Bronx native Jesus Colon made a promise to his family several years ago — and now they and the rest of world can watch him fulfill it this Sunday as he tackles the TCS New York City Marathon.
Colon, 34, committed to improving his physical well-being after being diagnosed with diabetes five years ago. Given that he was born with transposition of the great arteries — a congenital heart defect that can result in disruptions in the flow of oxygen through the bloodstream — he and his family knew that something needed to change.
“When I got diagnosed with diabetes, it was a total shock to me, especially after everything I’d been through with my heart,” recalls Colon, who underwent four open heart surgeries between the ages of two and 24. “I knew I needed to get my weight down. After talking with my cardiologist, I decided to start running.”
Thankfully, Colon’s road work quickly started paying dividends. Within a year, he had lost 25 pounds. He was close with his grandmother, Carmen Colon, and told her running made him feel better both physically and mentally. He vowed he would run the New York City Marathon, and would dedicate the race to her.
Carmen passed away two years ago, at age 78, but Jesus continued to train, and last year began running qualifying races with the New York Roadrunners. Sunday’s race will be his first marathon, and he will be running both in honor of Carmen, and to raise awareness for the somewhat-rare heart defect (it is found in roughly 5 percent of all newborns) he has had to manage his entire life.
“When I was born, doctors didn’t know as much about the condition as they do now,” said Jesus, who lives in Norwood with his wife and daughter and works as a surgical coordinator in the orthopedics department at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. “It can be treated, but it’s important that parents know about it and know the signs. When I was a kid, my family and I kept hearing that my life expectancy would be shorter, but I just keep on living. Now, I’m running in the marathon.”
