Marla Runyan

Marla Runyan

Keynote Speaker: Paralympic Champion, Olympic Athlete, Special Education Advocate

Marla Runyan Biography

Marla Runyan is a former world-class American track and field athlete and marathon runner who is legally blind. Diagnosed with Stargardt's Disease as a child, she has been legally blind for over 20 years. After graduating from Adolfo Camarillo High School in 1987, Runyan studied at San Diego State University, where she competed in numerous track and field events including the high jump and heptathlon. In 1994, she graduated with a master's degree in Communicative Disorders and began her post-collegiate running career. She qualified for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials in the heptathlon, where she finished 10th but fell short of making the Olympic Team. In 1992, she competed in her first of two Paralympic Games, ultimately winning 5 gold medals and setting 9 world records in the T13 visually impaired classification.

In 1996, Runyan relocated to Eugene, Oregon, and reinvented herself as a middle-distance runner. With a new coach and heightened focus, she won gold in the 1500-meters at the 1999 Pan-American Games and finished 10th in the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Seville, Spain. At the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, Runyan finished 3rd and qualified for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team in the 1500-meter event — becoming the first legally blind American track and field athlete to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. She was a three-time USA Outdoor 5,000m champion from 2001 to 2003 and made her second Olympic Team in that event in 2004. In 2002, she finished as the top American woman in the New York City Marathon with a personal best time of 14:59.20 in the 5,000m.

Runyan is the only visually impaired American athlete to have qualified and competed in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. She currently holds two master's degrees in Special Education and resides in Eugene with her husband and coach, Matt Lonergan. Additionally, her transition into a second career began when studying to be a special education teacher upon receiving her first professional contract in 1999, demonstrating her commitment to supporting others facing similar challenges.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Marla Runyan and other top speakers and celebrities.

Marla Runyan Videos

Marla Runyan at Vision Loss Resources
Marla Runyan Example of Overcoming - YouTube

How do I book Marla Runyan to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Marla Runyan for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Marla Runyan, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Marla Runyan or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Marla Runyan for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Marla Runyan, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Marla Runyan, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Marla Runyan speak about?

Marla Runyan is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Christian Athletes, Inspirational, Sports Motivation, Olympic Athlete, Women, Personal Growth, Athlete, Overcoming Adversity, Sports, Women's Health, Empowerment, Women's Empowerment, Motivational and Paralympics.

Where does Marla Runyan travel from?

Marla Runyan generally travels from Boston, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Marla Runyan?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Marla Runyan for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Marla Runyan for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Marla Runyan or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Marla Runyan is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Christian Athletes, Inspirational and Sports Motivation. The estimated speaking fee range to book Marla Runyan for live events is $10,000 - $20,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Marla Runyan generally travels from Boston, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Shannon Miller, Amanda Beard and Nastia Liukin. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Marla Runyan for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 04/11/2024.

Marla Runyan Videos

Marla Runyan at Vision Loss Resources
Marla Runyan Example of Overcoming - YouTube
  • How do I book Marla Runyan to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Marla Runyan for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Marla Runyan, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Marla Runyan or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Marla Runyan for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Marla Runyan, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $10,000 - $20,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Marla Runyan, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Marla Runyan speak about?

    Marla Runyan is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Christian Athletes, Inspirational, Sports Motivation, Olympic Athlete, Women, Personal Growth, Athlete, Overcoming Adversity, Sports, Women's Health, Empowerment, Women's Empowerment, Motivational and Paralympics.
  • Where does Marla Runyan travel from?

    Marla Runyan generally travels from Boston, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Marla Runyan?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Marla Runyan for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Marla Runyan for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Marla Runyan or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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MARLA RUNYAN

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