'," Coon said.

Lightbody's primary motivation is to support Coon in achieving his personal best.

"My motivation is to help Kyle," he said. "He hasn't run a marathon in a long time, so I'm just curious to see how fast he can go. I believe he's wanting to see how fast he can go, and if we have a really good day, I'd like to see Kyle finish in under three hours."

Coon echoed this sentiment, expressing his desire to push his limits and discover his full potential.

"A personal best would be incredible, and I enjoy discovering what my body and mind are capable of," he said. "Running a marathon is a very different endeavor and after running nine, I have a newfound appreciation for what it entails, after training professionally in the last six years."

As they prepare to take on the streets of Boston, Coon and Lightbody recognize the symbolism of their partnership – an athlete from the United States and a guide from Canada, working together in harmony.

"First and foremost, we're buddies and running partners," Coon explained. "I think that is really symbolic – an American guy and a Canadian guy getting along fine, running tethered together for 42 kilometres without killing each other and actually enjoying ourselves. We're also celebrating together and we're surrounded by a diverse group of people from all over the world, including those with various disabilities."

Lightbody added that sport helps to break down barriers. "Just coming together to work toward a common goal and putting our countries' differences aside can accomplish more than working alone."

"We're better when we work together," Coon concluded.