SACRAMENTO – Marla Runyan described having “a vision” of how the women’s 1,500 final would play out while preparing for the race. How wonderful that a legally blind person could have such foresight.

Runyan completed a remarkable transformation from being a gold medalist at the 1996 Para-Olympics to a member of the plain-old Olympic team. She not only overcame her eye problem, but for a runner a potentially far worse trouble – an inflammation that ran from her hip to knee and made it nearly impossible for her to train the last six weeks.

Nevertheless, just as she had visualized beforehand, Runyan stuck with Shayne Culpepper to battle for third while favorites Regina Jacobs and Suzy Favor Hamilton charged to the lead. Runyan went from sixth to third, overtaking and then outkicking Culpepper around the final turn to make the team in 4:06.44. Jacobs won in 4:01.01 followed by Hamilton (4:01.81).

Runyan suffers from Stargadt’s disease, which deteriorates the retina. Over the years, her sight has diminished and she now has 20/300 sight from one eye and 20/400 from the other. She can barely make out her competitors, and races on a sense of feel and some peripheral vision.

“I never really think that much about my vision as much as the media does,” Runyan said. “And I don’t think my competition does. It is something people ask about. It sticks right out. I just think about my personality and the type person I am. I’m definitely an athlete. My vision is just a circumstance that happened. I never really looked at it as a barrier. I never said to myself, ‘I want to be the first legally blind Olympian.’ I just wanted to be on the Olympic team.”