The stage is set.

At the starting line, I focus on the mantras that have carried me through training:

“Steady pace. Relaxed form. Strong finish.”

As a blind athlete, racing means relying on more than my own training. It means trusting my guides, building strong teamwork, and drawing strength from a community that believes blindness should never be a barrier to experiencing the power of sports.

A huge part of that community for me is the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA).

This summer, I had an incredible opportunity to compete in a sprint triathlon in Milwaukee. For the first time, I raced wearing blackout glasses and goggles, putting me in the B1 classification for athletes with no usable sight.

With my guide Steve, I completed the half-mile swim, bike, and 5K run and finished second among the visually impaired athletes. It was Steve’s first time guiding me through a triathlon, and we put together a strong performance across all three legs.

One of my favorite moments came during the final kilometer of the run, when I overtook the athlete in third place—a friend and fellow athlete I had trained with at triathlon camp just a few weeks earlier. I finished especially strong on the run, averaging 7:17 per mile for the 5K.

Now, I’m taking on my next big challenge: the road to the Boston Marathon.

On September 12, I’ll race for the opportunity to qualify for Boston—another milestone in a journey that continues to show me what is possible when determination, teamwork, and access come together.

And as I chase this goal, I’m racing for something bigger than myself.

My fundraising goal: $5,000 for NWABA.

NWABA has helped me reach this point in very tangible ways. The run tether I use is on loan from NWABA. The training, resources, opportunities, and community have helped give me the confidence to show up at the starting line and compete.

Now I want to help make sure other blind and visually impaired athletes have those same opportunities.

From standing on the triathlon podium this summer to chasing a Boston Marathon qualifier this September, this journey is about much more than finish times. It’s about pushing limits, building confidence, creating access, and opening doors for blind and visually impaired athletes.

You can help by donating toward my $5,000 goal, sharing this fundraiser with your network, following along as I train and race, and spreading the word about NWABA’s impact.

Every contribution helps NWABA create greater access to sports and more opportunities for blind and visually impaired people to discover what they are capable of.

Thank you for supporting me—and especially thank you to NWABA for helping me get to this point.

Together, we can keep pushing limits, opening doors, and moving NWABA’s mission forward.

—Adam