“Recognise my disability, appreciate my ability”, says Runninghour's Chris Hortin-Tan
Chris Hortin-Tan was only 14 years old when she was diagnosed with juvenile glaucoma, a rare condition that affects children as early as three, leaving them with failing eyesight as they grow older and, eventually, blindness.
As an athletic child who loves sports, the diagnosis put an end to her track and field career in secondary school. “I still remember during Sports Day that year, everyone expected me to be in the 100 metres and 200 metres sprint where I was sure I would be number one,” she said in an interview with CNA Lifestyle. “Instead, I sat in the grandstand watching others race. I was devastated.”
It wasn’t until 12 years ago when she discovered Soundball (a special form of tennis adapted for the blind), that she began making up for lost time by training for the sport at the inclusive sports co-operative Runninghour. “Runnnghour has provided me with a space for me to keep active and improve my fitness,” says Ms Hortin-Tan, now the Chairperson for the co-operative.
Before becoming a co-operative in 2014, Runninghour was first established as a running club. In 2009, educators-turned-founders John See Toh and his wife Chan Jan Siang had only 10 intellectually challenged runners on board. Ms Hortin-Tan happened to be one of the earliest visually impaired runners to join the club in 2012.
Nevertheless, Runninghour Co-operative, or ‘Club’ as it was known back then, boasts a novel mission: to promote the integration of persons with special needs through sports. "When we, persons with special needs, participate in sporting activities, it prompts society to look beyond our disabilities," says Ms Hortin-Tan.
Today, its membership base has grown to over 700 registered members. According to Ms Hortin-Tan, registered members include persons with special needs, their caregivers and volunteers. Most of these registered members, who are above 18 years old, are eligible to vote. Regardless, members can pay $10 to hold a share in the co-operative and partake in its activities.
Evolving the run club to a co-operative business was a strategy to better cater to its members' needs, Ms Hortin-Tan explains. The co-operative organises weekly runs for participants, which comprises persons with special needs, their caregivers and volunteer running guides. Other forms of physical activities include yoga and other fitness activities. “We strive to incorporate a wide variety of activities. We have organised boxing, bowling, dragon boating, rock climbing, and more,” says Ms Hortin-Tan.
Besides membership fees or selling running merchandise, the co-operative also has a SkillsFuture course “Understanding and Interacting with Persons with Special Needs”, which will be co-facilitated by persons with special needs.
Besides providing leadership and direction for Runninghour as well as working with different stakeholders for the co-operative’s growth, she also actively seeks out partnership opportunities with external parties, hosts workshops for them, and even conducts induction training to new volunteer running guides too.
Each guide is to run alongside a person with special needs, or as the co-operative calls him or her ‘buddy’, and warns the buddy of terrain and running direction. Often, a tether is used to help link a buddy with his or her guide. The guides also take on the caps of motivators, spurring these buddies on their runs. “We teach our guides communication skills and protocols for running with our buddies, ensuring their safety while making each run meaningful," says Ms Hortin-Tan.
If time permits, she also runs with a guide, who would warn her of the terrain and running direction, via a tether. You could often see her running with her signature cap.
Ms Hortin-Tan believes that fostering a culture of inclusion should start from young, whether at home or in school. One of her suggestions include nudging the public and private sectors to organise programmes that involve persons with special needs to counter stereotypes that disabled people cannot do sports. She also encourages the integration of both sighted individuals and visually impaired peers to play sports together, such as soundball, to promote mutual understanding and normalise social integration.
2024 marks the 10th year the co-operative will be organising its signature event ‘Run For Inclusion’. Celebrating inclusivity, determination and showing support for the disabled community, the event unites advocates to run alongside persons with special needs—whether they are visually impaired, hard of hearing, persons with autism, or undergoing mental recovery.
“It’s a significant milestone that we have come this far,” says Ms Hortin-Tan. “Runninghour is thriving; we have seen a steady increase in membership and supporting more persons with special needs while welcoming new guides as well.” The co-operative will be giving away 1,000 free slots to persons with special needs and one of their caregivers to join the event.
Previous iterations of the event saw participants either cycling 20km, or walk and run across distances of 3km, 5km and 10km. This year, the signature blindfold walk, which simulates how the visually impaired navigate the world, will make a welcoming return. This year, participants may take home a special medal, made of recycled wood, upon completion of the races. ‘Run For Inclusion’ is set to take place on 9 November 2024 (Saturday) at Jurong Lake Gardens.
Today, the mother of two has only 5% of her central vision left, or as she describes viewing the world “through a bubble tea straw”. Yet, she has never let her visual impairment stop her from pursuing her sporting passions. The 50-year-old has since scaled mountains, completed two full marathons, several half marathons and even triathlons too.
“I always tell people to recognise my disability and appreciate my ability,” she says. “No matter what obstacles you face, life still goes on. The quicker you get out of your comfort zone to deal with these challenges and be willing to ask for help, the faster you can overcome them.”
Faces of Co-operator is a seasonal column featuring the stories behind co-operative employees and members. Here, we featured Ms Chris Hortin-Tan of Runninghour Co-operative.
Words by Sng Ler Jun
