Team Hoyt

Dick Hoyt pushing his son on through a triathlon (http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=263133 (Jeff Chiu))

         A father, a friend, and a teammate. He is the father of a spastic quadriplegic son with cerebral palsy. When they got him a custom speech device Ricky confirmed what they already knew. Rick Hoyt loved being with his dad. In 1977, Rick heard about a five-mile road race to benefit a recently paralyzed lacrosse player. He told his father he wanted to participate. But Dick was not a runner (Father-Son Duo). Dick Hoyt is inspirational because he cares about giving his son a good life, he is willing to do anything for his son, and he is strong.

Dick and Rick Hoyt going up Heartbreak Hill (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/team-hoyt-run-boston-marathon/story?id=23288967)

          Dick Hoyt cares about giving his son a good life. His parents ignored the advice of doctors who said Rick's situation was hopeless, and instead fought to get their son access to all kinds of activities (Matson). Great fathers give up their time, money and physical energy for the sake of giving their children a better life, or sometimes, merely a smile (Father-Son Duo).

Statue for Dick and Rick Hoyt near Hopkinton. (http://www.wggb.com/2013/04/16/father-and-disabled ())

          He is willing to do anything for his son. When Ricky Hoyt said he wanted to run in that first five mile race, there was one problem. Dick Hoyt was not a runner. Now they have run in one thousand, one hundred and eight endurance events. That includes seventy-two marathons and 6 Ironman triathlons. Thirty-two out of the seventy-two marathons were at the Boston Marathon. Also adding to their list of achievements, Dick and Rick biked and ran across the U.S. in 1992, completing a full 3,735 miles in 45 days. That is 83 miles a day.

          Dick Hoyt is strong. He is strong because he finished another marathon even after he knew his back was telling him to stop. He is strong because he has competed in over one thousand, one hundred endurance races. They now have a life-size bronze statue dedicated to them near Hopkinton, Massachusetts. It was dedicated to them on April 8, 2013.

          Dick Hoyt is inspirational because he cares about giving his son a good life. Dick Hoyt is inspirational because he is willing to do anything for his son. Dick Hoyt is inspirational because he is strong. As a runner I thought this was a great story of endurance, emotion, and a father's love for his son. Dick Hoyt is my hero.