Team Hoyt
As a phlegmatic sort of chap, it's rare that I'm genuinely moved by something. It's rarer still that it happens thanks to a YouTube video clip with a cheesy soundtrack. The video is below, and the story behind it is amazing.
Dick Hoyt (now 65) and his son Rick have competed together in more than 900 endurance events, including six Ironman triathlons and 64 marathons (with a best time of 2:40:47). In itself, that's pretty remarkable, but there's more: Rick is a quadraplegic with cerebral palsy. He can't talk or walk, and he's confined to a wheelchair. For every race, he has been pushed (in a wheelchair), pulled (in an inflatable boat) or carried (on a specially-built bike) by his dad. When they started racing together, Dick was in his forties and he'd never run before. "Then it was me who was handicapped," he said. "I was sore for two weeks." Dick went on to run the Boston marathon in a time that was just 35 minutes off world record pace. Pushing a wheelchair. I've never felt more humbled, or more inspired. You can read more at the Team Hoyt website.
— Filed under Inspiration