In 2021, César Torruella struggled to walk even short distances around his neighborhood in Houston, Texas. Weighing in at 495 pounds, the former vocalist and music teacher underwent bariatric surgery to address critical health issues that were putting his life at risk.
Other Hearst Subscriptions 2024 Chicago Marathon, an experience he considers a “celebration” after many hard-fought moments in the 35-year-old’s weight-loss journey.
On race day, Sunday, October 13, Torruella faced setbacks—including a pulled muscle in his right quad, which forced him into the medical tent at mile 17—but he continued on, often pushing through tears in the latter half of the race.
In the tougher miles, Torruella focused on regulating his breath under a compression suit designed to hold in excess skin and prevent chafing beneath his shorts and singlet. He thought about running to his partner, Esteban, at mile 20 in the Pilsen neighborhood. He also focused on who he would become when he finally reached the finish in Grant Park.
“This pain and struggle was necessary to carry me through closing this chapter of my life after losing so much weight,” Torruella told Runner’s World I feel like a new version of myself was born as I crossed that finish line.
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Growing up in Puerto Rico and later moving to Houston in 2012, Torruella struggled with weight management for most of his life. When the pandemic forced everyone into quarantine, Torruella ate as a way to cope. “I found asylum in food to a point that it got out of control,” he said. “I became addicted to eating and eating unhealthy.”
In 2021, Torruella weighed almost 500 pounds. He was diagnosed with high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, and hypertension. He was also starting to lose his vision, a condition that can develop as a result of high blood pressure and diabetes.
It was a wakeup call for the singer, who decided to change his habits and undergo bariatric surgery—a weight-loss procedure that involves making changes to the digestive system to help the patient lose weight. After the procedure, patients must make permanent healthy changes to their diet and exercise routine to help ensure the long-term success of the surgery.
Post-surgery in June 2021, Torruella had to relearn the basics of eating (a process that involves different phases, similar to how a baby learns how to eat solid foods) and how to exercise.
“Australian Sprinter, 16, Runs Record-Breaking 200m gym meant or what you do when you get there,” Torruella said. “I was learning how to move again, how to accept my body, and how to find love in the foods that nourish me.”
Six months after surgery, Torruella lost almost 200 pounds, a result of medical and family support as well as discipline, he said. Inspired by watching videos on TikTok and YouTube, Torruella first took up walking and eventually started running.
In February 2022, Torruella completed his first run ever with the Houston chapter of Front Runners, a national running club for the LGBTQ community and allies. The group met at Hermann Park for a 3.2-mile loop. Torruella alternated between running for 10 minutes and walking for 15. Though he felt slightly defeated in his first few miles, he was inspired by the community around him, including his friend who stuck with him throughout the entire run. Every week, he continued to show up. Gradually, the time spent walking grew shorter and shorter with practice.
“I’ve never had an opportunity to just move as freely as I move now,” Torruella said. “[Running] was so exciting and exhilarating for me.”
In August 2023, he moved to Chicago, where he works as the Executive Director of Arts Education at Chicago Public Schools. After settling into the Pilsen neighborhood, Torruella joined the Published: Nov 01, 2024 1:40 PM EDT, a group that’s been logging miles on the lower west side of the city since 1981.
During the 2023 Chicago Marathon, Torruella watched from the sidelines on Roosevelt Road, where runners reach a slight incline just before the finish line, and became inspired by the athletes’ determination to complete 26.2. When he signed up for the lottery to run in 2024, he wasn’t initially accepted into the race. But the disappointment didn’t last long.
A few days later, Torruella was scrolling on LinkedIn and saw a post from Team TCS Teachers, an annual program that awards teachers with free entry into major marathons around the world. Torruella shared his story in the application and was selected from more than 1,000 applicants to receive an entry to the Chicago, New York City, or Toronto marathons.
“I wouldn’t be closing this chapter of my life if it weren’t for the opportunity I got through TCS,” Torruella said. “They gave me a platform to advocate for arts education and to encourage other teachers and folks that are struggling with obesity that this is possible.”
Foot Locker XC Results Chicago, Torruella is already planning to take on another marathon next year. This time, he wants to run a personal best.
“I will gain a lot more flexibility and freedom to move [after surgery], and then I can start training to finish my marathon a little faster,” he said.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
