Blind Texan From Germany To Challenge 6-day Ultramarathon Record

Jeffrey Taylor Norris, a blind marathon runner from Texas who settled in Germany after a 1992 head injury that lead to his blindness, isn’t really trying to set a world record as he take part in the 6-day Run for your Children’s Sake charity race in Gothenburg, Sweden beginning Sunday, August 30. He will be guided by Georg Hallstorp, half of the fastest and fittest couple in the world. End Quote

Blind but still running!

(1888PressRelease) August 29, 2009 - GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN – Jeffrey Taylor Norris, a runner from Texas who settled in Germany after a 1992 head injury that lead to blindness, isn’t really trying to set a world record as he take part in the 6-day Run for your Children’s Sake charity race in Gothenburg, Sweden beginning Sunday, August 30. Although Norris runs strictly for personal satisfaction, he seems likely to break the 6-day ultra-marathon record for blind runners. Georg Hallstorp, an internationally ranked ultra-marathoner and noted personal trainer, intends to guide Mr. Norris during 150 or more miles of 730 meter laps on smooth gravel around a forested pond in Slottsskogen Park.

“I'm not a competitive runner, so competition and records aren’t why I run,” says Norris. “It surely gives me a good feeling, physically, but more than that, it lifts my senses, and opens my soul. While I'm running, I can let my mind flow. I don't have to concentrate on my route, and can really let myself be distracted from the present moment.”

Norris met Run for your Children’s Sake race organizer and noted ultramarathon runner KG Nystrom at a 24-hour ultra event earlier this year and told him he wanted to start building up to the “Run across Germany” Deutschlandlauf 17-day, 1196 KM race. KG suggested he start with the multi-day race he was helping organize and offered to recruit a guide.

Georg Hallstorp was an obvious choice as guide. While himself a top-ranked boxer, judo competitor and ultra-marathon runner, Georg “Fever” Hallstorp’s career is focused on training others including his wife Asa, who Georg has helped achieve wins in international body fitness and 20th place in the 24-hour ultra-marathon at the 2008 Worlds in Seoul. “I receive more requests to help people train than I can handle, and sometimes all I can do is point them to advice on my blog,” says Georg. “But I’m glad to help Jeffrey achieve his goal of doing 40 KM or more on each of these 6 days. It is exciting in every way.”

‘The United States Association of Blind Athletes’ http://www.usaba.org/ notes that “guide running is one of the ultimate forms of volunteerism as the guide is giving of both their time and talent.”

About the Event.(Go to http://www.ultrafitnesstrainer.com/events.html) Run for the Children’s Sake raises money for Queen Silvia Children's Hospital and the Västra Götaland Disability Association, which helps shops in small Swedish towns better accommodate the disabled. Chip-timed races of 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours circle the bird pond and Villa Belparc beginning Friday evening August 28 with the world-renowned support and hospitality Swedish ultra races are known for, while the 6-day event begins Sunday and concludes on September 6.

About Jeffrey Taylor Norris. Jeffrey Taylor Norris first found solace from running when introduced to the trails as “a cure” by another spa visitor at Bad Schwalbach in Bavaria in 1993. Norris completed his first marathon in 1994 and ran 54K during his first ultra-marathon, a 6 hour event, in 2004. In 2007 he completed the Iron-man-length Quelle Roth Challenge triathlon, and in 2009 he returned to the United States to finish the Houston Chevron marathon, the Surfside Beach marathon in Surfside Texas, and the Boston Marathon before completing a 6H ultra race and a 24H race in Nuremberg and Seilersee Germany, respectively. reflects on many of these events and the unique experience of finding and running with guides. He runs with Achilles Track Club, an organization dedicated to enabling people with disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics.

About Georg Hallstorp. Georg “Fever” Hallstorp and his wife Asa Hallstorp are the H Team, the fastest and fittest couple in the world. ( Read his blog http://metrobloggen.se/hteam ) Georg has dozens of ultra-marathon finishes in the top 3 while also scoring top-3 finishes in international boxing, judo, and body fitness competitions. Coached by Georg, Asa has top-3 finishes in 10 international body fitness competitions, and has won more than a dozen ultra-marathons. Their blog (translated here from Swedish) offers photos, training tips and competitive insights plus glimpses of their personal lives raising Liza (7 years) and Irizar (15 months) while working full-time careers and training at international levels on as little as 4 hours sleep.

###

Visit Ultrafitnesstrainer Website

space