The Hoyts have been on the race circuit for quite some time.

As a staple of the Boston Marathon for the last 32 years, their final finish at the highly-anticipated 2014 race is sure to be a monumental moment. The famous father and son racing duo is well known throughout Boston because of Rick Hoyt’s medical condition that requires his father, Dick, to push him through each marathon they enter.

Rick was born a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. Doctors believed he would never lead a normal life, warning parents Dick and Judy it was possible Rick would never talk or walk. Determined to beat the odds, the two worked tirelessly to help Rick not only communicate and move, but reach his highest potential. Rick would go on to attend public school, and even graduate from Boston University with a degree in Special Ed in 1993.

His love for running began at 15, when, with the help of a then state-of-the-art interactive computer, he communicated that he wanted to run a nearby five-mile race. The race was being held in honor of a local lacrosse player who had been injured in an automobile accident. With his father pushing his wheelchair, Rick and Dick crossed the finish line, and their love for competitive racing was born.

Since then, the father-son duo have completed more than 1,100 athletic events including 70 marathons and 252 triathlons, with six of them being Ironman races. They also travel the world spreading their message of “yes you can,” while educating the public on disability awareness.

Of all the races they have run, Rick said the Boston Marathon is his favorite. The two have raced in it more than any other event. They are so loved by the marathon’s racers and fans that before the event in 2013, a statue of the pair was erected in front of the Center School in Hopkinton, near the Boston Marathon start line.

Though the 2013 race was supposed to be their last, in the wake of the bombing’s devastation, the two were stopped short of the finish line. So, they will return to race it together one last time. The Hoyts plan to continuing competing in about 20 races a year in smaller circuits, Dick told CBS Boston. Dick also assured the media that Rick will likely continue to compete in Boston’s iconic race, but at age 71, Dick plans on passing the reins on to another member of Team Hoyt.

To learn more about Team Hoyt, visit their website at www.teamhoyt.com.

Image courtesy of Team Hoyt