Houston, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/11/2017 --Local resident, Marcus Cook, has announced that he will be running in the Chevron Houston Marathon this weekend, just one week after he ran his first marathon at Walt Disney World.

"I have become a runner. I remember being 8 or 9 years old and being skinny. And I remember my gym teacher was a runner, and he was training for the Chevron Marathon that was coming up. I wanted so bad to be a runner, and I remember telling him that I wanted to be a runner like him. He said 'All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other and run', "says Cook.

Fast forward to today –Cook is accomplishing his childhood dream, a dream he didn't think was within reach when he was almost 500 pounds.

Marcus Cook's journey began 16 months ago, when at 489 pounds, he made the courageous decision to have gastric bypass surgery, a surgery that would change his life forever. Since that time, Cook has trained, biked, swam, and ran his way to complete several races including 5Ks and triathlons, and has shed over 250 pounds.

"Just losing the weight is not enough. I had to change me", says Cook. His Bariatric Surgeon, Garth Davis, M.D., who is affiliated with Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center, and Assistant Professor of Surgery at McGovern Medical School of UTHealth, even accompanied Cook on one of his sprint triathlons last year, as well as the Olympic distance race in Miami. "Marcus joked that if he lost a certain amount of weight, we should participate in a triathlon together. I didn't believe he was serious," says Dr. Davis.

Cook has embarked on a healthier lifestyle and is now plant-based, a diet based on fruits, vegetables, rice, and whole grains. "For years I thought I was just hurting myself, but I was hurting my entire family. Now my kids want to be healthy. They want to be like their dad."

He hopes his story will encourage and motivate others to do the same. If you don't think there's hope, just look at what Cook has accomplished in a little over a year. "By doing something new every day, you will change your life".

"Big to Little" is a website that chronicles the weight loss journey of Marcus Cook. On September 14, 2015 Marcus had gastric bypass surgery and has been documenting his story since that time. He weighed almost 500 pounds, and has since been training for 5Ks, marathons, and triathlons. This site encourages others to "Do Something New Everyday", a motto that Marcus lives by.

Follow Marcus on social media:
@teambigtolittle (Twitter)
@bigtolittle (Facebook)
bigtolittle (Instagram)
bigtolittle (Vimeo)