'You have to trust people in life or you won't get anywhere' says blind runner

Louise Simpson completed her first Parkrun in 2009 and her 500th in October 2025

It was 2 May 2009 on a warm Saturday morning in Leeds, Louise Simpson recalls, when she reluctantly knelt down to make sure her trainers were laced up tightly.

She wasn't really sure she wanted to be here. Running wasn't exactly her thing.

Her friend Kathryn Fielding had persuaded her to come along to a new thing called Parkrun that was taking place in Woodhouse Moor Park, near to the student area of Headingley.

Just after 09:00 Louise set off with around 40 others on the three-lap course.

She held on to her friend's arm throughout - not because she was nervous but because Louise is blind and Kathryn would be her running guide for the next 30 minutes or so.

Sixteen years later, on a slightly chillier October Saturday morning, Louise fastened her trainers yet again for another Parkrun - this time in Hillsborough Park in Sheffield, to complete her 500th.

Louise Simpson completed her milestone Parkrun at Hillsborough Park guided by her friend John Howsham

Hillsborough was a fitting choice for Louise's milestone because not only is it her local event, living just up the road in Crookes, but also the course she's completed the most.

"I've done it 66 times," she exclaims.

Adding: "I know every bit inside out, every turn including, sadly, the hills."

So how did the reluctant runner go on to complete this achievement?

Louise was born three-and-half-months prematurely at Leeds Royal Infirmary. Weighing just under two pounds it was these complications with her birth that led to her being blind.

According to the 41-year-old running has given her "freedom, fitness and friends".

It's a theme acknowledged by her long-term friend and original Parkrun partner Kathryn.

"She is amazing. Her mental resilience is incredible. Racing for her is her freedom getting away from everything else.

"The challenge for her isn't getting from the start to the finish line, the challenge is just getting to the start line.

"As a sighted person I can just step out of my door on a Saturday morning. I don't need to think about taxis and route planning."

Louise has completed more than 130 marathons as well as 500 Parkruns

Louise, who works as a job centre advisor, trains on a treadmill at home and recognises that she has had to overcome many other challenges.

"Running as a blind person isn't a problem for me. It's more the logistics getting to the race.

"I'll often get a taxi to a parkrun but then I need to find the start line and my guide, the taxi driver just drops me off. They don't walk into the park with me and there's often more than one entrance."

Some visually impaired athletes chose to be tethered to a guide by a short strap or loop called a "running tether" to allow them to run safely together. But Louise prefers a different technique - it's one that fits with her general philosophy and positive disposition.

"You have to trust people generally in life or you wouldn't get anywhere," she explains.

"So I just hold on to a guide. I get more contact and information that way from the arm. I tried tethering and you really need to be running in synch which is hard."

John Howsham has been Louise's guide for several runs over the years. He had the "honour" of guiding Louise to her 500th Parkrun at Hillsborough. The many miles running side-by-side has developed into a firm friendship.

"We fell out at the last Sheffield 10k several times," he jokes

"She was getting angry with me because I was trying to get her to run within the one-hour mark."

The Parkrun team at Hillsborough helped train John and his wife Jacqui to be guide runners by wearing blindfolds and first guiding each other. He says running with Louise was "incredibly rewarding"

"She's a lovely lass and it's a phenomenal achievement what she's done."

Many friends came along to cheer Louise for her 500th Parkrun

Louise is actually no stranger to sporting success. She was Great Britain's youngest ever goalball player at the Paralympics in Sydney 2000 aged just 16 and continued playing the sport for visually impaired athletes up to London 2012.

As well as all the Parkruns, Louise has also completed more than 130 marathons, including five in London and further afield in Toronto and California. Later this year races in Northampton and Leeds are also booked in.

Long-term friend Kathryn said it's easy to sum up her running pal.

"She's crazy in a good way."

"She doesn't even pig out after the races"

Louise admits that she's fuelled by "cups of tea and hot chocolate".

Louise represented Team GB in goalball at the Sydney Paralympics in 2000 and at the London Paralympics in 2012

Louise's achievements have also been praised by the Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind, who have been a keen supporter over the years.

A spokesperson says: "It's people like Louise who help others who may be facing significant challenges when diagnosed with sight loss, or experiencing changes to their existing condition, to continue their journey of adapting and flourishing."

As to her future goals, again Louise is philosophical.

"I just want to keep running. One hundred and fifty marathons would be nice but as long as I have the fresh air and can hear the birds, that's all I need".

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