Bixby Man To Run 54 Miles In Lebanon To Raise Money For The Hungry

A Green Country man is getting ready to travel halfway across the world to run more than 50 miles in one day.

Tulsa is almost 7,000 miles from Lebanon, but the mission to feed the hungry is near and dear for 22-year-old Monif Habib.

He loves running and has been taking on 10 miles a day to get ready for a personal race in Lebanon, a small country between Syria and Israel.

“You see a lot of things that open your eyes,” said Habib. “People don't have the ability to take a hot shower, people don't have AC, people don't have things that are so basic to us that we take for granted."

Habib was born in Tulsa, but his parents grew up in Tripoli, Lebanon. His grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins are all still there.

A visit last summer inspired his upcoming mission in May.

"I'm super excited, and I really can't wait to go out and help the people that need it the most," said Habib.

To raise awareness about the country's economic crisis, growing hunger and devastation after deadly blasts two years ago, he plans to run from Tripoli, Lebanon's second largest city, to Beirut, the capital.

"Believe it or not, I'm actually running 54 miles in one day,” said Habib. “I know it’s ambitious, but my target goal is to run it in eight and a half to nine hours."

His GoFundMe has raised about half of his goal of $5,000. He said he is donating all of it to the Lebanese Food Bank and has plans to hand out food with the nonprofit while he is there.

"$5,000 would be enough to feed like 600 families,” said Habib. “It's a lot. It's very substantial."

Habib is going the extra mile to make a difference. To donate to Habib’s GoFundMe, click here.