Matt Miller founded the C Different Foundation in 2005 after guiding aspiring blind triathlete Heidi Musser, a Chicago native, through her first Ironman — an endurance race consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile marathon. Musser was one of five visually impaired athletes Miller organized for race in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. All five finished.
That experience inspired Miller to work to change society’s perception of blindness by enabling visually impaired athletes to set and achieve life-changing goals.
C Different seeks to inspire blind and visually impaired people to lead active, healthy lives by connecting them with sighted guides and building a supportive community that promotes athletic opportunities and accomplishments through event sponsorship and networking through its website and newsletter.
C Different Pairs Blind Athletes With Sighted Guides
According to Miller, C Different focuses on facilitating the participation of blind and visually impaired athletes in endurance races, such as triathlons and road races, including marathons and 5-kilometer runs, which it calls “C5Ks.”
One of C Different’s main member services is pairing blind athletes with sighted guides. “We try and connect people with guides in their area,” said Miller. “In mid-July, we’ll launch a new website where athletes can post profiles to find the type of guide they’re looking for.”
Participation, whether in events it sponsors or attends, is the foundation’s core activity. C Different hosted its first C5K in Brentwood, California in 2005, drawing over 30 visually impaired runners and walkers. In 2010, C Different is sponsoring C5Ks in San Antonio and Galveston, Texas; and is taking teams to the Lake Placid (NY) Ironman and the Operation Refocus Army Ten-Miler in Washington DC.
