Testing How Far You Can Go Without Sight: The Beginning of Everything

“I want to find out how far I can go without seeing anything.” This was the motivation that led a 19-year-old girl to try every sport imaginable just two years after an accident left her blind. She came from basketball and artistic gymnastics, but decided to broaden her horizons (and how): athletics, skiing, surfing, wakesurfing, yoga, football, hiking, climbing, cycling, functional training, running, trail running. “And I think that’s it,” she says calmly, like someone who has just read out their shopping list. We’re off to a strong start.

Who Is Maria Petit?

She is 32 years old and from Vilassar de Mar. When I ask her, to give me some context, who Maria Petit is, she admits that she always finds it difficult to answer. I can relate. “I think Maria is...” she begins, then pauses for a few moments. “I would define myself as an energetic, outgoing, curious, very sensitive girl who wants to make new plans, take on new challenges and find new sources of excitement. I try to face things with plenty of humor, irony and sarcasm.” I don’t tell her, but I think it: we would make good friends.

As well as dedicating herself to sport, she works in communications for a textile company and promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace through the Adecco Foundation, of which she is an ambassador. Yes, you may already know all this. Maria has featured in countless articles and television and radio programs, where she has been interviewed in every way possible. Oh, and she also has a book, Marieta de l’ull viu (2021), in which she says she reveals her essence. But there is always something left to say, isn’t there?

When Sport Stops Being a Challenge and Becomes a Pleasure

She tells me that it wasn’t until she climbed a mountain that she realized it wasn’t just that she could do it, but that she enjoyed it. “I think that’s the most important thing,” she insists. “Doing what you like and what truly fulfills you. It gives everything more meaning.” Maria talks about sport as a lifestyle that has gradually become more prominent in her life without her seeking it out, organically. Like a healthy love story.

We chat and, forgive my ignorance, I can’t stop racking my brain trying to work out how she managed to surf without seeing anything. Well, surf and everything else: climbing, skiing, cycling, trail running... How is it possible? In the end I ask her; I need to understand. “I’m not one of those people who think I’ve developed some magical ability. Being fit, listening and following the instructions I was given.” She also points out that blind people often have guides who act as their eyes while they practise sport, and that depending on the discipline, they may need one or two guides. She explains that, in any case, they have to be people who know the activity well enough to guide someone else and adapt to their physical pace.

Nutrition, Sport and Listening to Your Body

We move on to nutrition, and she has no problem sharing that when she was doing athletics, she developed a strong fixation with having a perfect diet. “I would dare to self-diagnose myself with orthorexia,” she says, “an obsession with eating healthily.” This, together with other chronic digestive problems (“so you understand, my favorite meal is white rice and a French omelet”), has always caused her stomach trouble. So she confirms that “finding a suitable diet in the world of sport is basically essential.”

She has tried all kinds of energy gels. “The most expensive ones, the best ones, the ones everyone says go down so easily... and I can’t. No gel agrees with me, not a single one. Salssa’s are the only ones I’ve found that meet my needs.” I’m glad to hear it. But why? Maria is clear: “it’s natural and dried fruit blended with rice flour.” Let me say (not too loudly, so I don’t become conceited) that I think she may have a point.

Come on, let’s finish with some advice. After asking what she would say to someone who wants to start doing sport but has some difficulty getting started, her answer reaches me with an intensity I wasn’t expecting: “Try it. Try it. See how you feel, what sensations you experience, and then we’ll talk. The most important thing is to take the plunge and try it. Don’t put it off, don’t leave it for later. I’ll do it, I’ll try it later... No. Try it.”

There you have it, we’ve heard her. Now let’s take her advice.