Ultra-runner Norma Bastidas knows all too well just how physically and mentally challenging a run like this can be. On July 30, she completed the Badwater® 135 ultramarathon, the world’s toughest foot race, in Death Valley, California. She pushed her body and mind to tackle the most difficult race she has ever done, all in support of Operation Eyesight.

“I have never worked this hard for a race,” she says. “But I knew the further I went, the better off someone else would be.”

The race began at Badwater Basin, the lowest elevation in North America, 85 metres below sea level. From there, runners had 48 hours to run 135 miles to Whitney Portal, 2,530 metres above sea level. Nineteen of the 97 runners were unable to finish the race, succumbing to Death Valley’s brutal conditions. But Norma remained strong, crossing the finish line in just under 46 hours.

“Ultramarathons are symbolic of how you tackle something that seems impossible, like eliminating avoidable blindness,” says Norma. “You keep going until it’s done.”

Norma began supporting Operation Eyesight shortly after her oldest son, Karl, was diagnosed with a blinding eye condition with no cure. To deal with the stress in her life, she started running – and she has never stopped.

In 2009 she ran the “777 Run for Sight,” becoming the fastest woman to run seven ultramarathons on seven continents in seven days. In 2014, she broke the Guinness World Record for the world’s longest triathlon. So far in 2015, she has completed three Badwater® events, becoming the only Canadian to snag the Badwater® Ultra Cup this year.

Congratulations on an incredible Badwater® finish, Norma! Thank you for supporting Operation Eyesight and giving the gift of sight to so many children, women and men in need. We’d also like to recognize Rob and the rest of Norma’s run crew for helping Norma cross that finish line.

You, too, can support Norma’s vision – and congratulate her on an amazing Badwater® finish – by making a donation on her behalf. Thank you for your amazing support!

Check out our Facebook page for more photos and updates from the race.

The post Congratulations, Norma! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

The temperature in Death Valley is expected to hit a staggering 45°C today, and it will be even hotter tomorrow. This ultramarathon will be extremely challenging, both physically and mentally – but we know that if anyone can complete the race in good stride, it’s Norma. She has proven time and time again that she can do anything she puts her mind to. She’s an amazing role model to her sons, aspiring runners, friends and supporters, and all of us at Operation Eyesight.

Norma, thank you for supporting our work through this incredible journey. We wish you all the best, and we’ll be cheering you on every step of way. We can’t wait to see you sporting that Badwater® belt buckle at the finish line!

Thank you to everyone who has donated towards Norma’s run so far. To date, she’s raised over $17,000 for blindness treatment and prevention programs in India and Africa.

You, too, can help us eliminate avoidable blindness by pledging your support at operationeyesight.com/normasvision. Thank you!

The post Go Norma go! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Two weeks from today, our friend Norma Bastidas will officially start the most extreme running race offered anywhere on the planet – the Badwater® 135. She’ll run 135 miles (not kilometers!) non-stop from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, California through extreme heat and intense elevation changes, all in support of Operation Eyesight.

We checked in with Norma to see how her training was going and how she was feeling leading up to the event. Here’s what she had to say:

“Have you ever wanted something so much that you try not to think about it, but it’s all you can think about? It’s been a long road to Badwater®. It’s the one race that started my love for ultra-running, after reading Pam Reed’s book, “The Extra Mile.” I came close to running Badwater® a couple times in the past, but it just didn’t happen – and now here we are, two weeks away.

“I just finished the last hard week of training. It’s going well, but it has been an emotional road. My body hadn’t fully recovered from last year’s world record triathlon and I felt I couldn’t ask my family to make any more accommodations so I could concentrate on my training. Instead, I just focused on what I could do and didn’t stress about the rest. It’s not easy considering it’s a high-profile race and I’m friends with several other racers. Have you noticed how, from afar, everybody else seems to be having an amazing year?

“I had some injury setbacks, but instead of panicking, I simply cross-trained and rested until my body healed. Since it was hard to put in the long training weeks I’m used to, I signed up for the entire Badwater® Ultra Cup, starting with a 51-mile race on March 19 in North Carolina, followed by an 81-mile race on May 1 in San Diego. Both races were very tough, worthy of the Badwater® name. I’m now in California, acclimatizing and ready to go.

“Ultramarathons are symbolic of how you tackle something that seems impossible, like eliminating avoidable blindness. You keep going until it is done.”

Thank you for your phenomenal commitment to eliminating avoidable blindness, Norma. And thank you to everyone who has donated to her run so far. We know your support means the world to Norma. It also means the world to those we are able to help because of you.

We hope you will continue to support Norma on this incredible journey. There are many ways to do so:

• Make a donation online. Every little bit helps. A $20 donation can provide three children with prescription eyeglasses. A $50 donation covers the cost of a cataract surgery.

• Share the link to Norma’s fundraising page (operationeyesight.com/normasvision) on Facebook and Twitter, or email the link to your family and friends.

• Post a photo or video message to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #GoNorma.

• You can also learn more about Norma’s story on our blog here.

Norma’s vision is for all the world to see. With your help, her vision can come true. Thank you!

The post Two weeks until Badwater! appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Like any mom, Norma Bastidas would move mountains if she could, to help her child. While living in Calgary, AB eight years ago, Norma’s oldest son Karl was diagnosed with an eye condition that doctors told her would cause him to go blind. Norma was helpless to do anything to save his vision. She took up running as a way of relieving her stress, and to help her cope with Karl’s incurable condition.

Norma was shocked when she first learned that 80 percent of blindness can be treated or prevented. “It bothered me as a mother,” she says. “I couldn’t imagine being in the position where my son could be cured, but I just didn’t have the money for his treatment, or didn’t have access to eye care at all.”

The length of Norma’s runs and her ambition to do something grew, evolving into her first ultra-marathon. Through her 777 Run for Sight, Norma became an ambassador for millions of blind and visually impaired people around the world, raising significant funds for Operation Eyesight and other eye-related charities. She was the fastest woman in history to run seven marathons on seven continents in seven months. She might not be able to help Karl, but she could make a difference in many other lives.

This summer, Norma’s once again lacing up her shoes to support Operation Eyesight. In July, she’ll run 135 miles (217 km) across Death Valley, California – one of the hottest places on earth – in the Badwater® 135. Norma knows the race will be incredibly challenging, but says it’s nothing compared to the suffering many blind people face every day.

Norma’s vision is for all the world to see! We might not all be able to run across the desert, but we can help her vision come true.

In honour of Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 10), we’d like to challenge you to join Norma in this run by making a donation. Your support would mean the world to Norma – and to the many mothers and families who will benefit from your generosity.

To make a donation, visit operationeyesight.com/normasvision. Thank you for your support… for all the world to see!

You can read more about Norma and her sons on our blog here. And watch our newest video here.

The post A dedicated mother, athlete and ambassador of sight appeared first on Operation Eyesight.