Keven Hempel is a Californian that works here in southeast Iowa. He owns and operates the Beacon of Hope in Oskaloosa. That will be the starting point for Keven’s run. Hempel is running 60 miles from Oskaloosa to Ottumwa and back! He is running to raise money for pediatric cancer. Unravel Pediatric Caner based out of Des Moines.
Hempel’s running journey began more than 5 years ago when he weighed 270 pounds. He had a fatty liver and was a prediabetic. He was living this way for quite some time until his daughter had to be admitted to the hospital. She needed brain surgery and that brought Hempel back down to earth. He promised her in that moment that he was going to live healthier life.
Hempel started running and it took him 2 weeks to run his first mile. After that, he ran his first half marathon. That totaled around 19 miles. His daughter then told him, “You can run a marathon”. So, he did. Then he continued to push his limits after that. He started running, hiking, cycling, and increasing the miles and elevation. Once he ran his first ultramarathon, he knew that there was something deeper inside himself that he could access.
Source: Man running from Oskaloosa to Ottumwa to raise money for pediatric cancer