“How come Mr. Hoyt came so early in the big people’s race and came last in the children’s race?” my then 5-year-old daughter observed. 

We had just completed the Hoyt 5k Race/Walk in May 2010. The fundraiser was for the Foundation founded by the long distance running team of Dick (father) and Rick (son). Together they participated in over 1,000 races with Dick pushing Rick’s wheel chair through marathons, Ironmans or a simple 5K. 

The race began with a small lap by the children around a building parking lot. The Hoyts acted as the ‘sweep vehicle’ coming in last. They made sure that no child was left behind. Then, the children sat down to wait patiently for their parents. Needless to say, the Mr. Hoyts completed the 5K way before stragglers like me. 

Hence the natural puzzlement of a 5-year-old. 

It is well known how Mr. Hoyt, a Boston inspiration, began running after being asked by his son to participate in a local race for charity. Their inspiration continues in the Foundation of Team Hoyt: “Yes, you can!” 

This July, we lost another running inspiration: Fauja Singh. He was a British Indian Sikh who took up marathon running in his 80s as a panacea for the grief of losing his son in an accident. He ran the London marathon amongst others, and broke many records in his age category. For him, running was a conversation with God and fueled by chardi kala. 

Sikhs worldwide are proud of Fauja Singh, the athlete for whom age was no barrier. His story resonated with people in India and globally. I was lucky to have met him at the inauguration of the Sikh Heritage Gallery at the Smithsonian in the early 2000s. I remember him as a simple elderly man, slight of build, and even though tired from his journey from the UK, smiling with pleasure at the exhibits and people around him. 

Chardi Kala!

Resources

The Hoyt Foundation: https://teamhoyt.com/

Fauja Singh: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/who-is-fauja-singh-oldest-indian-origin-british-marathon-runner

Fauja Singh’s running group of similar aged athletes: https://www.sikhsinthecity.org/

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