Team Hoyt

For my friends who are training for marathons...I hope this story encourages you. It almost made me want to do a marathon. Yikes!

On Father's Day at church a couple of weeks ago, during the worship service they told the story of the Hoyt Team.
The Hoyt Team is a Father and Son who compete continously in marathons, dualthons and triathlons-which is a combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. The thing that is amazing, as if that isn't amazing enough, is that the son is a spastic quadriplegic, has cerebal palsy and is non-speaking. His parents were told when he was born that he would amount to nothing and that they should just put him in an institution and forget about him. They were certain of his intelligence and kept him and loved him and he now has a computer that he is able to communicate through and is also a graduate of Boston University.

They completed their frist triathlon on Father's Day in 1985 after the Dad, Dick, learned how to swim for the first time, and learned how to ride a bike all over again (the last time he rode a bike was when he was 6!) For the run, he pushed Rick in his wheelchair, For the biking he had a special bike that carried Rick in the front, For the swimming he had a boat tied to his waist that Rick would be in as he swam, The amount of endurance that this man has at age 66 is incredible. Not only carrying his weight, but the weight of his son also.

Here is a quote that Rick communicated through his computer:
"Dad is one of my role models. Once he sets out to do something, Dad sticks to it whatever it is, until it is done. For example once we decided to really get into triathlons, dad worked out, up to five hours a day, five times a week, even when he was working.
"The love that this Dad has for his son is so amazing, that he would endure the pain and the time and the sweat to do something that he knows will make his son happy.
"What I mean when I say I feel like I am not handicapped when competing is that I am just like the other athletes."
This team has inspired so many people, they have gotten so much support from around the world!
"Whenever we are passed (usually on the bike) the athlete will say "Go for it!" or "Rick, help your Dad!" When we pass people (usually on the run) they’ll say "Go Team Hoyt!" or "If not for you, we would not be out here doing this."

Hebrews 12:1-3 "Let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

I can't help but think of the similarities between this Father and Son, and our relationship with God. God loves us very much, He would do anything for us. He actually gave us Jesus, who went through the pain, time and sweat of the cross to make us happy! To give us eternal life. He calls us His children. He took on the weight of sin of the entire world, so that we can be free, and not feel handicapped by the weight of our sin. There is no greater love than this!

2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Check out more of Team Hoyt's story and look at some sweet pictures. If you get a chance, try and look up video clips. It is so touching to actually watch them. It gives me chills!