Public Employee Press

Marathon Man is Local 1549 PCT

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow can keep Local 1549 member Jonathan Eustache from hitting the road early to practice for the New York City Marathon he will run for the first time in 2012.

At night, Eustache works as a Police Communications Technician. The Brooklyn resident has been on the job for 10 years.

Three years ago, seeking relief from a work-related injury and needing to lose weight, he took his doctor's advice and started running. A cousin challenged him to run the marathon. Healthier and much lighter now, Eustache has participated in 10 competitive runs this year, including a grueling 18-mile race in Central Park Sept. 25.

He enjoys "hearing the footsteps and feeling the heartbeat and the pain. Running lets me be in a space in time by myself and enjoy the fruits of my labor," he said.

Eustache said he hopes to finish the 2012 marathon "with a better time than Oprah and P Diddy. Running keeps me physically and mentally fit. This is a lifetime commitment. I'm married to my sport."