In college, Runyan learned to run hurdles by counting the steps between barriers. She could not see any hurdles from the starting line, but her coach taped playing cards to the top of the obstacles to indicate how high she needed to leap. While attending classes there, she used audio books and visual-aid devices, such as a magnifying device attached to a pair of glasses, to help her do her work. She attained a California driver s license with the help of a telescopic magnifying lens, but is not allowed to drive in her resident state of Oregon, where she works with handicapped children in Eugene. It s a matter of your attitude.
Some people have a negative attitude, and that s their disability.
She then won gold at the Pan American Games before placing 10th at the World Championships, where she was able to compete because the woman who had finished in front of her at nationals, Shayne Culpepper, had not achieved the A qualifying standard. Though primarily a 1500 runner, Runyan has proven capable in the 5000. Prior to her middle-distance exploits, Runyan was a heptathlete. She finished 10th in the seven-event competition at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials.