• The Community Run, the first event of the V Anantapur Ultramarathon brings together 104 ultrarunners and 104 children from RDT Inclusive Schools.

• Women with physical disabilities joined this event for the first time.

More than 100 ultraunners and RDT volunteers as well as 104 children from RDT Inclusive and Special Education School gathered at the Anantapur Sports Village on 22^nd January, 2020 to participate on the Community Run, a relay race that brings together people with and without disabilities.

The Community Run is the first event celebrated as part of the Ananthapur Ultramarathon (AUM). To foster inclusion and solidarity, one ultrarunner and one student from RDT Inclusive School ran together with their respective groups, covering a total distance of 5 KMs.

For the first time, 10 wheelchair tennis players and 40 women with physical disabilities from IDT have also joined the event for a last round. “Today has been a great day. In the past I would have never even thought of doing something like this because of my fears and shyness, but not anymore. I am proud to have been part of the Community Run,” says Hanumakka, artisan from Bukaraya Samudram IDT workshop. She suffers from polio since she was a baby and it affected the mobility of her legs since then.

Moncho Ferrer, RDT programme director, thanked all the participants, locals and internationals, for their participation and emphasised the value and importance of such events. “The playfield is the only place where everyone is equal, where everyone works together for a goal regardless of their gender, community or condition. Today is a very special day for all of us and events like the Anantapur Ultramarathon are undoubtedly an incredible experience not only for the runners but also for the local communities, which are actively involved in all the process”, concluded.

“When I came last year I was astonished to see the number of people involved in this event, but this time, it is even bigger. It is wonderful to be here again to run for a cause as well as to know more about RDT projects”, explains Peter Lawlor, from Ireland and who has returned for the AUM for the second time.

Here are few of the pictures from the event for a glimpse.

Arancha Alvear, from Spain and who took part on this event for the first time also added, “My partner´s name was Likhita, she has hearing impairement, but that was not a problem to communicate. We had so much fun together and we motivated each other during the race. It was incredible to see how everybody was cheering us up! This has been a unique experience!” She is looking forward to join the 10K runners in next year’s edition.

Text: Aina Valldaura