(ENG) HAPPYRUN 21 Dec. 2014 (Christmas Run)

DED MOROZ is a Russian mythological character, who brings gifts to good kids on the New Year night (think Santa Claus or Jack Frost as peers in Western culture). On December 21, 2014 about 500 runners dressed as Ded Moroz ran 5K or 10K along a bank of Moscow-river. The event was organized by #tagsport team and "Vera" Charity Fund ("vera" means "beleif' or "faith" in Russian). All the revenues go to severely ill children. The run was really fun and you could feel warmth and friendship and New Year everywhere,

Video report: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW1LZjf-tFU

Photos with short somments:

1. Road to the srart. The weather does not feel like winter at all.

2.Participants discuss their race plans and running outfit.

 

3. At the start line. People are looking up to a tv-drone.


4. Here's the drone, landed after the finish.

5. Ready, set, go! Geek-runners start tracking applications on their smartphones.

6. The event was widely covered by the media - take a notice of tv- and photo-operators.

7. I thought this boy was the youngest "Ded Moroz" there...

8. ...but there's another one, even younger! Running at adult pace with his beard on.

9. Anybody see the dog?

10. One lap makes 5K = 2.5K there + 2.5K back (multipled by 2 for those, who've chosen 10K distance). People running the opposite ways greet and cheer up each other.

11. There, to the right. The dog is already running back. It seems I'm too slow ))

12. The U-turn.

13. Many shout "Happy New Year" to others. This feeling of common spirit and support is very inspiring.

14. This man runs in army boots and carries a flag.

15. After the full lap 5K runners approach the finish line, while 10K runners make a U-turn for another lap.

16. Finish.

17. The boy made it. Superb endurance!

18. Running to the finish line.

19. After-finish selfy.

20. Now, back to the gray Moscow winter. A view of Moscow-river for the last picture.

Have happy runs!