Marine leads blind runner through Run Amuck

The Run Amuck Challenge is filled with steep hills, obstacle courses and deep mud pits — but none of that stopped a blind man from participating.

Charlie Plaskon, 69, of Long Island, N.Y. , completed the course held Saturday at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. He did so with the aid of a Marine, Master Sgt. Donald Ogden.

Staff Sgt. Donald Ogden, right, leads blind runner Charlie Plaskon through the Run Amuck Challenge on Saturday at Quantico. (Marine photo)

Plaskon, a marathon-running grandfather, was one of more than 2,500 participants who trekked through three and a half miles of muddy trails and pits. Ogden’s office at Marine Corps Recruiting Command received a request from public affairs to lead a blind runner through the challenge. Ogden volunteered guide Plaskon and met him for the first time on Friday. They got to know one another and ran the course together the following day.

Plaskon is already planning another round in 2013.

“Did I love it? Heck yeah, I want to sign up right now to do it again next year,” he said after the race, covered in mud.

The Run Amuck is an annual challenge held at Quantico and is put on by the Marine Corps Marathon.

Check out more photos on Quantico’s Facebook page here.

Plaskon, left, was the first blind runner to ever participate in Run Amuck. (Courtesy of Marine Corps Marathon)