This part of the portal is devoted to all the enthusiastic people, who were behind the scenes of the Erasmus+ project called Run – Swim – Learn! In the Spirit of Pierre de Coubertin. They proved that sport vibrations are contagious and everyone, who is in contact with sports actors, have no way to escape from active participation.
Project inspirational personalities are introduced through testimonials and vivid pictures, capturing images of their engagement in health enhancing physical activities. On behalf of all those people, an interview was taken with a popular Slovak scientist Viliam Novák who keeps, with his tenacity and strenuous approach, very high sport moral role.
During his entire life, he promoted intergenerational aspects of health enhancing physical activities and sport values across sectors and we were pleased that he answered our questions on his life. Besides an interview, you can find in this section his sport and professional CV alongside with inspirational photos.
We were absolutely privileged to have Vilko on the board during this project!
Who is Viliam Novák?
Viliam Novák, born on 14 August 1942 in Považská Bystrica, Slovakia. Sport achievements: finisher of 119 marathons plus 7 ultramarathons. Personal best in marathon: 2:57:21 at IBUSZ Marathon Budapest in 1998. During 35 years of running, he covered over 73,413 km that is nearly twice around the Globe, in average 2100 km per year and 175 km per month. He participated in five out of six Marathon Majors - NYC Marathon 1997, Chicago La Salle Marathon 2001, Boston Marathon (five times), Real Berlin Marathon 1990, Flora London Marathon, 1999. The most iconic were Sydney Host City Marathon, Australia, 2000 and Athens Classic Marathon 2000. Regarding to Olympic track in Sydney Viliam Novák is the fastest Slovak on this Olympic track; being the first of three Slovaks runners with his time 3:28, while the Slovak Olympian Robert Štefko was DNF (did not finish) in the Olympic race. This was given as a joke by his son Broňo, who is also a runner, but it is true!
His 64 marathons were performed abroad, in comparison to the 56 finished in Slovakia; among the most impressive were US Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. 2004, 2009, Paris Marathon 2002 and Košice Peace Marathon, which he likes the best of all and he ran it already eight times. Moreover, he considers Prague Int. Marathon as a great experience as well.
Viliam Novák finished first in the age group at Moscow Int. Marathon 2012 (M70), Regensburg Marathon 2015, Budapest Marathon 2015, Lublin Marathon 2013, Ljubljana Marathon 2012, Copenhagen Marathon 2019. Among the best results in marathons, he considers the first place in Moscow, and the third place in Boston marathon 2018 (M75); notably considering that the Boston marathon is the world oldest and most iconic one.
In addition, he achieved three times the first place in the age group (2015, 2018, 2019) at the oldest European road race in Bechovice - Prague, which is organised since 1897, similarly to Boston Marathon.
Another success is the title of World Vice-Champion in mountain running 2017 and World Champion in mountain running of teams with V. Bašista 2017.
In accordance with Viliam Novák, the most important in sport, and running particularly, is its relaxation and regeneration effect leading to good health and improved ability to do our duties. Camaraderie is another significant effect of running that counts the most.
Ing. Viliam Novák, DrSc.
Occupation: scientist and hydrologist at the Institute of Hydrology Slovak Academy of Sciences (IH SAS), Bratislava, Slovakia;
Born: Považská Bystrica, 08.14.1942; MS: RNDr. Katarína, PhD.;
Children: Ing. Alžbeta 1967, Ing.arch. Jaroslava 1969, Ing. Bronislav, PhD. 1985;
Education: 1964 Faculty of Civil Eng., Slovak Technical University Bratislava (STU), 1972 PhD studium, IH SAS, 1992 doctor of Sciences (DrSc) in hydrology, IH SAS;
Career: since 1964 Institute of Hydrology SAS Bratislava, scientist, principal scientific officer, member of Presidium of SAS (1998 - 2005), Extenal workplaces: Russia, UK, Germany, USA, Japan. Important achievements: Method of transport coefficients of water and energy in the water unsaturated porous media measurement and evaluation, method of evapotranspiration and its components calculation, infiltration of water into cracked soils – method of calculation, mathematical modeling of water and energy transport in the Soil – Plant – Atmosphere Continuum (SPAC), method of soil water regimen diagnosis in relation to the plant canopies water regimen and biomass production, the role of Earth surfaces properties in actual global changes and methods of their mitigation, external pedagogic activity at Faculty of Civil Eng, STU Bratislava;
Writings and creative works: 4 monographs, the most important among them are Evapotranspiration in the soil-plant- atmosphere system (Springer Science + Bussines Media, Doordrecht, 2012), Applied Soil Hydrology,(coauthor), Springer Nature Switzerland, AG (2019); author and coauthor more than 70 scientific papers, 2 patents, cca 900 citations. 1995 - 1998 responsible for the US – Slovak Project Modeling the transport of water and solutions in soils of Zitny Ostrov area, as a result of Gabcikovo waterwork, 2004 responsible for the Project The influence of the plant canopy structure changes on water regimen in High Tatras, after heavy ravage;
Awards: SAS Prize for science popularisation (1985, team member), Pioneer of International cooperation (1988), Honorary Silver Plaque SAS od Dyonyz Stur for achievements in Natural Sciences (1992), SAS Prize for results in research (1999, team member), Prize of academician Dub (2002), Golden medal SAS for merit in science (2012), Plaque of Merit at sixty jubilee of SAS (2013); Prize Fides et Ratio for merit in improving relationships between religion
and science (2017); SAS Prize for top level monography (2020).
Memberships: International Soc. Soil Sci., IAHR;
Achievements: pioneer in application of mathematical models as tools in diagnosis
of soil – water regimen.
Hobby: sport (long distance running), aviation, Earth global changes, opera, balet;
Reason of success: systematics and persistence.
INTERVIEW FROM THE FOREST
Questions:
Elena Malíková
Answers:
Viliam Novák
How and when did you start with sport?
In Kremnica, where I lived as a child, everyone used to practice cross-country skiing. Naturally, it was also my case. Later on, during my high school age, our PE teacher motivated us to regular physical activities and compete locally. After my first athletics competition, where I finished on the second place on 1 km run, I was completely amazed by the sports world, and it inspires me until now.
What happened next? How was your sporting career unfolding?
Coming to Bratislava for my university’s studies, I had a little break in sport activities. Soon I was addressed by my fellow students, who were athletes from orienteering club in Pezinok to join them and that was it. Competing for sport club Lokomotíva Pezinok was amusing, we had a couple of advantages when being affiliated to this orienteering club under the railway’s auspices. For instance, we had a possibility to travel free of charge by trains that opened us plenty of new opportunities to widen our horizons. We could not afford such a lifestyle as students, and I was grateful for those years. It was a starting point for me to understand that sport has a wider impact than solely the physical activities themselves.
Did you succeed to practice sport when working?
This would have been possible but having my own family with two small daughters it was a bit tricky to continue seriously in my sports career. Everything changed when our children became a bit older, and I restarted with regular running in eighties. This time I was amazed by long-distance runs. Firstly, I went to observe a traditional Devin-Bratislava races and decided, considering my sporting shape, to try it myself for the first time in 1981. Since then, I used to run regularly this traditional 12 km race and some years later I was lucky enough to meet there a group of runners, who used to train running at Železná studnička. With them I was again on a good sporting track, which I never left for the next years.
What were your new challenges that time?
You know, running in a group is much easier then running alone. Thanks to this running group I ran soon my first marathon in Nové Mesto nad Váhom, which I succeeded to finish in a time around 3 hours 8 minutes. Not bad for a marathon beginner – I said to myself that time. It was in 1987 and my result gave me a taste for improvements in this distance. My next marathon was in Kysuce - not an easy one due to its hilly profile, but I succeeded it with more than 2 minutes better time than during my marathon debut. Those were my marathon beginnings, which comprise now 119 marathons and 7 ultramarathons.
That is an admirable number! What about half-marathons? How many of them did you run?
It was a lot, but frankly, I am not aware of the exact number of them. More I remember is the ambience which was always present in such events. Fantastic people, smiles and cheering is what I have associated with all the races I participated in. No matter if they were half marathons, marathons, ultramarathons or whatever else.
Impressive approach, indeed. Did you participate abroad as well? How did you succeed to collect such a huge number of marathons?
Sure, actually I have more foreign participation in marathons than in my own country. I ran 64 marathons abroad and 55 on home ground, while not precisely counting the other ultramarathon or half marathon events. My first marathon outside was in Budapest in 1988, the second one in Vienna in 1991 where we celebrated the change of the political regime by this sporting achievement. This was something unthinkable before and opened my desire for new international marathon challenges. That is how it all started. Slowly, almost invisibly. Never thought of any special collection of marathon participation. I was just always enjoying what I was doing and in total it led to that numbers.
Talking about sporting achievements, which were the most valuable for you?
Apart from my marathon times that were often deeply below 3 hours, I consider for the most valuable achievement a fact that sport completely changed my life. It brough a joy, new friendships, knowledge, and many other assets into my everyday routine. I would have never gained all that without sports participation. A good example is this interview and EU sport policies I became aware of thanks to this initiative.
What are your current challenges and next sporting plans?
Recently, I ran half marathon during the Bratislava marathon week and consider an iconic one in Rajec, a beautiful place in Slovakia. This is my supposed to be in August 2022. Later on, I would like definitely to participate in some other races, contemplating for instance half marathon in September 2022 in Copenhagen. There are several reasons for that, out of which one is my daughter who currently lives with her family in the capital of Denmark. Copenhagen alongside with Boston belong to my favourite places for running competitions.
Does your August run in Rajec mean that you want to celebrate your 80th birthday there?
Sincerely, not really! I am not so much interested in celebrations. The time passes by very fast and I even did not realize that I am almost 80. What I do not like at all is that some organisers point out on my age during competitions. I do not care too much about such attention. I am glad that I am healthy enough that even now I can devote time and energy to my family and hobbies. I hope that it will stay like this for some more years, and I will have plenty of opportunities to enrich my life with running experience.
Absolutely true! Let me wish you many outstanding sporting results and all the best with your new challenges. Many thanks for your time and interesting talking. It was an amazing experience interviewing you during an active running!
RUNNERS FROM ŽELEZNÁ STUDNIČKA
Runners from Železná studnička, a recreational zone of Bratislava, a capital of the Slovak Republic is an informal gathering of sport enthusiasts coming from different professional environments. It is unique in a Slovak runner’s community and their common regular sport workouts, mainly traditional Sunday morning runs, date back to 1985. Many of them are known within the international runner’s community thanks to their podium achievements in different age groups.
Typical aspects of their running discussions are passion for multiculturalism, which brings alongside with topics of social inclusion, better understanding of different cultures and various EU sport policies. Their long-term common activities and friendships stems rather from sport values than competitive features.
Social inclusion, respect and mutual understanding are vital elements for intergenerational dimension within this running group and are main issues the project aims to address. Runners’ sporting backgrounds are not solely athletics, but include plenty of other sports, such as swimming, orienteering, triathlon, modern pentathlon, shooting, skiing, golf, fencing, horseback riding etc. Friendship and love for running is a common element that binds this heterogeneous group of people. It fully demonstrates a great power of sports and health enhancing physical activities in social inclusion.
Among all those people, it is notably worth mentioning a popular Slovak scientist Viliam Novák who keeps, with his tenacity and strenuous approach, very high sport moral in the group. Despite his age (born in 1942), he is still an active runner, with a rich worldwide marathon history. With more than 120 marathons and ultramarathon, including Boston, New York, London, Berlin, Beijing, or Paris marathon, he fully deserves a huge admiration for his sports achievements. His ambitions for 2022 include competing internationally in long-distance runs to celebrate his 80th birthday. Thanks to his personality, language skills, general overview and kind approach, the common running gatherings in Železná studnička became a multicultural melting pot, which was often attended by foreign runners and thus spreading this unique spirit abroad.
In order to convey a specific ambiance of this place to a wide audience on grassroot level, this portal aims to address challenges, which are beyond great personalities coming from Železná studnička. Representing different professional environments, such as academic field, science, innovations, civil service, business and corporations, runners from Železná studnička have a huge international potential to widen a recent work of the EU in sport sector beyond traditional sport channels. In order to cover social inclusion achievements in its complexity, several additional personalities were addresses to share their sport experiences through their testimonials as well. They complemented social inclusion aspects and brought especially synergies of different project aspects.
Performance portal entitled RUN – SWIM – LEARN! In the Spirit of Pierre de Coubertin
Education in and through Sport.
Authors:
Elena Malíková, Ervin Lemark, Christian Thibault, Julián Vojtech, Tomáš Poláček
