With the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon less than a month away, Cooking for Change Champion runner Samuel Clonts is preparing for a challenge: 26.2 miles through New York City’s five boroughs
A Michelin-starred chef and owner of Sixty Three Clinton, Sam is no stranger to hard work. But this November 1, he’ll be trading the kitchen for the marathon course, running in support of The Sylvia Center’s culinary education programs.
And he’s aiming high: a finish time of under four hours.
The Final Stretch
Sam has spent the summer steadily building his mileage, including a 20-mile training run—his longest yet.
“Training has been a real push!” he says. “Overall I’m feeling pretty confident I’ll have a good run, but I’ve set myself an ambitious goal of finishing under 4 hours.”
The biggest challenge hasn’t necessarily been physical. It’s keeping his mind occupied through hours of running.
“Keeping focused and not getting bored after hours of running is harder than I thought,” he says. “Music and playlists have probably been my biggest tool against it, finding old fun songs to keep things fresh.”
It’s all part of a remarkable personal journey. Over the past few years, Sam has lost more than 150 pounds, with running becoming an important part of his life along the way: “A few years ago I never would’ve imagined myself running a marathon,” he says. “It’s pretty wild to think about how far I’ve come.”
From the Kitchen to the Starting Line
Food has been central to Sam’s life for as long as he can remember. Growing up in Arizona, his mother worked as a school lunch lady, and Sam began working in professional kitchens at just 15. After studying at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, he built a career in fine dining, working at Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare and earning a Michelin star as executive chef of Bar Uchū.
Today, he’s the chef and co-owner of Sixty Three Clinton, the Michelin-starred Lower East Side restaurant he opened with longtime business partner Raymond Trinh in 2021. The pair also previously opened neighborhood restaurant Cactus Wren, drawing on their shared Southwestern roots.
It’s a career that began with an early introduction to food and grew through years of hands-on experience. And it’s that understanding of what cooking can make possible that drew him to The Sylvia Center.
“I wanted to find a charity that I actually connected with, and The Sylvia Center was a perfect match,” he says.
“Food has been such a big part of my life, and I know what a strong impact food education can have, especially when it starts early.”
A New Kind of Challenge
After months of training, Sam is looking forward to experiencing the energy of the New York City Marathon from inside the course. For someone who once couldn’t imagine running a marathon, reaching the starting line will be a milestone in itself. Crossing the finish line will mean even more.
“I’m really looking forward to finally taking on this goal, feeding off the energy of the city, and hopefully crossing that finish line in under four hours,” he says.
“More than anything, I’m excited to accomplish something I never thought I’d be able to do.”
And we couldn’t be more honored to be part of his journey.
Support Our Team
On November 1, Sam will join thousands of runners taking on 26.2 miles across New York City. By supporting all our Cooking for Change Champions, you’re helping The Sylvia Center give young people and families hands-on opportunities to cook, taste, learn, and build confidence around food.
Cheer Sam on and support Cooking for Change Champions by making a donation today.
