It is fitting that the weather forecast for the day of the Chicago marathon is in the 50s, because The Rev. Tim Hoekstra’s goal for the race is right in stride — run 50 miles in one day to raise $50,000 at the age of 50.
Hoekstra, pastor at Suburban Life Community Church in Darien, is an avid runner with a passion for enriching lives.
So to celebrate running in his fifth consecutive Chicago Marathon this year, the River Forest resident decided to run 50 miles — 23.8 miles in the morning prior to the race and 26.2 miles during the race — to raise funds for clean water wells in Kenya.
The marathon will take place Sunday, Oct. 11.
Part of the proceeds raised also will go toward developing a running/mentor club for inner city children, a program Hoekstra said could be kicked off in spring 2010.
“I’ve been to four countries in Africa, and it is amazing how much impact one clean water well can provide for villages there,” said Hoekstra. “Clean water can cut disease rates in half, allow women to attend school instead of walking miles to retrieve clean water for their families and help farmers irrigate their crops.”
Hoekstra began running in the third grade when he joined a Chicago YMCA running club, then ran high school track.
He completed Chicago Marathons in 2005-07 before having to pull out of the race last year after running 13 miles due to a pinched nerve that has left one of his toes without feeling.
“At this point, it may be permanent, but running to raise funds for World Vision is a great cause,” Hoekstra said. “I am confident we will pull off our target of $50,000 either by race time or shortly after.”
Notable
• Has completed three Chicago Marathon races
• Has visited Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa and Mozambique
• Fastest marathon time is 4 hours, 5 minutes, run in 2006
& quotable
“The resilience of people living in struggling countries is amazing. People fighting for their lives, living in poverty, often are quite joyous. It re-affirms one’s faith when you see them treat others like kings when they have so little,” Hoekstra said.
Philosophy
“I want to live my life in such a way that it doesn’t make any sense unless god exists.”
Favorites
MEAL Chicago style pizza, either deep dish or thin crust
HOBBIES Reading, camping and running
SPIRITUAL MOVIES “Bruce Almighty” and “Slum Dog Millionaire”
