"It definitely feels different to running," she said.

All the participants were members of the Chongqing branch of the national nonprofit charity program Running in the Dark.

Established in Shanghai in 2016, the group supports partially sighted runners and has expanded to 27 branches nationwide. Some branches offer activities such as hiking, cycling and swimming.

The Chongqing branch, created in October 2022, now has more than 200 partially sighted members and a volunteer base of more than 400 from diverse backgrounds.

Wang Xiao, 35, joined the branch in 2023 and has supported Deng as a volunteer in various activities. They have a strong rapport.

"I don't worry at all that Deng will punch me in the face," Wang said.