Thomas Panek, Guiding Eyes President and CEO, and his running guide dog training for the Marathon. Photo from Guiding Eyes, Facebook.
Yesterday was heartwarming and historic for Thomas Panek and Gus when they became the first blind man and running guide dog to complete the United Airlines Half Marathon in New York City.
Panek, who is the President and CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, triumphantly ran the half marathon, with special accommodations courtesy of New York Road Runners, to raise money for other visually-impaired athletes wanting service dogs that can both guide them and run with them.
The nonprofit based in New York, which is dedicated to creating and supporting these types of life-changing connections between people and dogs, trained Panek’s three canine co-runners for the history-making half marathon.
The dogs paced Panek one at a time on the 13.1-mile racecourse from Brooklyn to Manhattan, while veterinarians and volunteers were stationed along the route to provide check-ups and ensure the team’s hydration, health and safety.
The New York City Half Marathon Training Team also included Waffle, the fastest member of the team and the only girl, as well as Westley, who is described as “A Big Goofy Moose” that has both strength and speed.
Westley was the first to start the race, a solid runner covering the first 5 miles, before handing off to his sister, Waffle, who Thomas reported, “was on fire.” Gus, the team’s anchor and seasoned veteran finished the last 3 miles, guiding Thomas over the Finish Line.
Gus, a longtime runner and guide to Panek, subsequently retired with honors after earning his medal in Central Park.
