Hoyt Running Chairs

Dick and Rick Hoyt were a Father and Son team from Holland, Massachusetts. At birth, Rick was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy.

In the spring of 1977, Rick told his father that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile benefit 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.”

This realization marked the beginning of what would become over 1,000 races completed, including marathons, duathlons, and triathlons (six of them being Ironman competitions). 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.

In a triathlon, Dick would pull Rick in a boat with a bungee cord attached to a vest around his waist and to the front of the boat for the swimming stage. For the biking stage, Rick would ride a special two-seater bicycle, and then Dick would push Rick in his custom-made running chair for the running stage.

Rick was once asked, if he could give his father one thing, what would it be? Rick responded, “The thing I’d most like is for my dad to sit in the chair and I would push him for once.”

The 2009 Boston Marathon was officially Team Hoyt’s 1,000th race. Rick always said if it came down to doing one race a year, he would like it to be the Boston Marathon: his favorite race.

2013 was going to be Dick and Rick’s last Boston Marathon together, but they were unable to finish due to the bombings. They vowed to return in 2014 to finish “Boston Strong” with all the other runners, which they did; stopping many times along the 26.2-mile distance to take photos, shake hands with well-wishers, and finish alongside several of the runners from their Hoyt Foundation Boston Marathon team.

In later years, Dick and Rick continued to participate in shorter distance races and triathlons together. Teammate Bryan Lyons took over pushing Rick in the 2015 Boston Marathon. Bryan and Rick ran several local races together and began training for Boston after the holidays, doing a half marathon in Carlsbad, CA, and other local half marathons.

Neither Dick nor Rick were ready to retire from racing, and their inspiring journey continued for many more years.

Though both Dick and Rick have since passed away, their legacy lives on. They were more than just athletes—they were a symbol of perseverance, love, and the power of the human spirit. Their dedication to one another touched countless lives and will continue to inspire future generations to overcome challenges and live life without limits, just as they did. Team Hoyt’s message of inclusion, determination, and heart will forever remain a testament to what can be achieved when love and support are at the core of every journey.