Who We Are
Our History
United In Stride was founded in 2015 by Richard Hunter in partnership with the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (MABVI). Prior to United In Stride, there was no single resource dedicated to matching visually impaired walkers and runners with guides. Inspired by the work of MABVI’s Team With A Vision at the Boston Marathon, it has expanded to include walkers and runners of all levels.
We created this resource to ease the challenge of finding a guide, whether you are close to home, or traveling to another part of the country. Our robust, interactive guide database creates more opportunities for blind and visually impaired individuals to exercise outside of their homes.
Join us in sharing your passion for fitness with others by signing up for your account today. Together, we can make sure that blind and visually impaired walkers and runners have access to a guide when needed and show that “disability” does not mean “inability”!
Our Community
United In Stride serves not only as a platform for connecting visually impaired walkers, joggers, and runners of all levels with guides, it is a way to build friendships, bonds, and community. Check out what we’re up to through our Instagram feed!
You can also find us on Facebook and YouTube!
Congratulations to @blindmomtherunner , the winner of our June/July Social Media Challenge! We`ve been inspired to see your adventures with many guides across many activities!
Our other winners are @c26coachjeremyscherer for documenting his journey to the Detroit Free Press Marathon as a guide for his friend Camilo, and @camp_abilities_texas for their highlight of their guiding programs for youth!
Congratulations to ALL winners, and please remember to send us a message to claim your UIS gear prize!
We`ll be running frequent giveaways, so make sure to keep posting your UIS adventures and remember to tag us in order to receive your gear and get featured on our feed! Happy trails everyone!
![Congratulations to @blindmomtherunner , the winner of our June/July Social Media Challenge! We've been inspired to see your adventures with many guides across many activities!
Our other winners are @c26coachjeremyscherer for documenting his journey to the Detroit Free Press Marathon as a guide for his friend Camilo, and @camp_abilities_texas for their highlight of their guiding programs for youth!
Congratulations to ALL winners, and please remember to send us a message to claim your UIS gear prize!
We'll be running frequent giveaways, so make sure to keep posting your UIS adventures and remember to tag us in order to receive your gear and get featured on our feed! Happy trails everyone!](https://www.unitedinstride.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
Join us in celebrating United in Stride member Will Barkan for his running in the Western States 100 this weekend! This is a huge accomplishment and we`re so thrilled to support him!
Read more about his story at the link in our bio!
![Join us in celebrating United in Stride member Will Barkan for his running in the Western States 100 this weekend! This is a huge accomplishment and we're so thrilled to support him!
Read more about his story at the link in our bio!](https://www.unitedinstride.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
We`re thrilled to see two United in Stride members featured in the last latest issue of MAJORS magazine!
![We're thrilled to see two United in Stride members featured in the last latest issue of MAJORS magazine!](https://www.unitedinstride.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
In case you missed it in our newsletter last week, we have a contest going on this month! During the month of June, three UIS members who share on social media their United in Stride stories about connecting with other UIS members will receive a UIS running cap and shirt! Post on Facebook or Instagram and tag us!
And if you`d like to subscribe to our newsletter, you can subscribe here: https://bit.ly/3KI6qAA
Image description: A navy-blue t-shirt with the logo and text "UNITED IN STRIDE" in white and light blue. Above the t-shirt, there is a white sports cap with a similar logo and the same text on its brim. There is also a blue tether visible with the same branding.
![In case you missed it in our newsletter last week, we have a contest going on this month! During the month of June, three UIS members who share on social media their United in Stride stories about connecting with other UIS members will receive a UIS running cap and shirt! Post on Facebook or Instagram and tag us!
And if you'd like to subscribe to our newsletter, you can subscribe here: https://bit.ly/3KI6qAA
Image description: A navy-blue t-shirt with the logo and text "UNITED IN STRIDE" in white and light blue. Above the t-shirt, there is a white sports cap with a similar logo and the same text on its brim. There is also a blue tether visible with the same branding.](https://www.unitedinstride.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
We thank City of Boston Councilor @gigi4distrcit1 (District 1) for generously donating a Boston Marathon invitational bib to @the_mabvi `s @teamwithavision. Kiersten Mosbacher accepted this year`s bib and guided her blind father Richard Hunter during the Boston Marathon for the first time. Not only did they run a great race, they also raised more than $41,000 for MABVI`s @unitedinstride program! Richard founded United In Stride to connect visually impaired athletes with guides at no cost to them. Please join us in thanking Councilor Coletta, Kiersten, and Richard for their generosity!
Learn more and sign up as an athlete or guide at the link in our bio!
Photo: @darlafoto
[Image description: Two marathon runners with numbered bibs race along a barricaded urban course with spectators in the background. One runner waves to the camera as they are running by. There`s visible text on the bibs reading "United in Stride."]
![We thank City of Boston Councilor @gigi4distrcit1 (District 1) for generously donating a Boston Marathon invitational bib to @the_mabvi 's @teamwithavision. Kiersten Mosbacher accepted this year's bib and guided her blind father Richard Hunter during the Boston Marathon for the first time. Not only did they run a great race, they also raised more than $41,000 for MABVI's @unitedinstride program! Richard founded United In Stride to connect visually impaired athletes with guides at no cost to them. Please join us in thanking Councilor Coletta, Kiersten, and Richard for their generosity!
Learn more and sign up as an athlete or guide at the link in our bio!
Photo: @darlafoto
[Image description: Two marathon runners with numbered bibs race along a barricaded urban course with spectators in the background. One runner waves to the camera as they are running by. There's visible text on the bibs reading "United in Stride."]](https://www.unitedinstride.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
We love it when United in Stride members meet up to run together and we love sharing their stories! Visually impaired runner Corvin Bazgan and crew below grabbed this great picture after a trail run together in Marin, CA! We love the hats!
![We love it when United in Stride members meet up to run together and we love sharing their stories! Visually impaired runner Corvin Bazgan and crew below grabbed this great picture after a trail run together in Marin, CA! We love the hats!](https://www.unitedinstride.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
We want to send a big congratulations to visually impaired walker Jackie Young and her daughter (and guide!) Susan Grinstead for completing their first United in Stride event together this past Sunday, June 2nd at the Kaiser Permanente Women`s Fitness Festival! Our founder, Richard Hunter, was able to celebrate with them at the event.
[Image description: Three adults stand in front of the California State Capitol, smiling after a race, wearing medals and race bibs. The scene is lively with other participants and event tents in the background.]
![We want to send a big congratulations to visually impaired walker Jackie Young and her daughter (and guide!) Susan Grinstead for completing their first United in Stride event together this past Sunday, June 2nd at the Kaiser Permanente Women's Fitness Festival! Our founder, Richard Hunter, was able to celebrate with them at the event.
[Image description: Three adults stand in front of the California State Capitol, smiling after a race, wearing medals and race bibs. The scene is lively with other participants and event tents in the background.]](https://www.unitedinstride.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
Wednesday, June 5th is Global Running Day! We`re celebrating by looking back on our history of supporting blind and visually impaired runners through Team with a Vision (MABVI`s Boston Marathon team) and United in Stride, which connects blind and visually impaired runners with sighted guides in the United States and Canada. We look forward to our future of running and celebrating movement together!
Images featuring @alexipappas @modernbnb @jennifer.herring.102674 and @fly.joyce
Photos: Darlene DeVita
[Image Description: Collage for Global Running Day featuring three images of people participating in races, wearing bibs and race gear, smiling. Top right image shows two runners with bib numbers 6120 and 9311. Bottom left image displays a runner waving happily. Bottom right image shows three individuals wearing medals, one holding a `GUIDE` sign. Center text reads "GLOBAL RUNNING DAY 06.05. TEAM WITH A VISION UNITED IN STRIDE.]
![Wednesday, June 5th is Global Running Day! We're celebrating by looking back on our history of supporting blind and visually impaired runners through Team with a Vision (MABVI's Boston Marathon team) and United in Stride, which connects blind and visually impaired runners with sighted guides in the United States and Canada. We look forward to our future of running and celebrating movement together!
Images featuring @alexipappas @modernbnb @jennifer.herring.102674 and @fly.joyce
Photos: Darlene DeVita
[Image Description: Collage for Global Running Day featuring three images of people participating in races, wearing bibs and race gear, smiling. Top right image shows two runners with bib numbers 6120 and 9311. Bottom left image displays a runner waving happily. Bottom right image shows three individuals wearing medals, one holding a 'GUIDE' sign. Center text reads "GLOBAL RUNNING DAY 06.05. TEAM WITH A VISION UNITED IN STRIDE.]](https://www.unitedinstride.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
Testimonials
Finding the right partner can be challenging, and incredibly rewarding for visually impaired individuals and guides alike. Check out what some of our members have to say about their experiences!