Episode 5 | Kyle Robidoux – Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run
Kyle Robidoux is an avid runner, skier, local beer enthusiast, and father who has worked tirelessly to ensure that he is not defined by the boundaries that others place on him and his vision.
Born in Massachusetts and raised in Maine, Kyle was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a degenerative eye disease that first affects your night vision and often leads to complete blindness, at age 11 and was declared legally blind at 19.
In 2010 Kyle was close to 250 pounds, heading down the path to type II diabetes, and having a hard time playing with his young daughter. He began to walk. Then he started to run for 30 minutes. Then an hour. Then two hours. After that two-hour run, Kyle thought he would never run that far again—until he signed up for his first race, the Maine Half Marathon.
Kyle has now completed over 25 marathons and ultramarathons, including five Boston Marathons and five 100-mile races. Kyle has focused his professional and personal career on building community. He has spent 20 years working in the nonprofit sector, including as a housing advocate helping individuals staying in shelters find permanent homes and as a community organizer.
Kyle completed The Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run on March 27, 2021.
The Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run is designed to help new ultra runners make the leap from 50 mile runs to the more demanding 100 mile runs. It enables runners who have difficulty finishing 100 miles in 24 hours, or just finishing 100 miles at all, the opportunity to do so when severe topography, heat, and getting lost are removed as major obstacles. Many runners find the Umstead 100 an excellent foundation for the Massanutten 100, Western States 100, Leadville 100, and Wasatch 100 runs.
Join Chris and Kyle for a conversation about his Umstead 100-mile race, training for hilly ultras in a flat city, making friends by running as a team, and breaking down the barriers to entry for athletes with disabilities into the sport.
Follow Our Guest Kyle Robidoux
Instagram – @blindbeerrunner
Twitter – @kylerrobidoux
Website – https://www.kylerobidoux.com
United In Stride | a tool for uniting visually impaired runners – https://www.unitedinstride.com
Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run – https://www.umstead100.org
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