Team Hoyt Forever!!
March 26, 2021 — As I was finishing up my Part 3 of “Runners from the Land of Rising Sun”, the sad news came in. The father of “Team Hoyt”, Dick Hoyt, had passed away Wednesday last week. I felt the same “shock” I felt when I heard the news that Barbara Bowerman had passed awy. I spoke to her only a few months earlier and her mind was so clear that her passing was not something I would have expected, ignoring the fact she was 96-years-old. Dick Hoyt, though 80 is nowhere quite near 96, had the image of invincibility. Anybody saw him pushing his son, Rick, on the wheelchair must have gotten the same impression — tough, strong, determined…. Just watch him push Rick up the Heartbreak Hills of Boston Marathon; pulling Rick through a rough ocean of Hawaii’s Ironman…. If anybody would run through a brick wall, Dick — and Rick — would. Apparently he had some physical condition and, coupled with his age, perhaps it may not have been a shock to anyone.
Dick’s son, Rick, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth. Basically the medical experts concluded that he was nothing more than a vegetable state. It was a typical story of his parents defying the scientific verdict and got on with the action. Dick was 36-years-old when he took Rick out for a run though he was not a runner!! Rick told his dad that when they were running together (Rick in a wheelchair, of course), he felt like he was not handicapped…”. Anybody who saw them crossing the finishing line can tell you that Rick is nothing BUT vegetable — he KNOWS the thrill of finishing the marathon or half marathon or whatever the distance may be; and he IS expressing it!! So from then on, Dick started training — training with a bag of cement in the wheelchair. It was 1977. Since then till they “retired” from competition in 2014, they competed in 1,130 endurance events: 72 full marathons including 32 Boston, 257 triathlon including 6 full-scaled real Ironman, 97 half marathons and 219 10km races. The only way to describe Dick Hoyt pushing his son, Rick, in the wheelchair, or pulling Rick through the ocean waves, is INSPIRING.
Dick and Rick Hoyt — fondly known as the Team Hoyt — were a familiar figure at Boston Marathon. I have been fortunate enough to run into Dick several times — mostly at Starbucks Coffee at the corner of Copley Plaza. The first time I ran into him was there. I was on the line, waiting to order my coffee and he came in behind me. “Hi! I know you!!” He stuck his hand out and introduced himself with a smile. Someone described him on the Facebook as “humble as hell”!! So true!! So humble; and, despite how he looks when he pushes Rick — like a ranging bull!! — , such a gentle soul!! I ran into him, and Rick, in 2006 when I brought Reiko Tosa, ranked Number One female runner that year with 2:22:46. We saw them at various official functions. I can’t recall telling Reiko about Team Hoyt but I found this photo. Reiko was there for the win. She was originally scheduled to run London but she wanted to be the first Japanese woman (*) to win Boston Marathon. But she swung by and gave a pat on the back. I love this photo!! Reiko ended up finishing 3rd but I was even more proud of her with this than finishing 3rd. I had posted this picture at Lydiard Training & Academy Facebook page and someone mentioned that this really proves runners have no boundaries; fast, slow, young, old…handicap or not. It doesn’t matter. Runners are runners — this really captures the Spirit of Arthur Lydiard too!! (*A Japanese woman, Miki Gorman, won Boston Marathon in 1974 and 77 but she was an American citizen by marriage.)
The story of Dick and Rich Hoyt is the celebration of Love and Determination. When I think of their story, I couldn’t help but think about a blog that I had written earlier — “Hail to the Human Potential”. Dad’s love for his handicapped son got him into running. Medical people told him that it couldn’t be done. He defied it; and his son proved him right by raising his arms at the finish with the biggest grin from ear to ear! Anybody who saw them compete couldn’t help but be inspired. They may not be the fastest wheelchair pushing runner. But they kept on running for the sake of running. To Dick and Rick, running itself was the means to the end. Remember the Olympic creed?
“The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the fight; the essential thing is not to have won, but to have fought well.”
Then Dick and Rick Hoyt would have to be one of the ultimate “Olympians”. And Team Hoyt’s motto sums it up: “YES, YOU CAN”. Thank you, Team Hoyt, for wonderful inspiration. Rest In Peace, Dick. You were a Super Dad!!
