- Julia, a beneficiary with cerebral palsy from Envera, and José María, a physiotherapist, complete the 21 kilometers of the race.
Madrid | September 28, 2021
The Madrid Marathon has counted, in this special edition after the pandemic break, with two Envera participants in the half marathon: Julia Durán, beneficiary with cerebral palsy, and José María García-Arroba, physiotherapist, who have run through the streets of the city and completed the 21 kilometers that make up the race in just under an hour and fifty minutes, which is a great feat that represents the values of inclusive sport that Envera has championed for 30 years.
Last Sunday, Julia and José María completed the half distance of the EDP Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Madrid with the illusion of culminating a challenge that began before the pandemic to get an adapted bicycle, valued at about 6,000 euros, so that people with intellectual disabilities and high support needs of Envera can access this sport without limits and improve their quality of life.
Last kilometers of Julia and José María in the Half Marathon and their Envera colleagues did not want to miss this event and cheer them during the race. GO!!!! #EdpRNRNRMadrid @RNRmadmaraton @AD_MAPOMA pic.twitter.com/Can1kSBRq9
- Envera 💚 (@Grupo_Envera_) September 26, 2021
To this end, a fundraising campaign was launched through the website Mi grano de arena, which is still active today on the Envera website, so that Julia, José María and the people with disabilities from the Ícaro-Envera Sports Club can get their adapted bicycles.
Envera, a non-profit organization that always works on a "win-win" basis, was supported on this occasion by the SEPLA Ayuda Foundation, which donated 1,000 euros for the purchase of the adapted bicycle, and by the Lukas Foundation, which donated one of its chairs so that Julia and José María could participate in the Half Marathon.
Both athletes received the affection of their companions from Envera's Day Center for People with Great Support Needs, who wanted to accompany them before and after the race, together with the president of the SEPLA Ayuda Foundation, Vicente Alonso 'Titón'; the vice-president of MAPOMA (organizer of the Marathon), Pedro Rumbao; and the president of Envera, José Antonio Quintero.
For Quintero, "Julia in her adapted chair and José María with her, have made history today in Madrid by completing the half marathon, demonstrating that there are no unreachable heights and that we can all be the best at something".
