Blind Marathon Runner to Be Guided by Smart Glasses
Friday, 2026/04/03241 words4 minutes369 reads
Clarke Reynolds, a 45-year-old blind runner and sight loss awareness advocate, is preparing to run the Brighton Marathon using cutting-edge technology that connects him with a global network of virtual guides. Reynolds, who operates under the alter-ego Mr. Dot, creates braille art and educates schoolchildren about visual impairment.
Having experienced progressive vision loss—initially impaired in his right eye from age six, then losing sight in his left eye 13 years ago—Reynolds now perceives the world as if underwater, discerning only shapes, shadows, and limited color. Despite this, he has channeled his experience into raising awareness through both art and athletic achievement.
For the upcoming marathon, Reynolds will utilize smart glasses integrated with the Be My Eyes application, which facilitates real-time communication with sighted volunteers worldwide. Through the glasses' embedded camera and speakers, these volunteers can observe his perspective and provide navigational guidance throughout the 26.2-mile course, alerting him to obstacles while simultaneously engaging in conversations about sight loss awareness.
Unlike his previous London Marathon experience three years ago, which required a tethered physical guide, this technological approach represents a significant evolution in accessibility. Reynolds has prepared by completing numerous training laps along the familiar 0.7-mile crescent near his Havant home, supported by over 100 volunteers from locations as distant as Jordan. While acknowledging his initial apprehension before the London Marathon, Reynolds expresses genuine excitement about this innovative challenge, viewing it as another platform to demonstrate the capabilities of visually impaired individuals.
