Runners give up NYE fun for gruelling 24-hour mountain run to raise money for children’s wheelchairs
Two passionate runners are sacrificing their New Year’s Eve celebrations to complete a gruelling day-long mountain run to raise money for wheelchairs to enable disabled children to enjoy the mountains.
Łukasz Wawrzyniak and Urszula Kujawka from the Wawrzynteam running group, will spend 24 hours running continuously on a route near the Wielka Sowa mountain, the highest point of the Owl Mountains range in the Central Sudetes in South-western Poland.
The pair from the Wawrzynteam running group, will spend 24 hours running continuously on a route near the Wielka Sowa mountain, the highest point of the Owl Mountains range in the Central Sudetes in South-western Poland.
Their run will be the first run of its kind to include the Wielka Sowa mountain peak and will see them running from Przełęcz Jugowska through Kozie Siodło and Wielka Sowa and back towards Kozie Siodło and Przełęcz Jugowska.
The pair are looking to raise money to buy specialist wheelchairs for the Ładne Historie Foundation and their ‘Łączą nas góry’ (Mountains connect us) project which organise trips for children with physical disabilities and their families in the Sudete Mountains.
Both Wawrzyniak Kujawka have been volunteers for the project for the past two years and have covered 380km helping children on wheelchairs to experience the Sudetes, including to accompanying them up to the famous Snieżka Mountain.
Both Wawrzyniak Kujawka have been volunteers for the project for the past two years and have covered 380km helping children on wheelchairs to experience the Sudetes, including to accompanying them up to the famous Snieżka Mountain.
Speaking to SportoweFakty, Wawrzyniak said: “There won’t be any relays or replacing each other on the route. The idea is to run for 24 hours. Races like this are organised around the world and I was always interested in them.
Wawrzyniak said: “There won’t be any relays or replacing each other on the route. The idea is to run for 24 hours. During a race like this, you can take breaks, but maximum 10-15 minutes. There is no option to lay down and sleep for a while because the effect would be much worse.”
“During a race like this, you can take breaks, but maximum 10-15 minutes. There is no option to lay down and sleep for a while because the effect would be much worse.”
Wawrzyniak added that he didn’t want to be considered a hero of the campaign and added “The heroes are the children who we are raising money for”.
Setting a target of PLN 24,000, with the idea being 24 hours for 24,000, the pair have already reached their target, although donations continue to pour in.
Setting a target of PLN 24,000, with the idea being 24 hours for 24,000, the pair have already reached their target, although donations continue to pour in alongside supportive messages, with one benefactor writing: “You are amazing, huge respect for the initiative, organisation and sacrifice.”
Wawrzyniak, who is an ultra-long-distance runner, has completed several ultra-races and trails, with the longest being 20 hours, making his upcoming race a new challenge.
To find out more and support the campaign visit https://zrzutka.pl/45765s.
