Photo by MarathonFoto
When he first emigrated from Mexico to New York City as a young man, Jacob Hoyos worked constantly so he could send money to his family.
He remembers being in Central Park one day and watching runners log their miles. Feeling overwhelmed by his own life of constant work, Jacob thought to himself, “This is not life. Life has to be something else.” He decided to start running.
Nearly 30 years later, Jacob has run 169 NYRR races, including the New York City Marathon at least 18 times. On March 17, he’ll line up for the 2024 United Airlines NYC Half.
His journey to the start line hasn’t been easy. At the 2023 United Airlines NYC Half, Jacob developed an injury that kept him out of running for six months. He spent the time taking walks, strength training at the gym, biking around NYC, and volunteering at NYRR races.
Jacob believes that running enhances his health, both physically and mentally. “Running [along with diet and…
