BOULDER, Colo. – On the trails at Foothills Community Park in Boulder, runners with Achilles International move together. Some athletes hold guide tethers while others rely on verbal cues like “curb,” “left,” or “step down” as they run side-by-side with volunteer guides.
Many of the athletes in the Boulder chapter of Achilles International are blind or visually impaired. Others are neurodiverse or have physical disabilities. Together, they train for races ranging from local 5Ks to marathons, including the upcoming BOLDERBoulder.
The group is co-led by Annette Kissinger and Judy Dixon, who Denver7 recently surprised with Everyday Hero awards for helping build the community over the past decade.
“Achilles Boulder, it's an organization that provides guides for athletes who need some help to get out on the trails for running and hiking,” Kissinger said.
Dixon said the group is about helping athletes discover what they are capable of.
“It's really a way for people to reach their potential, and then go beyond,” Dixon said. “It is a way for blind people to master running, and then master races, and then go on and do half marathons and beyond.”
Kissinger first became involved after searching for a running partner for her vision-impaired daughter. Even after her daughter grew up and moved away, Kissinger stayed involved.
“When she got to middle school, it really wasn't cool to be running with your mother,” Kissinger said. “We found this organization, so that she had a running partner and could get out on the trail and be challenged. It was great for her independence.”
Athlete Michael Stone said sports once felt intimidating and unwelcoming while growing up visually impaired.
“I actually was terrified of sports growing up,” Stone said. “I avoided it like the plague. I buried myself in music and other things, but it was by sheer chance that I found that there was this whole inner athlete in me that came out later in life.”
Laurie Nesheim, another blind athlete in the group, said she stopped running for nearly a decade after losing much of her vision.
“I literally thought I wasn't going to run again,” Nesheim said. “Tandem biking is good, but nothing matches the feeling of running.”
But with the help of volunteer guides, these athletes learned they are capable of much more, despite their disabilities.
“I feel like I gained 30 friends,” said Nesheim. “I got to put things back on my bucket list that I'd scratched.”
Volunteer guides say the relationships built during runs are just as important as the workouts themselves.
“It's not just the people you're running with, it's the community around it,” guide Sofia Jones said.
Guide Keiley Breene said racing together has become one of the most rewarding parts of her week.
“It's just so incredible to be running with athletes every single week,” Breene said. “And racing is one of the most fun things to do together.”
Over the years, the Boulder chapter has grown from just a few athletes and guides into a much larger community.
“We've seen athletes go from just walking, and their families never thought they'd do anything more than walk, and we've seen them go from that to become really good runners,” Kissinger said.
For Dixon, the group’s impact extends far beyond athletics.
“In the winter, when it's snowing, and we come back from our run, and we're all cold and wet, we stand around, eat food and have snacks and get wetter and just talk and talk,” Dixon said with a laugh. “We love each other. It's a good group.”
Stone said the community created by Kissinger and Dixon has changed lives.
“In today's world, we're invisible out there,” Stone said. “But when we come to Achilles, we are not invisible. We are seen, we are heard, we are loved.”
The Boulder chapter of Achilles International is welcoming athletes and is also looking for more volunteer guides to help support runners during training sessions and races. The group meets multiple times each week in Boulder and says no prior guiding experience is required, only a willingness to help someone reach the finish line. You can also monetarily support athletes with disabilities by donating directly to the nonprofit.
Denver7 features a different Everyday Hero each week. To nominate a hero in your life, click here.