Married runners build their lives around training and competition

Estonian runners Liis-Grete and Karel Hussar told ERR’s Ringvaade that their lives revolve around running, with the couple training every day as much as they can manage. Liis-Grete is a nine-time Estonian champion and Karel is a six-time champion.

“We found each other when we ran into each other in front of the house,” Liis-Grete said. Karel later suggested they go for a recovery run together.

The couple said sport is their life, passion and love. They also enjoy renovating their home together, including filling and painting walls.

Karel said he grew up in a family where sport was always taken seriously. As children, he skied and played football.

The Hussars are self-employed professional athletes. They earn money through competition prize funds, while also running a sports club they founded and working as coaches. Karel said they try to earn about half of their income through sport and choose competitions accordingly.

“We organise our entire day around being able to train properly,” Karel said. During the summer, while preparing for marathons, they ran 180 kilometres a week and had no days off from either sport or other work.

At the European Marathon Championships, both finished 39th. Liis-Grete said they had worked hard to qualify and only found out at the end of July that they would be able to compete.

“We like living the life we live,” Liis-Grete said.