Den started successfully at the 22nd Chestnut Run

The 22nd Chestnut Run gathered about 7,000 participants, fewer than some previous events. By the way of comparison, the 2013 charity marathon involved 13,112 Kyivites and guests of the capital.

The latest race started at Mykhailivska Square. The route ran through Sofiivska Square, along Volodymyrska Street to Shevchenko Park, and then back. The route was used before for the marathon, for example in 2012, when the city witnessed the 20th Jubilee Chestnut Run. The distance stayed unchanged at five kilometers.

Serhii Kyrylenko from Kyiv participated in the Chestnut Run for the first time. It took him a whole hour to complete the route. The time is of no importance, though, for Kyrylenko had his leg broken recently and decided to enter the race while using... crutches. He went forward with his idea.

“Having walked five kilometers, I have overcome my own weakness, and it is very important to me. When I broke the leg, it was hard on me psychologically. Still, I set out to do the route in an hour. Although it was extremely hard to do with crutches, I did it. It is good that the marathon is a charity event and all money will go to children with heart disease...” Serhii said summing up his impressions. He added that he “felt the strength returning” following the run and realized that “all obstacles exist only in our minds.”

The partner relations manager of Microsoft Oleksandr Ushakov was also a first-time marathon runner during the event. “It is very inspiring! I did not run for a year, and this is my first race since. For myself, I realized that I have a strong spirit, allowing me to run for so long. This run is a charity event, aiming to support children who need our help. My friends and I ran this race for the sake of symbolism. Secondly, this action gives a sense of brotherhood. When we run and shout ‘Glory to Ukraine!’ we support each other. Even when it seems like you have no strength left, you hear the shout and feel inspired to go on,” Ushakov told us. The young man also sees this run as a “test of one’s willpower.”

In addition to youths, the marathon involved a lot of parents with children and elderly persons. Nina Levyshchenko from Kyiv is a 66-year-old retiree. Still, she is a regular runner at the event. “This year’s run is my seventh. Our participation is increasing, however slightly, survival chances of small children by helping the hospital to buy equipment. We are many and we can do a lot. You see what is happening in the country, but people are still focused on the need to survive and raise the younger generations, help children, because they are our future. Despite the fact that people are fighting and dying in the east and that Ukraine is on a rough patch now, I saw optimism here,” Levyshchenko said.

All those who spoke to Den’s reporter after the run pointed out the good and positive atmosphere of the festival and its good and harmonious organization.

The organizers (the Chestnut Run Charitable Foundation and the Kyiv City State Administration) donate the money raised at this yearly event to the Center of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The registration fee for participation in the race is 50 hryvnias.

At the time of writing this piece, the amount of money raised has not yet been announced. According to the organizers, they will hold a special press conference in Kyiv on September 11, to announce the amount and hand the cheque to the hospital.

As in previous years, Den’s team joined the marathon. Our publication was represented by the department of economy’s editor Alla Dubrovyk, commentator Vitalii Kniazhansky, reporter Maria Yuzych and editor of reporting network Olha Kharchenko, the department of politics’ reporter Dmytro Kryvtsun, the international news department’s Ihor Samokysh, and development and marketing managers Oleksandr Melnykov and Yevhen Starchenko. By the way, Den’s photographer Mykola Tymchenko also joined the race by running several dozens of meters with his heavy equipment.