On the route of the ultramarathon Košice – Miskolc, which took place last weekend, there were also Košice steelers. In the relay of ten runners, five of our colleagues passed the imaginary pin on the 118 km track: Andrea Egryová, Viktória Rešteiová, Peter Protivňák, Peter Kubík and Tomáš Szegedi.

Interestingly, the runners also appeared on the track in NextGen T-shirts with the characteristic inscription: Heart of steel, nerves of iron. The ultramarathon was not only about sports performance, but also about the fact that colleagues spend time together outside of work and are able to support each other in a completely different environment than the workplace. "This event very nicely captures the importance of joint activities, which we as representatives of NextGen try to support in our company. We were all the more pleased that the runners organized themselves and went into it with great enthusiasm. We were just happy to support them with NextGen T-shirts from our new merch and we are pleased that they liked not only the event, but also the merchandise," says Barbora Labašová from NextGen.

But let's take a look at the ultramarathoners. The very first to run from the starting line in Košice was Tomáš Szegedi, on Saturday at seven o'clock in the morning: "I was more stressed than from the pace from not falling asleep in the morning and, most importantly, forgetting my chip. Thank you for the trust to be the first in the relay, because I know that getting the relay off to a good start is very important for the team. Achieving a good time at the beginning is a kind of engine and at the same time motivation for other runners. The pace was fast from the beginning, but I tried not to "blow up" so that I would not lack strength at the end and to keep my planned pace and time. The running strategy worked out for me and I was satisfied with the time. I look forward to further joint events with my colleagues."

Andrea Egryová took over the baton on the third section: "I ran great, the weather in the morning was ideal for running. The relief of the track was all hill, but it was possible. I managed to achieve a better time than I planned. The name of our team was bilingual and motivational: Beer is waiting – Vár a sör."

Peter Protivňák was also satisfied with his performance, he managed his section in a better time than he expected: "The well-deserved beer awaited us, it was a strong motivation. The beautiful weather was complemented by a great atmosphere created by our team. Thank you Viki for the excellent organization, it was a perfect event."

Viki Rešteiová ran the 8th leg of the relay: "For me, it was one of the most difficult runs in my entire running career. It was a challenge physically and mentally, but in the end I managed to make it to the finish line, which made me very happy. At that time, it was really very hot and, unfortunately, I was already alone on the track, which was a bit more difficult in terms of pace and motivation. Nevertheless, I tried not to give up. The support of our team helped me a lot – we had great runners who encouraged each other throughout the day. Tomáš Szegedi ran a really beautiful time. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to keep the set pace at the end, but I still think we gave a very good performance and we can be proud of ourselves. A big thank you to the whole team for that - it certainly wouldn't have been possible without you. Each member had an important place in it."

Peter Kubík adds: "I'm glad, just like last year, that we all made it to the finish line. No one gave up, no one was injured and everyone fought for the team as best they could."

They are already planning to participate in next year's event.
"I believe that it will be successful, because being in a team with such great people is a great joy. Not only in terms of sports, but also in terms of people – the positive mood, support and team spirit were felt throughout the event. We also thank you for the support from NextGen," adds Viki.