The marathon under the patronage of the Naked Heart Foundation for Children, PODIUM market and Natalia Vodianova and Polina Kitsenko personally is an event, without exaggeration, a landmark for the health of the whole nation. And we are talking not only about new physical boundaries and personal prevention of a huge number of diseases, but also about serious charitable work of the international level, in which one can easily become involved. Coming early in the morning on Vorobyovy Gory to the same start with the Olympic champions, theater and film stars, businessmen and politicians (say, overtaking the assistant to the President of the Russian Federation Vladislav Surkov at the finish line) in order to change your own life and the lives of other people is a matter that is worth a lot.
In the wake of an important start on May 29, RBC Style collected 10 inspiring and life-affirming theses of Polina Kitsenko, one of the founders of the charity event, a prosperous and caring business woman, about running in every sense.
© Adidas
- Over the past 30-35 years, the culture of charity running has developed to an unprecedented scale. The world's largest marathons in New York, Boston, London and other cities, which gather over 50 thousand people, have a huge charitable component. It is often impossible even to get to these races on a regular basis, and getting a slot for participation is possible only when registering through an affiliated charitable foundation, and it is much more expensive. For the average runner, this becomes the only opportunity to get into the race. Since this culture became fashionable and the movement began to grow, race donations have totaled hundreds of millions of dollars. As for Russia: for us, running, of course, is new (there are only a few marathons in the whole country), but, nevertheless, this direction is growing by leaps and bounds.
Running is a great thing for overcoming laziness and inner barriers.
- There are two types of organizing such events. The first one is commercial, marketing races, when a certain company acts as an organizer. Sometimes she decides to involve some fund and share part of the funds received from registration. This is the traditional way, and usually not a huge amount. The second one we followed was the creation of a 100% charity run. In this case, the team working on the event makes absolutely no profit. Of course, part of the funds that we attract goes to cover organizational costs, but a large part is completely sent to charity. Our entire team has been working on a project in volunteer mode for six months for a common good goal. For the first time we did a private race, not related to the state,for such a huge number of participants - 10 thousand, and collected such a large amount. Last year we raised € 200,000, this year - 37 million rubles (more than € 500,000), which allows us to seriously compete with the achievements of our Western colleagues in the charitable race. We are proud of this result.
- All funds under the targeted program go to the Naked Heart Foundation, namely, to create a network of free escort services for families raising children with special needs under 6 years of age. Support, based on modern, proven approaches of psychology, pedagogy and medicine, will be constantly available to more than 300 families and will help children with developmental disabilities integrate into society and be more successful in the future.
Polina Kitsenko and Alesya Kafelnikova © Adidas
- The idea of #RunningSensely belongs to Natalia Vodianova. For over 10 years, her Naked Heart Foundation has been involved in various fundraising methods, organizing outstanding cultural events and auctions. At some point, they began to talk about the activities of the foundation and fundraising with the help of a charity run. To this end, Natalia began to attract friends and associates, one of whom I became. As a small company, we ran on the Paris half marathon, through the specially created JustGiving pagethey collected funds from friends and transferred them to the fund, thus helping out quite good sums. At some point Natalia said to me: “Why are we running in Paris? Why don't we organize our own race? I can’t imagine who I could do it with if not with you! It will be super cool! " I accepted this idea with delight and we started working.
- I am glad that life gave me this chance. Usually I do other things - I work in the retail business, I promote fashion clothes, I am the creative director of the Podium Market Fashion Group.… But my personal hobby is sports. I am an advanced amateur athlete, not a professional, but I spend quite a lot of time in sports circles, go to international competitions, run a lot (including skiing), swim … I stand, so to speak, at the origins of the popularization of amateur sports, which for the last 10 years we have had a boom in our country. Once I asked myself: "Why do I need all this?" There is, of course, such a positive thing - health promotion, but it is still very individual: only we need our results, everyone solves his own problems here. Some do it for fun, others - to increase speed abilities, and someone sets new personal goals, struggles with body imperfections … But all this is selfish. Therefore, I was madly impressed by the fact that I can convert my experience into a social and good idea.
- There is nothing easier than running, and our race under the motto #RunningCoSense is the easiest way to make people think about how you can just help people who are less fortunate. Most believe that charity is for the rich. But our project "adidas Running hearts"gives everyone the opportunity to feel the power of action - their own and like-minded people. Together we can move mountains, raise public awareness of people with disabilities who need help. We are attracting a huge number of Olympic champions and famous athletes to the charity run, and we are the first in this! Legendary personalities go on a par with regular runners, and people can see them next to them, which is an incredible experience. In addition to sports stars, teams from the media, show business stars, groups of corporate companies (there are corporate contributions for them) participate in the race. This is a great team building! Getting together not in a Friday bar, but in the fresh air with a special meaning. Nothing brings people of different classes and professions together like running. He brings great pleasure to all of us!At the start and finish lines, we are all equal, no matter where we come from and whatever we do.
- We are also attracting our Paralympic athletes to the race. Last year, most of the Paralympic ski team that competed in Sochi went the same distance with the rest of the race. This year, our race has officially become inclusive - there is a separate competition for people with disabilities who use a wheelchair. It is important to help them be with us, to create an accessible environment for them. The way they overcome all the difficulties that life has thrown at them is the most inspiring example for all of us. When we grumble about some troubles, it is enough to look at them and understand that our minor difficulties are nonsense compared to what they had to go through in life. This is an important example, including for children with disabilities.
Polina Kitsenko © Adidas
- I only run 3 km. As a co-founder and organizer of the project, of course, I understand that I shouldn't run such races. My goal is to quickly run the minimum distance and return to the steering wheel. The energy charge that I get from the fact that I and my team work in the "day and night" mode to make all this take place is worth a lot. It is an honor to realize that we are simply involved in such an interesting and socially important cause. The main thing here is to bring joy and not deceive the expectations of those thousands of people who are waiting for our start as a birthday, and we want not to disappoint.
- I myself run from spring to autumn, this is a big part of my life. In winter I also run, but on skis. In a country where winter lasts 6-7 months a year, it would be strange not to use the opportunities that nature has generously endowed us with in order to alternate sports. The change of seasons does not let me get bored and be in a stable functional form.
- Running is a great thing to overcome laziness and inner barriers. Through running, through sweat, life changes for the better. You have new friends, a new social circle, more opportunities to meet like-minded people. We all often do not have enough time to spend it with loved ones. Running is a very social thing, so amateur starts, trips to races in new cities and countries come to life. This is an expansion of horizons and personal geography, a way of knowing the world. And we want running to change not only our lives, but also the lives of people who can be helped by running the adidas Running Hearts - to run with meaning!>