Over 446 kilometres covered in three hours: the “Hero” business center community raises funds for athletes with disabilities

On Thursday in Vilnius, the 300-metre running track on the terrace of the “Hero” business center, developed by real estate (RE) company Realco, turned into a charity track for a day. During the “Hero in Motion” event, members of the business center community, joined by friends and partners of the initiative, ran or moved at their own pace. Every lap completed was converted into a €1 donation to “Paradoksas”, a sports club for people with disabilities.

Around 80 participants took part in the charity run, covering a total distance of 446 kilometres. The overall result was further boosted by companies operating in the business center and by a charitable foundation, with some participants even doubling the amount they had raised. In total, the initiative collected €3,000, which will be used to finance racing wheelchairs for athletes with disabilities.

According to Gintarė Žemaitė, Head of Commercial Real Estate Development at Realco, the event demonstrated that movement can be not only a way to improve wellbeing, but also an opportunity to contribute to a meaningful cause.

“This initiative brought together the ‘Hero’ community around a common goal and showed that making a difference does not necessarily require big steps. Sometimes all it takes is showing up, moving at your own pace, supporting colleagues and becoming part of a collective achievement. It is a simple but powerful example of how people can create change simply by coming together,” says G. Žemaitė.

One participant covered 28 kilometres on his own

Teams from companies based at “Hero” took part in the initiative, including employees from law firm “Cobalt”, technology company “Wire Salad”, global audit, tax and business advisory firm “PwC”, real estate consultancy “Colliers” and others.

The initiative also brought together the “Wild Souls” running club and its founder Vaidas Žlabys, the “Paradoksas” club, “Swedbank”, Idea Prima and Realco itself.

Among the business center tenants, Baltic States’ largest logistics real estate developer, “Sirin Development”, recorded the highest number of completed laps and doubled the amount raised by its employees.

“We value the opportunity to work in an environment that inspires and brings together a like-minded community. When developing logistics parks for our clients, we place great emphasis not only on functionality, but also on people’s comfort. We understand very well that an attractive environment for employees contributes directly to greater efficiency and long-term success,” says Natalija Klimavičienė, Head of HR at “Sirin Development”.

With 92 completed laps, “Onlychain Fintech Limited” secured second place. Its employee Arūnas says he goes to the gym five times a week and regularly covers distances of 15–25 kilometres, while also participating in marathons and half-marathons.

“I do not see myself as a typical runner. Strength, wellbeing and physical fitness matter more to me. I believe sport should be accessible to everyone, and that is exactly what motivated me to take part and support the initiative. ‘Hero’ is truly unique: you run while seeing all the movement of Vilnius below you, yet you are above it all. The terrace is beautiful and inspiring, and the environment is designed around health and wellbeing. I definitely plan to come back soon – it is a perfect place to clear your mind,” he shared after the run.

“PwC” ranked third in terms of the number of laps completed.

Participants experienced running without sight

Additional contributions came from the “Janukonis Foundation” and Realco, both of which provided extra support. The funds collected through the Ignas Janukonis Foundation were donated to the “Paradoksas” sports club, founded by para-athlete, sprinter and European Para Championships medallist Danas Sodaitis.

“Lap after lap, you have built up an impressive amount that will lead to even more impressive results. Small steps create big changes. Heroes, remember this – together, we can achieve anything,” the para-athlete told participants during the event.

He led a workout session and later became participants’ guide during blindfolded running exercises. Many attendees chose to experience this unique challenge. In fact, D. Sodaitis spent nearly every second lap accompanying others and completed a total of 59 laps during the event.

“It was great to offer people the opportunity to experience this type of running, simulating para sport. It gave employees of the business center a truly unique experience. Overall, I am very happy with the event. At first, I thought there might not be many participants, but in reality, there were plenty. At some points on the track, runners even had to overtake one another,” says D. Sodaitis.

Athletes and marathon runners share their thoughts on balance

Following the active part of the event, participants attended discussions on balancing work, sport and rest, and had an opportunity to learn first-hand about para sports. The discussion was moderated by blogger and content creator Paul de Miko, who is no stranger to sport himself, having trained intensively in the gym for several years and competed in HYROX events.

“Rest is essential. Just as you can burn out at work, you can burn out in sport. There are weeks with four gym sessions and four runs, and some days include both. Afterwards, you often feel like doing nothing the next day. Whenever I go on holiday, I delete my email apps because otherwise I simply cannot disconnect from work,” said Martynas Gudonavičius, founder of the mobility platform “Trafi”, co-owner of office reservation system “Flanco” and marathon enthusiast.

Meanwhile, visually impaired Lithuanian Paralympic team member and marathon runner Aušra Garunkšnytė admitted that it is difficult to convince her to take holidays or take a break from training.

“When I do, I feel like I have wasted a day,” she said.

D. Sodaitis revealed that Sundays are his time for croissants and pizza.

“My thinking is simple: all those glycogen reserves will fuel me and then I will go and burn them off. It does not matter how many times you stumble – what matters is how many times you get back up. That, to me, is the greatest victory,” he said.

When office space becomes a place for shared experiences

“Hero in Motion” also featured a cycling workout by “Powerfitness”, while the event concluded with a tasting experience hosted by chef Liutauras Čeprackas, music from a DJ and informal community conversations.

According to the Realco representative, “Hero” was designed from the outset as a business center where work extends beyond desks, chairs and walls, and where office spaces can also serve as venues for community gatherings, physical activity and social initiatives.

“Today, the ‘Hero’ terrace is full of life, positive emotions and people who have come together not only to spend time with one another, but also to support a meaningful cause. This is exactly the vision we had when creating this place – to make it a space for connection, community and moments that enrich everyday life,” says G. Žemaitė.

“Realco” is one of the largest real estate development companies in Lithuania. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the company develops residential, public and commercial projects distinguished by high quality, innovative solutions and attention to client needs both in Lithuania and abroad.