Arts Educator Who Weighed 495 Lbs. Is Running the Chicago Marathon to Inspire Students: 'I Feel Invincible’ (Exclusive)

César Torruella signed up for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon while parked outside his gym.

The 35-year-old music educator — who started running about two years ago — never expected to run a marathon. In fact, he couldn’t run at all for most of his life.

As a child in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Torruella wore size 36 pants until he started elementary school. He often retreated to the assembly room for “a safe space away from my bullies.”

He grew up to be a professional opera singer and moved to Houston, Texas, in 2012. But teaching was always on his mind, hoping to give young people high-quality access to the arts, especially “those students furthest from opportunity.”

The bullying Torruella endured at school because of his weight and sexual orientation also inspired his career move into education. “That’s why I do the work I do,” he says. “I want to provide a safe space for all students.”

César Torruella in 2020 (left) and 2022 (right).

Courtesy of Cesar Torruella

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Although he struggled with his weight all his life due to unhealthy habits and a lack of knowledge about nutrition, Torruella says it worsened when his anxiety increased around the time he moved to the US and also revealed to his conservative family that he was gay. Puerto Rico. While they were accepting and supportive, other life stresses caused Torruella to reach 495 lbs. until the age of 29

Health risks became more real in 2021 after the eye exam. During several medical appointments, he was told that his deteriorating eyesight was related to his weight. He was diagnosed with prediabetes and hypertension.

“That’s not how I wanted to live my life,” says Torruella.

Cesar Torruella before and after weight loss.

Courtesy of Cesar Torruella

So in June 2021, Torruella underwent a sleeve gastrectomy. The procedure, plus diet and lifestyle changes that included running, allowed him to lose 305 lbs.

Last year, Torruella watched the Chicago Marathon from afar. A Chicago Public Schools arts education executive was inspired to lace up his running shoes for the 2024 race in honor of his new healthy lifestyle — and his students.

He applied for Team TCS Teachers and was one of 97 educators selected from over 1,000 applicants for free entry to marathons sponsored by IT company Tata Consultancy Services.

In his application, he said “perseverance, practice and never giving up” apply to his running — and teaching.

He can’t wait to run on Sunday, October 13th. Smiling during a recent video chat interview, he lists his reasons for running. “Because now I can. Because I couldn’t before. I could never have imagined in my life that I could run and breathe – and sing my favorite songs – at the same time.”

“I want to do this, me need do this!” he says, adding, “I’m pushing myself—body and mind—to do something incredible.”

César Torruella is the Executive Director of Art Education in the Chicago Public Schools.

Courtesy of Cesar Torruella

This student lost 184 pounds. and just finished the Chicago Marathon

Although he’s still paying off a loan he took out to pay for stomach surgery — which wasn’t covered by insurance — he doesn’t regret the decision.

“It’s a monthly reminder that I have to stick with it,” he says. “I’ve invested in myself – and there’s still work to do.”

César Torruella lost 305 lbs. from stomach surgery in 2021.

Courtesy of Cesar Torruella

Torruella draws a parallel between preparing for and recovering from her procedure with her marathon training, both of which are about “training my brain for this new adaptation.”

Running a marathon is more than just endurance, he says. “The mental training to go into it, to be able to go 4, 5, 6, 7 hours without stopping, gives me a boost to my confidence and makes me feel invincible when I finish my day’s training.”

He hopes to pass on this persistence and dedication to his students. “Black and brown students can see themselves in me,” he says. “I can see that it’s possible to get out of things that you’re not that proud to be a part of,” he explains, referring to his previous weight struggles.

“There is an opportunity for everyone,” he adds. With his encouragement, he hopes his students will “flourish and really think about who they want to be and become what they want to be.”

César Torruella at the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago on March 24, 2024.

Courtesy of Cesar Torruella

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Torruella’s running routine also helped him “organize my life and my week” and curb triggers that previously led to overeating. To reduce the stress of coming up with food on the fly, he prepares protein-rich meals in advance so he knows what to eat and when.

He also has an extensive workout playlist, listening to “everything” while running, he says, from classical music to Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. “It’s easy for me to get away and get in the zone,” he says, but says he might go without headphones on race day. “There’s a lot of music on the trail, and the neighborhood even puts on shows and parties. I want to be present in the moment.”

César Torruella at the Bank of America Chicago Half Marathon on June 9, 2024.

Courtesy of Cesar Torruella

Running the Chicago Marathon — and undergoing skin-removal surgery scheduled for a week after the race — is “closing the loop, a chapter of my life. The race is a ‘victory lap’ for him.”

“I’ve made decisions in my life that have led me to this moment, and it was intentional – it didn’t just happen. I planned this and set goals to make this happen,” he says.

He hopes this message will reach his 320,000 students. “The only person who can determine what you are capable of achieving in life is yourself.”

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Source: HIS Education