Dick Hoyt Named Grand Marshal of 2015 Boston Marathon

Rick and Dick Hoyt finishing their final Boston Marathon in 2014. / Photo by Olga Khvan

The Boston Athletic Association announced on Thursday that Dick Hoyt, of the famous father-son duo behind Team Hoyt, will be the Grand Marshal of the 2015 Boston Marathon. Hoyt and his son Rick have completed 32 Boston Marathons since 1980. He announced his retirement from the marathon after finishing the 2014 race.

Dick and Rick Hoyt are symbols of inspiration for marathon runners, and have been for many years. While Rick, now 53, was born with cerebral palsy, he and his 73-year-old father Dick have competed in more than 1,000 endurance events together, with Dick pushing his son in a specialized wheelchair. Since 2008, John Hancock has served as a corporate sponsor of Team Hoyt, Dick and Rick’s organization that they established to help those with physical disabilities become more active.

Dick originally planned to retire from the Boston Marathon in 2013, but pledged to run again in 2014 in honor of those affected by the 2013 bombings.

“Although he will not be racing this year, Dick will continue to be at the head of the field, leading 30,000 runners on their trek to Boston. Dick and Rick Hoyt will forever be synonymous with the Boston Marathon and the sport of running,” Tom Grilk, executive director of the Boston Athletic Association, said in a release.

As Grand Marshal, Hoyt will ride in a pace car ahead of the lead runners, broadcasting to cheerers that thousands of runners will be approaching. Past grand marshals include Bill Rodgers in 2014, a four-time winner of the race, and Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb and Sarah Mae Berman in 2013, two spearheading advocates for female runners.

Rick plans to participate in the 2015 Boston Marathon, this time pushed by Bryan Lyons, a Team Hoyt athlete.

The 2015 Boston Marathon takes place on Patriots Day, April 20.