Simon Wheatcroft has not let being blind get in the way of life. He has run several marathons and Ultramarathons since losing his sight and has worked with some of the world’s biggest brands to make running more accessible. As a speaker, he is a fantastic choice for any event looking to motivate and energise the audience. Throughout his talks, he continually pushes the audience to look at what they can achieve and ways they can step out of their comfort zone.
After being born with a genetic eye disorder, Simon became blind at 17 years old. After adapting to life without sight he went to California to propose to his now-wife on top of a mountain. While he did propose, he was unable to reach the top of the mountain due to it being too dangerous for him to carry on. This was the first time he quit something due to being blind, and when he returned to the UK, he took up running in a vow never to quit again. He started out running on an unused football pitch before using closed roads to progress. With the help of technology, he moved onto the open road and soon completed 83 miles of a 100-mile race in the Cotswolds, despite only training for a few months.
Spurred on to push the limits of what he could achieve, he entered the 2014 New York Marathon. He completed 16 miles of the event unaided before finishing with a guide after a technology failure. What was special about Simon’s marathon was that he chose to start the event by running from Boston, over 250 miles away. Running a countless number of marathons and ultramarathons Simon has teamed up with some of the biggest tech giants in the world to make running more accessible. In 2016 he worked with IBM to develop a form of navigation technology to aide blind runners. He tested this technology himself as he attempted to become the first blind person to complete the Four Deserts Marathon. He completed 90 miles of the 155-mile desert race, having to end his attempt due to serious industry. Not put off by this, he teamed up with Wayband to become the first blind person to run the New York Marathon without guides. Simon’s inspirational story was also the focus of a short documentary from ASICS.
As a speaker, Simon has experience telling his story and helping motivate the staff of Twitter, Facebook, Google, and Red Bull among other leading brands. With determination and passion in abundance, Simon Wheatcroft is the perfect choice for a motivational speaker tasked with showing the audience what they can achieve when they put their mind to it.
How to hire Simon Wheatcroft
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Simon Wheatcroft for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
“I first saw Simon when he was the top-rated speaker at the IAB conference in 2014. He subsequently came and spoke to the UK Twitter team. The talk was informal, warm and deeply inspiring. Simon has a perspective on life, technology and – yes – running that is captivating to hear.” - Bruce, Twitter
“We invited Simon to speak out our annual UK & Ireland conference. His amazing journey and experiences truly inspired the team and made them think more deeply about their own untapped inner strengths. Simon delivered his speech with great humility and humour that only made it more powerful and resonate more strongly with the audience. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Simon as a motivational speaker.” - Ed, Facebook
“Simon spoke at Google’s flagship Think Performance conference for C-level execs and simply stole the show with his moving and memorable stories of how advances in tech, specifically smartphones and now Google Glass, allows him to achieve his extraordinary goals.” - Matt, Google
