Born in Massachusetts and raised in Maine, Kyle was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a degenerative eye disease that first affects your night vision and often leads to complete blindness, at age 11 and was declared legally blind at 19
Right: Kyle finishing the 2016 Boston Marathon
In 2010 Kyle was close to 250 pounds, heading down the path to type II diabetes, and having a hard time playing with his young daughter. He began to walk. Then he started to run for 30 minutes. Then an hour. Then two hours. After that two-hour run, Kyle thought he would never run that far again—until he signed up for his first race, the Maine Half Marathon.
Left: Kyle with his daughter
Kyle has now completed over 25 marathons and ultramarathons, including five Boston Marathons and three 100-mile races. In the summer of 2018, Kyle, with the support of his sighted guides, completed the grueling six-day, 120-mile Transrockies Run, which includes over 23,000 feet of elevation gain.
Right: Kyle facing difficult terrain at Transrockies Run
Kyle has focused his professional and personal career on building community. He has spent 20 years working in the nonprofit sector, including as a housing advocate helping individuals staying in shelters find permanent homes and as a community organizer. Most recently he has directed three programs for a local blindness organization.
Left: Kyle speaking at the Olmstead Center for Sight Conrad N. Hilton Distinguished Speakers Series
Speaking
Kyle has presented to elementary, high school, and college classrooms as well as conferences as a keynote speaker. As a trained group facilitator, Kyle thrives in interactive settings and is comfortable leading Q&A sessions. His personal, professional, and endurance running experiences influence the themes of his talks:
— Successful goal setting —
— Effective team building —
— Pushing through the highs and lows of life —
— Keeping it Real: how life mirrors the ups and downs of ultra running —
“Kyle was a truly amazing speaker. He was not only honest and inspiring about his experiences as a blind father, professional, and athlete, but he was also humorous and heartfelt.”
“Kyle fully engaged the audience as he shared details on how a sighted athlete can help guide a blind runner. Through his presentation, Robidoux opened the eyes of every attendee to the possibilities of reaching a more inclusive tribe of trail racers, with several race directors adding VI/AWD divisions to their races as a direct result.”
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