Brazilian Runner Fulfills Father’s Dream at Great Wall Marathon
BEIJING – At his heaviest, Júlio Mamute weighed 310 kilograms (683 pounds). Trapped in his own body by binge eating disorder and the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, he reached a point where even taking a shower felt like a life-threatening ordeal. Today, the 36-year-old Brazilian is in China, preparing to run 42.195 kilometers across the ancient steps of the Great Wall.
A native of Recife, Pernambuco, Mamute has achieved the unthinkable: losing 120 kilograms (265 pounds) through sheer willpower, without the aid of surgery or medication. His journey to the Great Wall this Sunday is more than a feat of endurance; it is the fulfillment of a promise to his late father.
The Breaking Point
The turning point came on November 13, Mamute’s birthday. At the exact moment he turned a year older, his nephew was born. Mamute viewed the coincidence as a divine sign, but the joy was quickly met with a harsh reality. When he tried to visit the newborn to deliver a gift, he found he couldn’t even get out of his car.
“I was overcome by a feeling of helplessness. I felt like trash,” Mamute recalled. “What was the point of everything—being an entrepreneur, traveling, working—if I couldn’t even stand up?”
That day, he enrolled in water aerobics. Swimming soon became his sanctuary. “Swimming saved my life,” he said. “In the water, I couldn’t pick up my cell phone or order food. I just moved.”
Running Through Grief
Tragedy struck shortly after he began his transformation. Mamute lost his father and, just one month later, a beloved uncle. Fearing he might spiral back into old habits, he turned to social media to hold himself accountable, sharing both his triumphs and his humiliations—including a viral video of the difficulties he faced when fellow airline passengers refused to sit next to him.
His transition from water to pavement was accidental. After a meeting at the São Paulo Sports Secretariat, he was challenged to run the famous São Silvestre race. At 220 kilograms, he had never run more than six kilometers. By the seventh kilometer of the race, he collapsed.
“I lay down on the ground,” he said. But a video message from his sister and nephew gave him a second wind. “I told myself I might finish by crawling, but that child will have an example that it is worth starting and finishing.” He finished all 15 kilometers.
A Father’s Dream on the Great Wall
Mamute has since raced in Portugal, Argentina, and Uruguay, but China was always the ultimate goal. His father, a geography enthusiast, spent his life dreaming of visiting the Great Wall.
“He was the kind of father who taught a small child flags and capitals,” Mamute said. “Whenever there was a report on China, he would call me to watch it. I promised him we would go together.”
Though his father passed away before the trip could happen, Mamute carries his memory to the start line. “I don’t even know the scale of the challenge facing me. I’m just going.”
Running for a Greater Cause
Mamute’s journey isn’t just about his own health; it’s about feeding others. He links his weight loss milestones to charity, having already donated more than two tons of food to communities in Brazil, Angola, and Cape Verde. His next stop is Barcelona to run with local firefighters, but his “North Star” remains the historic Athens Marathon in Greece.
His goal is to eventually lose a total of 220 kilograms from his peak weight. When asked what he would say to the man who once sat in a dark room, unable to move, Mamute is clear: “It’s worth it. It’s going to hurt, but it’s worth it.”
Image: Pexels – RUN 4 FFWPU
