WASHINGTON -- Tina Ament, of Alexandria, has only been running competitively for the last three years, but she's already completed four marathons.

That's pretty impressive.

Even more impressive, she considers herself to be totally blind and can only see some light and shadow.

"Been that way my whole life so it's been really a lot just about adaptation and trying to come up with whatever ways to adjust," she said.

Tina has done more than adjust -- she's excelled and running has helped her deal with the darkness she faces every day.

"I love the running community," she said. "I think it's very inclusive."

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Running is usually an individual sport, but Ament has a team behind her.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's team in training program helps prepare runners for marathons while participants raise money to help cure leukemia, lymphoma and melanoma and improve the lives of patients and their families.

It's an extremely supportive environment.

The team includes a guide for Ament.

Sean Hicks has been training with her for a couple of months and said she's very aggressive and competitive.

The pair uses a small tether that is looped around Hicks' right arm and Ament's left arm. Hicks said he tells her what's coming up and tries to give her a picture of what lies ahead.

"I know it takes a lot of trust for her to kind of just run at the pace she runs at and not worry about tripping or anything," he said.

Ament is running in this weekend's SunTrust National Marathon, using the race as a final tune-up for her second Boston marathon.

With more marathons, Ament continues to raise more money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society while drawing inspiration from those fighting the disease every day.

"You kind of have this invisible force with you of all the people that you're running in honor of," she said.

And while these people inspire Ament, she doesn't see herself as an inspiration, even though everyone else does.