Running for the sake of the Unbreakable: 5000 runners took part in the charity half marathon from Nova Poshta in Lviv
5 May 14:38
on May 3-4, Lviv hosted the main sporting event of this spring, the Nova Poshta Lviv Half Marathon. The charity races raised 2.2 million hryvnias for the rehabilitation of Ukrainians, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
on May 3, there were children’s races for 100 and 500 meters. Almost 700 children ran their first distances. On Sunday, there were races for adults: 1, 5, 10, 21 kilometers and a team five. The youngest participant of the half marathon was 4 months old, and the oldest was 78 years old.
The organizers of the event, Nova Poshta and NewRun, paid special attention to accessibility and ensured that the space in the starting town and on the courses was barrier-free. In particular, sign language interpreters worked at the location, the locker room was adapted for people in wheelchairs, ramps were placed in all necessary places, feeders and drinkers for four-legged participants, and a place to take care of babies.
Also, instead of the sound of the starting pistol, a new signal was used for the first time in Lviv – “Start without a shot”. It was developed by Nova Poshta together with international experts on PTSD to avoid causing stress to people who have survived armed violence.
“Our marathons are for everyone. For professional runners and amateurs, for those who run with pets or with babies in strollers, for veterans on prostheses or in wheelchairs, for people with mental disabilities, etc. We want our events to unite Ukrainians. Last year, we held the first barrier-free marathon in Kyiv, and today we are continuing this tradition in Lviv,” says Inna Popereshniuk, co-founder of Nova Poshta.
Professional runners, including Mykola Patsula, Daria Mykhailova, Maryna Nemchenko, and well-known influencers, such as Vladyslav Khilchenko, Orysia Demianiuk, Alisa Dikalova, and others, joined the event.
This year’s goal of the running events is not only sporting, but also charitable: to raise UAH 7 million for barrier-free projects, medical equipment, supplies, and prosthetics for patients of the UNBROKEN Center.
The registration fees for the Lviv half marathon have already raised UAH 1.65 million, with another 550 thousand donated by Ukrainians through the Dobro.ua platform.
As part of the half marathon, a special “Support Run” was held. This symbolic 1 km is dedicated to everyone who is learning to take their first steps again and returning to active life. It was led by the patients themselves and representatives of the center – more than 100 people undergoing treatment and recovery from severe injuries sustained as a result of the war.
Among them are 14-year-old Yana Stepanenko, Roman Chernenko and Oleksandr Zhavnenko.
“A year ago I could not imagine that I would be able to run again. But thanks to support, prosthetics and my own desire, it became possible. This is not just a race. This is my personal challenge and victory,” says 36-year-old Oleksandr, who was a professional dancer before the war.
Another debutant was Mykola Shot, a veteran who lost all his limbs in the war. Only a few days ago, he received his running feet, and today, together with his physical therapist, he covered the first kilometer on them.
“This is my first race – and the first step towards a big dream. The next step is the Paralympic Games. I want to show the whole world that even after the most severe losses, we can not only survive, but live to the fullest, “ Mykola says.
There were also veterans who ran the full 21 km distance – Olgerd Serov and Ivan Drozd. Both runners also lost their limbs during the fighting.
“This year’s half marathon proved that running can unite hearts and overcome the most difficult challenges. We are extremely grateful to each participant, volunteers and our partners for their support and faith in this idea. Together we not only cover kilometers, but also support the unbreakable, inspire recovery and give hope. See you at the next starts – let’s run forward, no matter what!” says Oksana Suchenko, Director of NewRun.
The fundraising continues on the charity platform dobro.ua as part of the Lviv Half Marathon: RUN FOR THE UNBREAKABLE project.
