Duesseldorf, 24th October 2008. Departing-time for my flight to New York: 10:00am.
For one of my biggest challenges in my life!
Finally two dreams became true: To enter the world-famous ING New York City Marathon and enjoying the unique atmosphere in the “Big Apple”. But foremost it was a wonderful feeling, filled with excitement, knowing I will run each of the 42.195 meters (and actually: there are forty two thousand one hundred ninety five in total!) as the first run for my charity IN CHILDREN’S EYES.
Therefore I asked friends and family for financial support for my charity, which supports projects for prevention of sexual exploitation for children and sexual violence/abuse against children. Each donation – might it be even just a small one – should be my motivation to beat my personal time at the Munich marathon in 2003 (so far the one and only), I finished in three-hours, fifty-two-minutes and fifty-seven-seconds (03:52:57).
On the 02nd of November 2008 at 10:00am I started with little steps to make this dream becoming true and the incredible and positive response to IN CHILDREN’S EYES and the mental support of all made me “fly high”: In this sunny morning I finished with three-hours, twenty-eight-minutes and forty-seconds (03:28:40)!
I was even more deeply moved knowing about all the promises from all over the world to donate for IN CHILDREN’S EYES! You joined me and we ran the marathon together!
What a great experience, what a wonderful and especially lasting effect my calls for donations had after I ran the marathon.
With the donations about 1.000 (!) children in different primary schools are taught through the exhibit “Echt klasse!” (preventative education by www.zartbitter.de) about sexual exploitations in a playful way.
The following projects have been supported:
• ZARTBITTER E.V.
(Project: „Echt klasse!“, preventative education, about 1.000 children were tought through the exhibit)
• KINDERSCHUTZ-ZENTRUM / KINDERSCHUTZBUND KÖLN
(therapy for one victim of sexual abuse as a one-year-sponsorship)