Jim Diego Obituary – The sudden passing of Front Runner member Jim Diego comes as a devastating blow to all of us here at Front Runner. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Not only within Front Runners but also in the wider running world, Jim was held in very high esteem and garnered a great deal of respect from everyone. Jim was a member of Front Runners New York for nine years, and his dedication to the club was seen in every facet of the organization during his time there.

He competed in a large number of races, including 138 marathons in a variety of nations, and he did so while representing the club with great pride. In addition to wearing goods that had the FRNY insignia, Jim took great pride in showing the colors of his home borough of Queens, his home state of Kansas, and his alma school, the University of Michigan. All three of these places are where Jim received his education (Go Blue, for you, Jim).

The accomplishments that Jim had obtained in sports served as a source of inspiration. In his lifetime, he ran at least one full marathon and two half marathons in each of the 50 states, and in 2019, he was named the FRNY Ultra-Runner of the Year. In addition, he was awarded the title of FRNY Ultra-Runner of the Year in 2019. As part of his journey across the country to compete in cross-country running events, Jim went to all 50 states and, on race day in each one of them, he sang the National Anthem.

Jim’s talent as a runner and a singer in New York led to him becoming a well-known figure in the city’s music and running communities. As a consequence of this, he was repeatedly invited to start the day of the race with his rendition of the national anthem in New York City marathons, the most recent of which was the 2022 New York City Marathon.

Everyone in our club will remember Jim with fondness because of all the joy he brought into our lives and the warmth he spread anytime he raced, competed, performed, or volunteered. Jim will be remembered for all of these things. During this difficult time, we ask that you keep his family as well as the Front Runners in your thoughts and prayers. Collectively, we are grieving his passing with heavy hearts. —