Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!
Now let’s get started by talking about adopting a “Yes You Can” attitude. It’s the attitude that says, “No matter what obstacle is in my way, I will persevere and overcome it. And I will also help and encourage others to do the same.” It’s the attitude that takes lemons and makes them into lemonade and the attitude that Team Hoyt embraced and shared with the world.
So if you’re a longtime fan of watching the Boston Marathon, you’ve most likely seen Team Hoyt out on the course. I know I had the blessing of sharing the course with them at 2014’s event which was their final running of the iconic 26.2 mile race together. I remember the runners talking about the duo as if they were royalty and we were all hoping to run a mile or two with them that year. And in a way I guess they were royalty. Which is the reason the May 22 announcement from the Boston Marathon was so sad:
BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association extends heartfelt condolences to the Hoyt family on the passing of Rick Hoyt, 36-time Boston marathon finisher and iconic member of Team Hoyt.
The B.A.A. wishes to share the following statement in memory of Rick:
Rick Hoyt will always be remembered as a Boston Marathon icon and for personifying the “Yes You Can” mentality that defined Team Hoyt. We are fortunate to have been able to call Rick a friend, mentor, pioneer, and Boston Marathon finisher. His legacy will live on through the Rick & Dick Hoyt Award, which is presented each April around the Boston Marathon to someone who exhibits the spirit of Team Hoyt through advocacy and inclusion.
Our thoughts go out to the Hoyt family, Rick's many friends, and all who were touched by his positivity.
Rick was preceded in death by his father, Dick (who died in 2021 at the age of 80), who pushed his son across the finish line of more than 1,000 races. According to their website, the journey started in the Spring of 1977 when Rick, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth after his umbilical cord became twisted around his neck which caused the blockage of oxygen flow, told his father that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile run for a Lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Far from being a long-distance runner, Dick agreed to push Rick in his wheelchair and they finished all 5 miles, coming in next to last. That night, Rick told his father, "Dad, when I'm running it feels like I'm not handicapped." Do you just love that or what? That was the beginning of what would turn into a foundation that has helped and is continuing to help countless other handicapped athletes make it to the finish line.
Which brings me to my point… while the majority of us will never have the opportunity to push a disabled athlete to the finish line, we will all have opportunities to find that person who says, "I just can't do this. I'll never be able to run" or the one who feels like they don't fit in and are too afraid to take that first step and tell them... "Yes You Can." And then help them find a way to get there, reminding them that walking is always an option and slow is still a speed! The most important thing is to ensure them that the running community welcomes everyone! Can you think of any better way to honor Team Hoyt who inspired so many people?
So look around and find someone who wants to run or walk a race and help them reach their goal. Take the time to mentor them and at every roadblock they encounter, encourage them with these words... Yes You Can, as you help them find a way around that obstacle. You'll bless them and yourself in doing so! And who knows... they might just join us at this year's Bass Pro Fitness Festival! Now wouldn't that be awesome? I sure think so. Happy Running!
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