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Wings for Life World Run is one of the most unusual running events in the world. There is no fixed distance and no traditional finish line: 30 minutes after the start, a catcher car begins chasing the runners, and the race ends only when it overtakes you. At the same time, 100% of entry fees go to research into spinal cord injuries — an area that often lacks commercial support from major pharmaceutical companies.
In 2025–2026, the strongest runners in Belarus were Yauheni Shchabetun and Sviatlana Martysevich — the heroes of our interview.
I am from the town of Fanipol. I am 39 years old, and for 20 of those years I have worked in the metalworking industry. I have only been running regularly for the last 7 years. Before that, physical activity was very limited. I started running to get back in shape and lose extra weight — a classic midlife crisis. Surprisingly, it worked and became a habit. I define myself as a recreational runner who swapped one addiction for another.
I am an ordinary office worker, and I work as an engineer. I have liked running since childhood, and I loved every kind of running game. At school, I enjoyed physical education and could run a cross-country race for the school, but in university I had no running activity at all. Only after I started working did I begin traveling on business trips, and I found it interesting to see the structures located outside the city. That is how I started taking my running shoes with me on business trips and running to the places I was interested in, so I could see them in real life and not only on drawings. That is how running became a great and accessible activity for me. I define myself as a person who likes to run in my free time.
The race took place in favorable conditions. We were lucky with the weather — it was cool, but without strong gusts of wind. The surface was asphalt, with very little elevation gain. It is my home route, where I run all my long runs, so I know every split. The route was Fanipol–Dzyarzhynsk, passing through several villages. My running friend from the Cadence club, Max, kept me company for the first 25 km. According to his training plan, Max was only supposed to run 25 km, and that was where his part in the race ended. I then continued the rest of the distance alone, but already on the school stadium, where I had thoughtfully prepared a refueling point. I ran meditative laps there with music in my headphones.
I ran the entire distance alone. I chose the simplest route from home — the bike path. The weather was good, although a little windy, and there were traffic lights from time to time, so I had to adapt to them. The Minskzelenstroy truck amused me: at 15 km I noticed that a vehicle was really following me, which felt symbolic.
I think the main factor was the way I approached this race — as a charity event, not a competition. It is a fun, light race where participation matters more than winning. That is also why the competition was not very strong, given the upcoming running season. Running a marathon fast was not part of most strong amateurs’ plans. Last year, there was an offline race option at Chyazhynka. This year, that event was canceled. That also lowered the motivation to race hard and fight for a place.
Good physical condition and the weather allowed me to run with pleasure and look at Minsk from the bike path. It was a new experience to run for so long.
Physical activity has become very popular all over the world. Different communities and clubs are developing. People come together around shared interests and create joint projects, including charity initiatives. I think charity at mass events is a great idea, because promoting a healthy lifestyle attracts more and more like-minded people, and helping those in need adds meaning to the common movement and brings people together, making the world kinder.
The charity mission of the race is very important to me. I originally could not run on the race date, but when Sunday became free, I decided I wanted to take part, and I was glad that registration was still open in the final days.
Everything worked perfectly for me, and the difference compared to my watch was no more than 100 meters. To avoid losing GPS, I did not go down into the underpass when crossing the road — I ran over the bridge instead.
The GPS worked well, and I did not notice any errors or problems on my side.
I did not specifically prepare for this race. I simply understood that I would run 40+ km as part of a training run, without any special ambitions. I would do a little more than last year, and that would be enough for me. With an average weekly volume of 80–100 km and a couple of energy gels, everything worked out.
I did not prepare specifically, because my decision to take part was spontaneous.
The plan was to run evenly through the entire distance in the 4:10–4:15 pace range, go sub-3, and stop there. After 37 km, I understandably started to fade, slowed down a little (to 4:30 pace), knowing I would still finish within 3 hours, and calmly pushed on to 42.2 km before stopping my watch. Then I changed clothes and walked another 1 km. If I had kept running, I would have reached 45–46 km.
I started more conservatively, then was able to gradually speed up and keep a comfortably fast pace. After 35 km I slowed down, and I wanted the car to catch me because I had to get home.
The race is appealing precisely because of its unusual format. In real life, where an actual car is chasing runners, it feels like a scene from the movie The Running Man. A great reality show. For me, everything felt familiar — I did not really think about the catcher car. After 40 km, I took out my phone to see how much was left. I handled the psychological pressure with music in my headphones and meditative laps on the course.
I liked the unusual format. It is fun to run away from a car that nobody can see. The only difficulty is that you do not know how long you will be able to keep running fast.
The moment of the mass start, when the whole world started running at the same time, even though we were in different locations.
I remember meeting Misha Budai. He was running in a Wings for Life shirt, we greeted each other and warmed up together, and it left a great feeling that I was not running alone. I later saw other runners along the way too, and that was encouraging.
Probably all of the above, as well as my pacer in the first half, who did not let me destroy myself too early. Also my wife’s support.
I had a good race because I was in the mood for a great weekend run, and the weather was kind, with no scorching sun.
The main advice, combining training and race tactics, is: “Be consistent and do not try to grasp the impossible a week before the start.” Those are the words of some triathlon coach.
Choose the type and form of activity that suits you, so that the process brings you enjoyment.