Blind runner set to make history using AI glasses at marathon - this is truly next level

Running a marathon is brutal. Your legs scream, your lungs burn, and by mile 18, you’re usually questioning every life choice that got you to the starting line.Now imagine doing all that with just five percent of your vision.Sounds impossible, right? Well, not for Clarke Reynolds.On April 12, the 45-year-old, known to many as “Mr Dot” - will take on the Brighton Marathon. But this isn’t just another race. It’s being seen as a world-first moment, as Clarke plans to run the entire course using Meta AI-powered smart glasses.And honestly, it feels like a glimpse into the future.

The magic of three words

Clarke lives with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a condition that has left him legally blind.He’s no stranger to endurance challenges - he’s completed the London Marathon before with the help of a guide runner. But this time, things are different.His main support system won’t be running beside him. Instead, it’ll come through a combination of his smart glasses and the Be My Eyes app.

Normally, the app connects visually impaired users with volunteers for quick, everyday help. But a marathon? That needs something more structured.

A private, global support squad

For this run, Clarke is using a new feature called Be My Eyes Groups.Instead of being connected to random volunteers, he’s built a private network of people who are ready and trained for race day. When he needs help, he simply says, “Be My Eyes,” and instantly connects to someone from his group.From there, he gets real-time audio guidance—directions, obstacles, what’s ahead.By the end of the race, he estimates he could be guided by nearly 200 volunteers from across the world.“This is a world first! I’m so excited,” Clarke shared. “I’ll be the first blind person running a full marathon while being supported by volunteers using Be My Eyes. This technology is so liberating!”

Safety nets and smart support

Of course, a marathon is unpredictable. So while the tech is doing the heavy lifting, Clarke isn’t completely on his own.A trained guide runner from The Richard Whitehead Foundation will be on the course with him as a safety backup.

It’s a smart balance - cutting-edge tech combined with real-world support.

More than just a marathon

Clarke is also running for a cause, having already raised £1,155 towards his £2,000 goal.But for him, this goes beyond money - or even the race itself.“This isn’t just about running a marathon,” he said. “This is about challenging society’s ideas about what blind people can do.”And that’s what makes this story stick.Because when Clarke hits the streets of Brighton, he won’t just be running 26.2 miles. He’ll be breaking assumptions, step by step, proving that with the right mix of grit, community, and technology, limits aren’t always what they seem.