When I had the opportunity to go to Peru and help launch the very first annual 50 for Freedom Ultra Marathon, I was ecstatic! If you’ve been following us on social media, you probably saw the posts we shared about how John Eddie Hodges was planning to run 50 miles in Lima, Peru to fight human trafficking. One question that I got asked several times was, “Is he running 50 miles without stopping?!” and the answer to that question is, yes, he sure did!
Below is an excerpt from John Eddie about why he started this ultra marathon:
There are some experiences that completely change the way you see the world, and that’s what Lima, Peru has been for me. You can pretty much split my life up into two separate parts, before Lima and after. The first time I visited Lima was in 2015, and the city had an impact on me that would alter the course of the rest of my life. Being exposed to injustice and extreme poverty for the first time while simultaneously meeting some of the most incredible people and learning to love another culture has driven me to ask the question, “What can I do to make a positive impact and bring about lasting change?”
As an answer to that question, John Eddie started the 50 for Freedom Ultra Marathon as an annual ultra marathon taking place in Lima, Peru for the purpose of raising money to end human trafficking.
When asked about what motivated him to do this, he shared three reasons:
- To give back and create change in a place that helped mold him into who he is today.
- To give people a voice that don’t have one, raise awareness for human trafficking in Lima and globally, and help break the chains of people and families in bondage to modern day slavery.
- To push himself to a physical and mental point that he has never reached before and to give others the chance to do the same.
On January 11, 2023, a group of volunteers came out to support John Eddie as he ran. He started off at the Plaza de Armas in front of the Presidential Palace and ran to the coast where he would continue his route for a total of 8 hours.
Our volunteer team set up two aid stations where they provided him with water, fruit, and cheered him on as he reached each milestone! At 3pm, John Eddie finished his 50th mile after running for 8 hours and 14 minutes! In total, over $2,000 was raised for The Lily and The Sparrow’s work in Peru, which will sponsor 2 women to be rescued out of human trafficking.
One fun aspect of this fundraiser was that everyone who donated was entered into a drawing to win a free flight to Peru for next year’s event. This year, Adriana Ferrentino won! Congratulations, Adriana!
We can’t wait to see everyone at the 50 for Freedom Ultra Marathon next year in Lima. Save the date for January 11th, 2024! Whether you come out and participate in the run on the coast of Miraflores or support financially and follow along online, we want to say thank you for joining the fight against human trafficking!
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