Finding His Stride: One Client’s Journey to the Finish Line

Standing on his balcony at DePaul’s Starting Line Apartments in Utica watching runners line up for the 2025 Boilermaker Road Race, Alexis Torres Castillo remembered his late friend who used to run the 15K. When Alexis expressed the desire to run the race in his friend’s honor to Program Manager Tonya Duff, staff registered him for the 2026 Boilermaker, offering support and encouragement as he started building endurance.

“Since I didn’t have any previous experience running, I started practicing small distances at a slower pace. I began to add more distance while trying to improve my times. Slowly, I was able to cover more distance without stopping,” he said through a translator and interpreter. A native of Puerto Rico, Alexis’ first language is Spanish and he is hearing impaired.

In addition to honoring his late friend, Alexis was further motivated to train by the loss of his father who passed away this year. He used small weights provided by staff who also showed him how to use the building’s exercise equipment. Inspired to help others improve their fitness, Alexis started hosting regular exercise classes in the community room, showing up even when he was the only participant.

“I felt empowered and gained confidence in my ability to accomplish goals,” he said.

As the weather improved, Supportive Housing Specialist Julio Soto began bringing Alexis to the local park to run the track and the Boilermaker 5K route, which he practiced two to three times a week for two months leading up to the race.

“After every run Alexis made it a point to stop by the office to let us know the amount of time it took him to run the route,” Tonya said. “Alexis was proud of himself and knew that staff were here to encourage him and were also proud of his achievements.”

A few days before the Boilermaker, Alexis had a surprise visit from his mother who came from Puerto Rico to watch him run the race. He completed the race in 27 minutes, beating his own record by two minutes.

Next year he plans to train for the 15K! The stable and supportive living environment at DePaul’s Starting Line Apartments was key to his success, Alexis said.

“My confidence has increased a lot,” he said. “I feel more friendly and more in control of my life.”