In 2025, Sjoerd Lier runs a race every week to raise money for the Hartstichting. His goal: to raise €100,000 in memory of his infant son Aska, who died of cardiac arrest shortly before his birth. The KPMG Lentemarathon is pleased to contribute to this special mission by drawing attention to his action. In addition, Sjoerd will run as a pacer in the half marathon during the KPMG Lentemarathon. We spoke to Sjoerd about his story and goals this year
A mission out of love and loss
Sjoerd’s motivation for this challenge stems from a deep personal loss. Four years ago, he lost his son Aska, an event that changed his life forever. “Aska was an unexpected but very welcome baby. During a check-up everything went wrong, and despite the doctors’ efforts he was born quietly,” Sjoerd says.
Can you tell how the idea came about to run 52 races in a year?
The idea came about during a training session in September 2023. It was one of the last beautiful days of the year and I was running my regular lap through the polder. As often happens, as soon as I got into my runner’s high, my head began to fill with ideas. My thoughts went back to the past year: Kaia (Aska’s “big” sister) was almost turning three and I felt more and more in place as a father. That peace, combined with the clarity that running gives me, led me to an insight: in the hustle and bustle of family life, I hadn’t thought much about Aska.
As I continued running, I began to fantasize about a big goal, something that would center on him. Obviously, it had to be something involving running. When I got home about ten kilometers later, I told my wife about my plan.
What does this challenge mean to you personally?
From the first moment, I felt a fire rise up inside me. I knew: this is it. That’s why I shared it online immediately, so I wouldn’t give myself a way back. Not knowing that a few months later, two weeks before the official start, I would tear my meniscus and have to postpone the whole challenge for a year.
But now that I have finally started and have completed the first races, I still feel that same fire. With every race, every donation and every bit of attention it only grows. It’s special to give Aska the attention he deserves in this way, while at the same time I can help prevent the same thing from happening to other families.
How did your surroundings react when you announced this plan?
My wife immediately saw how serious I was. She knows that when I go for something, I don’t let go easily. Still, I felt some doubt from others at first. The reactions to my first video were encouraging on the one hand, but skeptical on the other. This makes sense, because running has always been with ups and downs for me. Especially the people who know me well wanted to see if this would really happen or if it was just another one of my wild, unachievable plans.
52 races in 52 weeks
Starting in January 2025, Sjoerd will be at the start of a weekly running race, ranging from 10 kilometers to ultramarathons. His goal is not only to achieve a top performance physically, but also to generate as much attention and support as possible for research into cardiovascular diseases.
How are you preparing physically and mentally for this tough challenge?
Physically, I can fortunately lean on the fact that I naturally run quite easily. But after my injury, I also know not to overestimate myself. That’s why I tune my calendar and workouts so that they reinforce each other. Not every race revolves around a PR; some races are purely preparation for bigger goals later in the year.
The biggest change is in my lifestyle. I barely drink alcohol and have drastically fewer festival weekends planned. That focus helps tremendously. Mentally, I feel stronger than ever. The better I do, the more energy I get out of it. I involve my environment as much as possible, because I know I will need them badly at certain times.
Are there any specific games you look forward to extra?
So far, I look forward to every weekend. The variety between big events and small club runs always makes it special. But a few races stand out: the Spring Marathon is my first race as a pacer, something that has been on my bucket list for some time. Next comes the Dutch Backyard Ultra – The toughest race of the year, where I plan to run 160 km in 24 hours. In August I run the KAT100 in Austria – A 51 km ultramarathon through the mountains. This one I run as a buddy of Lowie van Eck, a visually impaired runner with at least as crazy ideas as me.
But really, every race is unique. Every Monday morning, when I see what is planned for next weekend, I get excited again.
How is the support from the running community and organizations?
The support is heartwarming. The running community is close-knit and supportive anyway. Almost all of the organizations I write to respond positively and thoughtfully.
My race calendar is mostly filled by now, so my focus now is on increasing attention to this goal. This is a learning process, but fortunately I still have time for it. Soon I will be running in a shirt with the challenge on it, so it will become more and more visible.
What can people do to support your mission?
The fact that people are reading this and becoming aware is already great. Following on social media or through my website also helps. Sharing is free, and the more people see it, the greater the impact. Want to do something extra? Then of course you can donate. Or even better: start your own action, gather sponsors and run a race. Together we can really make a difference
Do you also want to contribute to Sjoerd’s goal? Support him with a donation, share his story or run one of his 52 races with him. Together we can make an impact!
