In his marathon debut at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct. 20, Terry Calves of Bowmanville, Ont., was recognized and cheered on by strangers. Calves is known as “The Big Boy Runner” on TikTok, using his platform to motivate others and show that running is for anyone, no matter their age, fitness level or schedule. “I want to break body-type stereotypes for distance runners,” he says. “You don’t need a six-pack or perfect fitness to lace up and run.”
@thebigboyrunner 2024 Toronto Waterfront Marathon #run #runners #running #marathon ♬ APT. – 로제 (ROSÉ) & Bruno Mars
The father of three was 232 lbs when he got into running as part of his weight loss journey last October, driven by a fear of declining heart health and aiming to get healthier for his family. His goal of losing weight developed into a love for the sport–Calves has run every day since, currently maintaining a run streak of 384 days and losing 40 lbs in the process.
“Anyone, even someone without a “runner’s body”, can take on big goals like marathons,” Calves told Canadian Running. “I may not be in peak physical form, but I’ve completed a marathon and am still running everyday, all while balancing work and family. It’s all about making the time and having the desire. Once you find that, the rest is just taking action.”
The 33-year-old first completed the Toronto Half Marathon in May–and loved it. He set his next goal of completing the full distance at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and continued to document his journey on social media as he challenged himself physically and mentally to complete a 20-week training program. After finishing the 42.2K race in 5:39:45, he returned to continue his run streak the next day.
“I felt tired after the marathon,” Calves says. “It was really hard. But it also feels incredible–I feel like I can achieve anything.” He strongly believes that commitment and consistency are all a person needs to achieve their dreams, and admits that a strong motivator for him is achieving something that others struggle to find the willpower to do.
“I want to motivate people to get up and go”
Since beginning to run, Calves has felt more in control of his body and has gotten to know his physical limits. On the days that he doesn’t feel like running, he runs anyway, adjusting the distance he completes based on how he feels. “I want to motivate people to get up and go,” he says. “You don’t have to push yourself too hard–you can go easy too, as long as you just get out there and enjoy it.”
The content creator reveals that his next big goal is to run a sub two-hour half-marathon. “If I don’t achieve it at the Toronto Half-Marathon in May, I’ll definitely do it at next year’s Waterfront Half-Marathon,” Calves says. He also hopes to be accepted into the New York City Marathon next November.
“No one else can create that time for you”
Calves continues to post on social media daily to promote that your starting point doesn’t matter, and you just have to make time for things you want to accomplish. “Life is busy,” he says, admitting that he fits in his runs in the early morning before his family gets up. “It’s easy to say you’re too tired or don’t have the time, but no one else can create that time for you. When you make it a priority, you’ll find ways to fit it in, and every small effort brings you closer to what you want to achieve.”
