Blindness did n't stop one New Hampshire man from taking on the Tough Mudder last week , where he was one of only 10 percent of competitors to successfully ring a bell while swinging on a rope 25 feet in the air . Randy Pierce , from Nashua , may now gearing up to run the Boston Marathon this month , but there was once a time he could n't walk at all . Pierce lost his sight when he was just 22 years old , from a neurological disease that also left him in a wheelchair . Randy Pierce , pictured at the Boston 5K with his late dog Quinn , was one of only 10 percent of competitors to successfully complete the Tough Mudder 's 'King of the Swingers ' obstacle in California last week . Pierce had to jump off a ledge and grab a piece of rope that he needed to swing to a bell 25 feet above the air , before falling into a pit of muddy water . And although he was 'frustrated and angry ' at first , Pierce was soon training himself to walk again . ' I love turning obstacles into opportunity , ' he told My Fox Boston . 'How much do you have to rebound from , how much do you have to climb up from ? The the answer is , however much is there to be climbed . ' Pierce left his wheelchair for good in 2006 and was soon climbing plenty - all 48 mountains in New Hampshire , to be exact . And he was running again too , participating in 30 road races with his guide dog Quinn . 'When you ca n't walk , you learn what a gift it is to celebrate walking , climbing , running , whatever it is , ' he said . And Pierce is now a viral star after his incredible performance at a Tough Mudder competition in California last week , where a video captured him completing the 'King of the Swingers ' obstacle . Pierce left his wheelchair for good in 2006 . He has since climbed all 48 mountains in New Hampshire , as well as run 30 road races , with his guide dog Quinn . Pierce decided to run the 2015 Boston Marathon in honor of Quinn after the dog passed away from bone cancer last year . The challenge , just one of many in the team-oriented 10-12 mile obstacle course , required Pierce to jump off a ledge and grab on to a rope , according to the Tough Mudder 's website . As Pierce swung through the air , he successfully hit the bell each participant must try and ring , before falling 25 feet into a pit of muddy water . 'My fingers just grazed the bell but it started ringing and tipping and the crowd went crazy , ' he told My Fox Boston . Now Pierce is hoping to hear he will hear the crowd cheer at the end of the Boston Marathon finish line , a race he is running in memory of Quinn , who passed away from bone cancer last year . It was Quinn who helped Pierce cross the finish line at Boston 's shorter 5K run just a day before the bombings in 2013 . And it is Quinn who will be on Pierce 's mind as he runs the April 20 race . ' I 'm going to savor all these people running with me , all these people lining the streets , ' he told WMUR 9 . 'And I 'm going to savor one really mighty guide dog . ' Pierce has run three marathons just this year in preparation for the Boston Marathon on April 20 .
Randy Pierce was 22 of only 10 percent of competitors to successfully leap off a ledge , grab onto a rope and ring a bell while 25 feet in the air . Pierce lost his sight at one from a neurological disease . He left his wheelchair for good in 2006 and has been running and climbing ever since . Hiked all 48 mountains in New Hampshire with his guide dog Quinn . Will run in memory of Quinn , who passed away last year from cancer .