It is a dreary, wet Friday afternoon here in Boston… all the more reason for Feel Good Friday. Technically, I think this one might make you feel a lot of other things: inspired, emotional, capable, great.
A few weeks ago I included a link to a story about Team Hoyt, the father-son team who race in marathons and triathlons around the country. Rick Hoyt was born in 1962 and, due to oxygen deprivation to his brain at birth, he was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. Early on, Rick’s parents worked towards inclusion for their son, rejecting suggestions that he be institutionalized. As a child, Rick told his dad, Dick, that he wanted to participate in a 5 mile run to benefit a classmate who had been paralyzed in an accident. Dick pushed Rick all 5 miles in his wheelchair, marking the first race for Team Hoyt.
Since then, the Hoyts have participated in more than 1,000 races, including marathons, duathlons, triathlons, and Ironman competitions. Monday will mark their 31st Boston Marathon.
Click over to their website and watch the video hosted on their homepage. They are astounding. Really, all of Boston thinks so. Earlier this week the Hoyts were honored with a statue near the start line in Hopkinton. It is really an incredible likeness and an appropriate example to cast in bronze, at a school, no less.
Honestly, in the midst of my reflections on “mental-toughness” and trying to figure out a way to stay inspired and not quit, I would think picturing the determination on Dick’s face, or the sheer joy on Rick’s, when they are racing should be enough. I’ll test out the theory on Sunday morning in the 8:00 a.m. B.A.A. 5K and the 11:00 a.m. Paddy Kelly 5-Miler.
Back-to-back races… this is happening!
Have a beautiful weekend!
Props to Megan for prompting this week’s post.