Staten Island man to run NYC Marathon after 190-pound weight loss

Joe Macklin, a 25-year-old resident of Staten Island, will participate in the New York City Marathon after undergoing a dramatic physical transformation. The New York Post reported that Macklin reduced his body weight from 432 pounds down to 240 pounds, representing a loss of 190 pounds, or close to 200 pounds as stated in the same report. [1]

Macklin decided to pursue weight loss surgery after learning that a heavy acquaintance died in September 2024, according to the New York Post. He spoke about his health changes from a pickleball court located at St. Christopher in Dongan Hills. [1]

The annual race courses through all five boroughs of New York City, according to Wikipedia. Staten Island is the southernmost and least populated borough of the city, coextensive with Richmond County and covering 58.5 square miles, as Wikipedia describes. [5][6]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, the event route finishes in Central Park and requires all runners to be at least 18 years old. In other event updates, the New York Daily News reported that comedian Tracy Morgan is serving as the grand marshal for the 2026 race, while SILive.com reported that road closures will be implemented across Staten Island. [2][4][8]