Spreading hope "running" is Marc Naumann's motto. He is an ordained theologian of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the fastest pastor in Europe, among age-group triathlon athletes who practise the sport as a hobby. Triathlon is the name given to a competition in which three different physical activities, namely swimming, cycling and running, have to be completed in succession.
On the website www.TRIpastor.de Marc Naumann reports that it has been his lifelong sporting dream, since his youth, to complete a triathlon event. At the age of 40, this dream came true for the first time with an Olympic distance (1.5 km swimming, 40 km cycling and 10 km running). The trigger was an unexpected stay in the emergency room of a university hospital. With his unconsciousness, hyperventilation, dehydration, and several hours of blindness, Marc gave the specialists a puzzle to diagnose. His body’s system had shut down, reduced to a dormant state, to protect itself from more damage.
From that point on, it was clear to him that his understanding of values had to change thoroughly in terms of his work-life integration. Marc followed the medical and therapeutic instructions and fulfilled his lifelong sporting dream: to participate in a triathlon event and do good by spreading hope "running" for a healthy and mindful life. In June 2017, Marc participated in his first European Olympic Championship, in Kitzbühel, as a nominated athlete of the German Age Group National Team (DTU). Five years later, after the coronavirus pandemic, he made his comeback on home turf at the European Championships in Munich, in the sprint event. Since then, he has been known as "The Pastor" in the triathlon scene.
For his big goal, not only to be the fastest pastor in Europe in his age group, but also to qualify for the sprint event at the World Championships in Hamburg on July 14, 2023, Marc knows exactly what he is doing it for: He wants to spread hope "on the run" as a sports ambassador for the Christian TV station, Hope TV, and inspire people to live a fulfilled and hopeful life through the experience that Hope TV offers. If you are looking for motivation and inspiration to get started, the Hope sports community is the right place to be. In the Hope TV team, everyone finds their sporting home in the Christian sense. More information at www.HopeTV.team
About the person
Since 2018, Marc Naumann has been working in Alsbach-Hähnlein, near Darmstadt, as team leader for fundraising and cooperations at Hope Media Europe, a media centre of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As a board member of the Hope Media Europe Foundation, he is committed to holistic health promotion. Previously, he was pastor and department head for evangelism and church development of the Adventist Church in Austria for 13 years.
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