Within minutes we had produced together an idea for a disabled event to be included in the _Nordea_ Riga marathon, to be held on 17 May.We had to do some fast work to turn the idea into a reality. But the result is that about 100 disabled athletes - in wheelchairs or on foot - plus their assistants will be lining up on 11 November embankment to demonstrate the powerful lesson that Impossible is Nothing. We have called it the Unity Kilometre, a fun run which allows those with disabilities to show their skills on the beautiful tree-lined streets of Riga.The embassy is financing the event, working very closely with a lovely team from _Nordea _and _Nords Event Communications_, and in close cooperation with a number of Latvian bodies such as the Para-Olympic committee, the Wheelchair Basketball Sports Federation, _Apeirons_, _Sustento _and _SIVA_.It's only one kilometre. For some of the competitors it will be all over in 10 minutes. But I hope we are planting a seed, and that in future years we can build on the Unity Kilometre so as to give more disabled athletes from across Latvia, the Baltic region and even further afield the chance to run in Riga. The embassy can do only so much. I hope business, charities and perhaps some of my diplomat colleagues will feel able to contribute and build on the strong foundations that I know will be laid on Sunday.For me of course, this is a delightful and rewarding mixture of business and pleasure. I love running, and I love the sense of occasion that marathons bring. I believe passionately that sport brings people together, provides opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, creates friendships and spreads goodwill.Riga on 17 May will be my 27th marathon. I remember them all well. On the Saturday evening before I will be both excited and nervous. I don't train hard enough as I get older, lazier and busier. But I will be there. When I am lined up on the 11 November Embankment getting ready to start, my thoughts will be a kilometre away, imagining the finish line for our disabled competitors and the sense of achievement they will feel, above all those who have had no opportunity to do this sort of thing before in Latvia.I wish them all well, thank everyone who has contributed to making it possible, and look forward for even bigger and better things in coming years.
Impossible is Nothing
A group of us were in casual conversation in February with a very clever young woman from Nordea bank about the British Embassy's work on disabilities (on which I have blogged before). I referred to my experience of those big international marathons, which include a separate event for wheelchair athletes and others.
Uzmanību!
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