Moscow, Russia—The supermarathon "Children against Drugs—I Choose Sport!" concluded after 1,150 kilometers.
From June 12 to 26, 2021, a total of thirty-five children and fifteen adults ran a relay race through the historic cities of Russia’s Golden Ring. In addition, about 500 people joined in as the supermarathon passed through their town or city.
The organizer of the project was Ambassador for Peace Sergei Suprunyuk, the chairman of the organizing committee Supermarathon Runners for a Healthy Lifestyle. The Universal Peace Federation has been a co-organizer for many years, along with the General Directorate for Drug Control of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
For the fourth year in a row the supermarathon received a grant from the Presidential Grants Fund, and for the sixth year the theme has been "Children against Drugs—I Choose Sport!" The young athletes running in the supermarathon are showing an example of sports and physical education as a real alternative to drug use, alcohol consumption, smoking, and various doping. The supermarathon is a realistic, efficient and effective way to actively promote a healthy lifestyle to the younger generation.
During the 15 days of the supermarathon, there was intense daily coverage in the media and social networks. Dmitry Samko, the chairman of UPF-Moscow, promoted the event, and the marathon received huge coverage. Dmitry ran and reported every day about the marathon online.
For the participants, this was an opportunity to learn the history of Russia, to get acquainted with the cultural and historical heritage of the country, to preserve the historical memory of the heroic past of our Motherland. But the supermarathon was not only running and excursions to interesting places. Many meetings were organized in cities along the route—with schoolchildren, youth, residents of orphanages and social rehabilitation centers for minors; and with representatives of government bodies, public organizations, and drug control units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
This year, the participants faced additional challenges: Not all the restrictive measures connected with the coronavirus had been lifted, and a record heat wave was experienced in the central European part of Russia.
The supermarathon finished in the Moscow region on June 26—which was also the United Nations’ International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
