We have been talking so much about "equality" and "handicaps" lately, that I think it is time we put a new spin on things. Rick and Dick Hoyt are a father/son team from Massachusetts who have run over 1,000 road races, including marathons, triathlons, and multiple Ironman triathlons. They have even bicycled across the country and have run in our local Slattery's Turkey Trot, a race my own father directs. The trick to this is that Rick Hoyt is a non-verbal quadriplegic, meaning he cannot talk or move most of his body. Rick's father pushes him in a wheelchair as he runs, swims with his son attached to a dingy, and rides a two-person bicycle as they compete. Rick says "When I run, I feel like I am not handicapped." This is reason enough alone to get Dick to train and compete for his son. When asked what Rick would do if he was not in a wheelchair, he comments, "I would have my father sit in a chair so that I could push him." We will watch the attached video this week to be inspired by this duo.
