217 | Troy Hoyt from Team Hoyt | Boston Weeks 2026

It's Boston Weeks Baby! Time to get pumped up and ready for the 2026 Boston Marathon. All month long we'll be bringing you two episodes a week talking all things Boston and more with your local Boston Runners, Champions, Media personalities and people in the know with some great Behind The Scenes info as to what goes on around the Boston Marathon Weekend!

Today we kick off our Boston Weeks series with our guest Troy Hoyt from Team Hoyt. We're all well aware of the legacy Dick and Rick Hoyt started decades ago. We chat with Troy, about his family's legacy, his personal journey in running, and how they are building a future of inclusion while honoring the past. Discover inspiring stories, fundraising tips, and the incredible impact of the Hoyt Foundation and their ongoing efforts in adaptive sports, and their impact on the Boston Marathon community. Troy Hoyt shares heartfelt stories, updates on current projects, and the spirit of 'Yes, you can' that continues to motivate athletes and supporters alike.

Thank you to our guest segment sponsor My Race Tatts

During the Tros, Eric and Erika catch up on their weekend adventures. Erika got to meet some of our PodFam in Boston inclduing Keira D'Amato. Eric had a major chafing issue during his run. We also touch on the Emma Bates story and update March Madness as we near the end of voting this week.

Chapters

00:00 Intro and meeting Keira D'Amato
11:12 Boston Week's Begins
12:55 Troy Hoyt
16:23 Growing Up in a Running Family
25:17 First Marathon Experience and Fundraising Tips
38:04 The Legacy of Team Hoyt: Inspiring Possibilities
44:15 The Journey of Pushing Boundaries
46:04 Memorable Races and Experiences
50:08 Code Brown Moments: Challenges on the Course
57:23 The Impact of the Boston Marathon
01:00:12 Team Hoyt's Legacy and Future Goals
01:17:00 Plans for the Boston Marathon Weekend
01:23:08 Outro
01:32:51 Tracking Jason's Ultra Marathon Journey
01:36:16 Support for Emma Bates and Brand Accountability
01:41:24 March Madness and wrapping up

Team Hoyt - Use code "code brown" for 25% off the Team Hoyt Taper

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Email us at OnTheRunsPod@gmail.com

Don't Fear The Code Brown and Don't Forget To Stretch!

Transcript

Eric (01:27)
What's up everybody? Welcome to episode 217 of the All...

Runs podcast and what an amazing weekend it was for us. Erica went running with pod fam. I had chafing issues but that didn't stop me from one last weekend on the slopes and it's Boston Weeks baby! But first before we get to any of that I must say hello to my kick-ass Rockstar ever co-host who I was very jealous of this weekend. Six star Erica what's up?

Erika (01:55)
What is up, buddy? I have to tell you, you put up that little poll on the stories about like, Erica do content this weekend? I didn't just spite you. But it worked.

Eric (02:06)
Good! I'm gonna put the poll up every

weekend. And people voted yes because people believe in you. People know you can do it. And they know it's for the good of the pod.

Erika (02:12)
I think I voted yes. I voted yes because I knew I was doing stuff.

See, nobody cares when I just don't do anything. Like, if I'm just by myself, who cares about that?

Eric (02:23)
But when they see you,

they're like, why don't you post content? Like they're probably getting tired of this. And that's why they're now asking you in person, why aren't you posting content? It's not like I'm not asking her to do funny dances in front of the camera when awkwardly people are watching. mean, if you do that, that's fine. Just saying, post a story, which you did incredibly this weekend. And I was so jealous. Let me tell you why. I knew.

Erika (02:27)
Ugh. Nyaaah!

I'm working on it you guys

Thank you.

Eric (02:51)
Kiera D'Amato was coming here. I talked to Kiera D'Amato just a couple days before she came here and she's like, are you going to be there? Am I going to see you? I'm like, no, I'm going skiing, but Erica might be there if she gets out of bed. Cause it was an early morning one. And I was going to message you or something be like, are you going? I was talking to Kiera. And I think Tara or Lindsay brought it up in the group chat. I did not know when you and I went running on Thursday, which was an awful run by the way.

Erika (03:04)
Mm-hmm.

you

Yep.

I had a great day.

Eric (03:21)
That you already knew in your

did. You did. I had an awful run, but you'd even tell me that you were going to run with Keira and I would have said, Oh, I was talking to her. So it was a total shock and surprise when I woke up and I was at the ski mountain Saturday, checking the stories and I'm on my Instagram account. I'm like, Ooh, on the runs is posting. Huh? Who? I loved it.

Erika (03:36)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

It's rare, but it happens.

Eric (03:50)
⁓ was so good. And you added music and you had beard and you did the warm up thing. mean, Erica, you are a really good content creator. You even said at one point, I don't know how to do a camera. Yes, you do. You did great. And you won't get better without doing it more. Awesome job, Erica. You deserve something. You deserve something. I don't know what I'm not quick enough. We're just going to give you this. We're going to give you this.

Erika (03:51)
Yeah, I'm surprised

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

You're just pressing a random button.

Eric (04:19)
you

Erika (04:20)
take it.

Yeah, I'm surprised you didn't pick up that we were actually going to do that because I made Tara send me the link in our group chat and I was like, all right, I signed up. But maybe you just didn't realize because it was called the longest run from Heartbreak Run Club. And so maybe that's where the disconnect came because it didn't specifically say in that little thing that it was with Kira. But oh, God, what a morning. It was a very

very easy way for me to wake up at 4 or 45 in the morning to go down and have the possibility to meet Kira. And it actually worked out so wonderfully. Like we had so many moments where we were in the right place at the right time. Let me just tell you, when we first got there, we got like prime parking spot right in front of the running store and we just get out. waiting.

Eric (04:52)
that's gross.

Erika (05:09)
And we see this really cool, it was a Tesla with the gullwing doors. I don't know which model it is, we're like, man, that's from the future. And then who steps out of it? Kira herself. It was so random.

Eric (05:21)
Wait, you're talking like

back to the future doors, the ones that go like Lamborghini, know?

Erika (05:25)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah, yeah, the gullwinks.

Eric (05:28)
this baby is 88 miles an hour. You're going to see some serious shit. That one, the DeLorean. Yeah.

Erika (05:33)
Yep. Yep. It was very DeLorean-esque.

And, but here she comes, like she's wearing this adorable, like pink track suit. And I was just like standing there and she saw me and I go, hi, Kara, I'm Erica from On The Runs. And I got a hug. so Tara got like a little video of me talking to her. But of course me being like the total loser who doesn't know how to handle like famous people. Like I just like talked at her and then I tell Tara, I'm like, what happened? I blacked out.

She's like, I think you were fine. I don't know. But I was like, basically like saying, hi, it's nice to meet you. Thanks for coming on the podcast. I won't keep you. Go do your thing. because I just, felt bad. I was like, there's so many people around who want to get a piece of you and here you are talking to me.

Eric (06:16)
So was it like a mob right

when she pulled in or were you like one of the only ones?

Erika (06:20)
Well, there was a few people just outside, but she had to like go in and check, like check in and like get situated.

Eric (06:24)
Yeah. Did she know who you were? Like, did

she recognize? I asked because like when I met Bex and we had Bex on three times before I met her in person and I've had many conversations with her. I think it took her a second. Maybe, maybe four seconds. Like to have it click who I was. And I knew she figured it out because she talked about Rob's episode. But I wonder, you know, I wonder how

Erika (06:31)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Well, I'll always be the one who... Mm-hmm. gotcha. But I'm always the one who will

introduce myself again. Like, I'll just be like, I'm Erica from On The Runs. And I put it out there so she doesn't have to flounder to figure it out.

Eric (06:54)
Yeah, I do.

I try to do that too. I actually try to do that too. that was awesome. That was so cool. ⁓ Question. You said she had this really nice track shoot. Could it also be mistaken for pajamas?

Erika (07:02)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

It was more athleisure than pajamas. I don't think it was pajamas. No

Eric (07:19)
So, so

athleisure now is a thing. I saw that and I had to take a second. Not saying that she was like, I'm, you know, I'm not used to being up this early because the time change and all that. And I'm going to just stay in my pajamas. knew they weren't, but athleisure is what they call it. I'm, I'm not hating, not hating at all. I'm just curious.

Erika (07:37)
I mean, it's when you just wear athletic clothes. It's when you wear...

No, it's when you wear athletic clothes, like, out. It's literally just like being comfortable in athletic clothes even when you're not working out. I do it all the time.

Eric (07:53)
I

I just don't think I'm in with the current fashion. I don't know. So that's why you mentioned, you mentioned it was like a athletic suit and I was like, ⁓ okay. Cause I did not know what that was. Like you would not go running in that. That's what you would wear after a workout.

Erika (07:57)
That word has been around for a long time.

Well, it was super cute. had like a crop top and ⁓ she was adorable.

You could go running in it if you so felt like it, but it's also you can lounge around in it and it's just cute, Yes.

Eric (08:15)
Okay.

Yeah, it seemed like lounge wear, like really nice lounge

where you'd wear on an airplane. And like it, it's more expensive than what I could probably afford when I'm not saying these look like cheapo pajamas. I'm saying these look like fancy, fancy pajamas, but lounge wear. Now that I get. Yeah, I get that. How.

Erika (08:27)
Probably. Yeah. no, no, no, no, no.

⁓ Eric, you're latching onto that.

Eric (08:44)
How was the actual like, what were you there for? Did you go on a one mile run? Did you just go to say hi, get a picture? Like you saw a beer, you did fun things. looked like.

Erika (08:54)
So we went down to do, this was called the longest run. It was put on by the Heartbreak Run Company. And it's basically two 10-mile loops. You can choose your distance. And it just gets the longest run before Boston. It's three weeks out, which gets us into our Boston week, which is so exciting. But I had to do 12 miles that day. And Tara's like, yeah, I'll go run. And she was commenting on some of the posts that Heartbreak was doing.

Eric (09:14)
Yes.

Erika (09:24)
and Beard saw her comment and was like, you're coming down for this? And she's like, yeah, so is Erica. So we got to meet up with Beard in the morning. Like we saw him, he was parked and yeah, yeah. So we knew he was there. We were sending some texts and, and yeah. So, ⁓ Kira did like this really nice like speech in the morning, just kind of hyping everybody up being like, this is, this is the long one. Like you guys got this. It's three weeks out, the big show is coming up and blah, blah.

Eric (09:31)
That's so cool. Chellos again.

Erika (09:51)
She did a great job. That's where I got like some, my little picture video from after. And then, yeah, we went off running. There were also donuts at the end. So we had motivation to do at least one. We had motivation to do a loop. I know. think he was, I think he was, uh, he was somewhere. I don't know if he was in Boston, but yes. Was he? Ah, yes, yes, yes, on a second. I lost my train of thought.

Eric (10:02)
When? Surprise, Herm wasn't there.

he was. He was at the, I know where he was at. I saw him.

He was doing good things.

We don't get political, but he was doing good things.

Erika (10:19)
No kinks.

So I had to do the 12 miles. I did one loop with ⁓ Tara and her friend Carly, who is super awesome. We all carpooled together and had a great time in the car. But one loop was done. Tara and Carly were like, ⁓ we're going to try to catch ⁓ Kira to get our books signed. So we brought our books down. luckily, they did that. yeah.

Eric (10:39)
Yeah, go bananas.

Erika (10:43)
But I'm so happy that they did that and they took my book because I had to go out for another like mile out and back to get my 12. And while I was out finishing my run, Kira, like they found her and got our book signed and then Kira had to go do some other stuff along the course. so she got my book signed for me and I was so excited, but it was just so sweet and thoughtful. And Kira was everything we thought and knew she would be.

Eric (11:09)
Meet your heroes, right? Meet your heroes. That was so cool. Like I said, I saw those and I was like, man. And then it got me all excited for Boston weeks because we are three weeks out and and this is the first episode of Boston weeks guys. know it's March 31st. I know we haven't actually officially wrapped up March madness, but.

Erika (11:10)
Meet your heroes for real. She's so sweet. Yeah, got some good content, I guess.

free

Working

on it.

Eric (11:32)
Austin Weeks is beginning and our first guest is today brought to you by MyRaceTats and we got a great one, Erica. This was awesome. We have, try saying this real fast, Troy Hoyt from Team Hoyt. It was incredible. Blew it out of the park, Erica, right?

Erika (11:52)
my God, Troy is such an awesome guy and just hearing about his family history and the legacy that the Hoyt Foundation has had since its induction. It's absolutely incredible hearing the story and especially hearing how Troy plays a part in the whole thing. So we had such a blast talking to Troy and it's also so cool. He's very local to us, which we really have to get that run in soon, eventually. Maybe a celebration run later.

Eric (12:10)
Yeah.

I know!

I know I'm pumped. This was so cool. This was

neat to shout out Dan, Dan, man, Dan, the running man, I think is his handle. He kind of piece this together and it was incredible. So guys, we got more to catch up on after we got to talk March Madness. I obviously want to tell you about the incredible weekend I had skiing and. Yeah, that too, so, but let's get to Troy Hoyt and then we'll talk more about that later, guys.

Erika (12:26)
Mm.

We got to talk about your chafing. Yeah.

Eric (12:48)
Enjoy Troy Hoyt on the On the Runs podcast and we'll see you on the other side.

Eric (12:55)
Our next guest on the pod is the race director for the upcoming team Hoyt taper who wears many hats for the Hoyt foundation. He's one of many who's building the future for inclusion while still honoring the past of what Dick and Rick Hoyt built several years ago. We can't wait to hear his story and some of his favorite stories from team Hoyt. Troy Hoyt, welcome to the on the runs podcast. What's up?

Troy Hoyt (13:14)
How you guys doing happy to be here?

Eric (13:17)
Can we just talk about

Erika (13:17)
We are so happy

to have you. Yeah. God, Eric, I'm glad you nailed it. You pretty much nailed it. So second time's a charm.

Eric (13:23)
Can we just talk about how difficult

it is to go, team Hoyt, Troy Hoyt. That's actually really hard to do like right after the other. But anyways.

Troy Hoyt (13:32)
It

would always throw people off. have three of the same last three of the same letters in my first and last name.

Eric (13:39)
Yeah. ⁓ That was something else. I mean, I messed up lots of intros, but that one was just a tongue twister. But dude. yeah. But dude, I'm so excited to have you on. We should talk about this. Actually, there's a guy we're just going to call him Dan the man connected us a few months back. And I was like, I said, dude, I'm honestly embarrassed not to know you. Like I should know you. And you're like, no, dude, I love your podcast. You guys are great. And I'm like, this guy connected us. Dan, the running man.

Erika (13:39)
I didn't even think about that.

Troy Hoyt (13:46)
Nah, you nailed it.

yeah, Dan, he's a legend. Shout out to you, Dan, making this possible.

But yeah, when he messaged me and I was like, oh, I've heard of that podcast. He's like, oh, I connected you guys. And I was like, oh, that's a funny coincidence. And then I was like, wait, the On the Runs podcast? He's like, yeah, that one. I'm like, oh, yeah, yep, I listen to you guys all the time.

Erika (14:25)
You

Eric (14:29)
love it.

Erika (14:30)
I'm

so glad he did make the connection because Team Hoyt is probably one of the most iconic charity foundations that we have in our area. We see them running all types of races. One I can think of is the Hampton Half Marathon. It's always freezing cold, but they're out there doing the damn thing, especially Boston. It's just so inspiring to see the athletes out there.

Troy Hoyt (14:51)
yeah.

Eric (14:52)
Yeah. ⁓

Erika (14:54)
It's

so, cool. So yeah, I'm glad to have you on and learn more about the foundation and hear more about you and your whole family.

Eric (15:01)
pretty sure they

ran in the Atkinson Road Race on 9-9-99, September 9th, 1999. And I know they did one of those. So when I was in high school, we ran the Atkinson Road Race every year, a whole cross-country team did. And I remember seeing the Hoyts on TV, like on WBZ or something, we were in school, the only channels we got when I grew up was like the basic four. Channel four, channel five, channel seven, and then Fox 25.

Troy Hoyt (15:07)
Yes.

Eric (15:29)
I didn't even get, then I got UPN 38. Do you remember that? That was the only way I could watch Bruins games in the 90s. We didn't have cable or satellite for a while. So I remember, though, seeing them on TV every Boston, and they're at one of the action road races. And I know you said, like, you could probably look in the archives and find which one it was, I have feeling it was 9999, and it was just so cool to see that.

Erika (15:38)
You're going way back, man.

Troy Hoyt (15:47)
you

yeah, no, like even hearing the stories from people like from I mean I might date you a little bit but from when I was before I was born people like I saw your grandfather your uncle I was like I wasn't there yet, but I believe your story But I was probably at that race I was probably about two years old just sitting in a stroller just like looking around Then here I am now in the future running around you and everything they started so it's definitely

Eric (16:20)
That's so cool.

Erika (16:20)
It's all part of the experience.

Troy Hoyt (16:22)
yeah.

Eric (16:23)
We want

to learn a lot about you before we get into Team Hoyt and learn all about Team Hoyt. So what is your relation? How are you connected besides the last name, which is a pretty big connection.

Troy Hoyt (16:35)
So Dick was my grandfather and that's my dad's dad and Rick was my uncle, my dad's brother. So pretty much since I can like remember, ⁓ I was always either at a finish line or on the side of a road handing them water, going down the course. ⁓ The one I remember the most is probably Boston being on one of the off ramps that you can't do that anymore, but we'd park our car, run up the off ramp, go and find them. And I'm just like little kid.

running up and down the street, handing them water, food, whatever, high-fiving people. so that's how I'm grandparents and uncle, and yeah, my dad's father and brother.

Erika (17:16)
Very cool. Did being around all of these races as you were growing up, did it spark a love of running for you? Did you be like, I want to do that when I get older. I want to be like them.

Troy Hoyt (17:28)
So that didn't really happen until, like, I always ran, because we'd always be at races, they'd sign me up, put me in the kids races, whatever. ⁓

Erika (17:31)
Mm-hmm.

so did they just

do it and you didn't really have a say? They're like, Hey, you're going to run this. you're like, ugh.

Troy Hoyt (17:41)
Yeah,

for a lack of better words, was like, shit, here we go. But yeah, no, the first race I can actually remember doing was the Groton Road Race. I don't remember what year it was, but I want to say it was like six or seven. Had no clue what I was doing. Just sprinted the whole five, or the whole three miles, the whole 5k. I finish and like, I just lay on the ground and I'm like, I'm never doing this again. And I'm pretty sure I took a break and then

Erika (17:44)
Yeah.

Hmm.

you

Troy Hoyt (18:10)
Fast forward to eighth grade, you my parents like, gotta do something else other than baseball and basketball. I'm like, all right, cross country, how bad could that be? then I do that. Right, exactly. I do that, didn't think anything of it for the whole eighth grade season. And then one day my mom picks me up and brings me to the high school and the cross country team at the high school is having a meeting in the gym. And I'm like, why am I here? Like, what's going on?

Erika (18:19)
Famous last words.

Troy Hoyt (18:37)
They have me walk in and the coach goes, this is Troy Hoyt, he's gonna kick all your asses next year, he's gonna be a freshman, he's coming in, he's super fast and I didn't know what a fast time for a 5k was or any of that, so I'm just like, hey.

Erika (18:51)
You're like, great, they already

hate me. Like, what am I doing?

Eric (18:53)
They hate me now, coach.

Troy Hoyt (18:55)
Yeah,

so that's really when I first got into it and then I started running. I actually liked it because I started training and whatnot. And then maybe six months in, I was like, all right, I want to do marathons like they're doing. Just jump straight from the high school 5K right up to a marathon. And I was like, I might need to tone it back a little bit. But I'd say probably around my ninth grade year of running is really when I was like, all right, that's what I want to do. That's pretty cool.

Erika (19:14)
you

If you went straight to a marathon, at least you know you can do everything in between at that point. that's, I mean, it's a good place to start, but you took the hard way, I think.

Troy Hoyt (19:28)
Yeah, exactly.

Yeah, just a little bit.

Eric (19:35)
An observation I've had lately, and it's been with my mom comparing to my grandparents, and I wonder about this for you because you said basically your whole entire life you grew up watching your grandfather run with your uncle, right? So my mom now goes skiing with us and she'll even go and help me with the boys. I have five-year-old twin boys and I can't take them both by myself. And I won't share her age on here, but I tell her, dude, grandma could never. In my entire life, I could never see grandma even skiing.

or skipping, doing anything athletic, and they were always in my mind old people, and they were not actually that old. And this goes for both of my parents' sides actually. And I tell my parents all the time, like, hey, you're doing amazing for your age because your parents could never. What was, did you have, like, you must have had a different experience because your grandfather's out here running marathons, doing Ironmans, and you're watching him as a six-year-old and growing up.

Troy Hoyt (20:32)
yeah, no like for that so like you have two sides of the family my mom said my dad said we'd go with like my dad said they do all these endurance races Iron Man, whatever we go to my pop side and they're just Typical like just let's go for a walk. Let's do this. Let's sound like

Wait, you guys don't run either? They're like, no, that's not normal. I'm like, well, I don't know. I'm only like six years old, so I don't know the difference. I thought everybody just did marathons and like rode bikes with their son in the front totem and a boat behind when they're swimming. I was like, I don't know the difference. This is just like normal, like grew up normal life for me. But yeah, I'd say there was a, it was definitely at first I was like, this is normal. And then

few years later I'm like, this is not normal. He's just like a rare breed, like different animal.

Erika (21:23)
Yep, absolutely.

Eric (21:23)
And he was never this way

before. Like, he wasn't this way in his previous life before the kids were born.

Troy Hoyt (21:29)
⁓ No,

he was always physically fit. He was in the Air National Guard for almost, I want to say almost 30 years. And then he got out, started doing... He was still in when he had the kids and stuff. And then I believe he got out and then started running with Rick after. So he was always fit but not running endurance-wise. So that was a real shock for him when he started that.

Erika (21:37)
Hmm.

Eric (21:48)
Right.

Yeah.

Troy Hoyt (21:57)
So he always had like the strength, just not the legs.

Erika (21:57)
Gotcha.

Eric (22:01)
Right. did in some of my research, I looked up like your whole entire family, very into sports, right? Very into like football, hockey, whatever it was back then. But the running thing kind of came later and we'll get into that. But like you growing up outside of running on the cross country team and the coach telling the whole team, look out, this guy's going to come and kick all your asses. What else did you do? you like, did you play hockey or any other sports growing up in New England? We know it's a big sports area. You grew up.

Erika (22:01)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (22:08)
yeah.

Eric (22:31)
kind of the beginning of the City of Champions timeframe.

Troy Hoyt (22:36)
Yeah, so I kind of played basketball, but that really didn't work out for me. So I really stuck with baseball. I did that for, geez, I don't know, 18 years. Like die hard red sox, all that. So I really love baseball. You know, 2004, 2007, those are like the highlights of like, all right, I'm glad I grew up with that. Glad I got to see that. So I'd say mainly baseball, but...

Erika (22:46)
wow.

yeah.

Troy Hoyt (23:02)
I did soccer for a little bit too. Pretty much anything that you had to run in, I was doing that and it was kind of just like setting me up for what I do now, but I didn't really know.

Erika (23:11)
Mm-hmm. Well,

it's good that you did the running thing because a lot of people we talked to always thought of when you had to run during sports, it was more of a punishment than it was anything else. You were all like, this is my cup of tea. I got this down.

Troy Hoyt (23:25)
yeah, yeah, even in college, like, you know, all the other sports teams are like, this is awful, this sucks. I'm like, this is awesome.

Erika (23:32)
Okay.

Eric (23:33)
Where did you go to college?

Troy Hoyt (23:34)
Like we get to go run.

I only went to Fitchburg for one year, but I did cross country and indoor and outdoor track. I got a little taste of that. That is, ⁓ God, that's a whole different animal. Like if you're not ready for it, yeah. yeah. So, but yeah, no, did that for a year and that was crazy. But I think marathons is a little crazier. Just a little bit.

Erika (23:43)
Awesome.

⁓ doing it in college.

Mm-hmm. Yep. Definitely can relate.

Eric (24:02)
Just wait until you become like Erica, you start running 100 milers and then she's like, could I do a two? Could I do a 300? Yeah. If you're, yeah. If your family on your mother's side thought your family on your dad's side was crazy, introduce them to Erica.

Erika (24:08)
I haven't gone. I haven't gone that far yet,

Troy Hoyt (24:09)
Yeah.

Hahaha

Erika (24:20)
I swear I'm normal you guys

Troy Hoyt (24:21)
Yeah, I mean I've seen...

I've seen you... you were just doing a marathon, the other day?

Eric (24:26)
every weekend. Yeah. And guess what? When you're listening to the pod right now, she's running one again in like four days.

Erika (24:27)
Yeah, yeah, like Saturday, Saturday I finished one. I'm all over.

Troy Hoyt (24:28)
Yeah. Geez.

Oh geez.

Erika (24:37)
Yeah.

Troy Hoyt (24:37)
I'm good for like three a year and then I'm like, all right, why do I do this?

Eric (24:40)
Well that's a lot actually!

how many have you run?

Erika (24:43)
for like two

fast ones and then everything else is just whatever the hell I feel like doing. So no pressure. The pressure, you take that off and then it's so much more fun.

Troy Hoyt (24:52)
Right, yeah.

Eric (24:53)
many marathons have you run?

Troy Hoyt (24:54)
So I've done nine so far Boston this year will be my tenth overall marathon my sixth Boston

Erika (24:59)
Beautiful.

Nice.

Eric (25:02)
Okay,

what was your first?

Troy Hoyt (25:04)
My first, I believe it was 2021, the one in October. Yeah, first one ever. Barely had like any idea what I was doing.

Eric (25:08)
Was that your first marathon ever? Okay.

Erika (25:11)
Nice!

Eric (25:14)
I love a first

marathon story, Troy. How'd that go?

Troy Hoyt (25:17)
So

for that, that was like right after my grandfather passed away. So I was like, alright, I think I'm gonna do it, know, honor him, no better way to do it. Had no clue how I was gonna start. So I was like, alright, let's start with getting a number. So then, like...

Erika (25:29)
Hmm.

That, yep, that's the

first step.

Troy Hoyt (25:36)
Searching,

couldn't figure it out, and then I used to be in the National Guard, so I'm standing in the middle of the woods, my phone goes off, it's my dad, and he never calls me, so I'm like, oh god, this could be something good or something really bad. Have no clue. So I'm like, uh, hello? He's like, so I got you a number, you're in, and I'm like, am I in for what? Like, I'm in the woods, don't even know what's going on, half asleep, and he's like, you're running the marathon, and I'm like, oh shit, alright, well, here we go, gotta start, so.

Erika (25:49)
⁓

Eric (25:50)
I know the feeling.

Erika (25:59)
Uh-huh.

Troy Hoyt (26:05)
emailing my coaches from high school and college and I'm like, hey, help me out. I got myself into a little bit of a pickle and don't know how to start. They're like, well, what's going on? I'm like, I got to run a marathon in a few months. They're like a few months. I'm like, isn't that enough time?

Erika (26:19)
Yeah, how much time did you actually,

how much time did you have? Like when did you find out versus like, so this was October. So it must've, I hope it was like April. Like how much time did you have?

Troy Hoyt (26:30)
I

found out in like June or July. Yeah. Yeah, so I was like, well, may as well start now.

Erika (26:33)
so they really put it on you. There you go.

Eric (26:41)
I they might not have known they were doing the marathon in October until June or July. Yeah.

Erika (26:46)
that's true. That's true

Troy Hoyt (26:46)
Yeah

Erika (26:47)
with the COVID years and yeah, good call.

Eric (26:50)
Did

you have to raise money? I mean, I'm sure you're on Team Hoyt and like doing things to raise money, but did your dad go like, you're in and by the way, I need 15 grand?

Troy Hoyt (26:59)
So

the first year, because the number was from an outside source, I raised, I believe, $5,000. And then every year on out, it was between $10,000 to $12,000. This year, I'm doing $7,000 because I have a number from the town of Hopkinton. They were nice enough to let me run on one of their bibs. But this year, the fundraising goal is $15,000 for

Eric (27:08)
Nice.

Erika (27:25)
Awesome.

Troy Hoyt (27:29)
everybody on the team and we are almost like super past that. So.

Erika (27:34)
wow.

Eric (27:34)
Nice. Nice. And we're talking in early

Erika (27:36)
Love to hear it.

Eric (27:37)
March here about a month before, but that's incredible. I want to hear this first marathon story, but since we're on the topic of fundraising are some of your like fundraising tricks?

Troy Hoyt (27:48)
So some of my tricks, like right off the bat, as soon as you know you got accepted, make a Facebook post, post your give and gain with a picture of your, if it's your first marathon, anytime you've ran, put a story and then just blast it out on social media. That's where I always start. And then my next steps usually to do custom ink, do a t-shirt fundraiser, that usually goes really well. Have like AI ⁓ or whatever, make like a running figure that you want.

Erika (28:03)
Mm.

awesome.

Troy Hoyt (28:16)
Then I usually put Boston whatever year and then have like my silhouette and that goes and other than that just really getting out there and telling people your story. A lot of people like to hear a story that they can connect to and then they're more willing to help you out. And then once you get donations, I usually make a Facebook post thanking those people individually, like I'll tag them all. So like I really want to make it feel personal. So that's usually how I go about it.

Erika (28:31)
Mm.

That's great.

Troy Hoyt (28:45)
but there's like

so many different ways you can like go about fundraising.

Erika (28:50)
So if anybody has any questions, just come ask Troy. He'll help you out.

Eric (28:50)
Now if

Troy Hoyt (28:53)
Yeah, exactly.

Eric (28:53)
Yeah. Yeah.

Now, if somebody out there listening right now, know, two, three weeks into the marathon is like, I'm not there yet. Like, what do you have for them with a month to go here? Like, what's some cool fundraising tricks they could do? Erica likes to do a 50-50 at work. She'll buy a roll of 50-50 tickets and just walk around the office and all the cubes and go, buy a 50-50. And then she makes her boyfriend do it too.

Erika (29:18)
Yep. Yep. They like to gamble, so it works out. They're like, it's up to how much now? Ooh. So that's an option.

Troy Hoyt (29:20)
There's no free handouts.

Eric (29:21)
Ha

Troy Hoyt (29:27)
I've never actually thought of that one. So I have to keep that in mind for my next one, but for a month out you don't like have quick access to a venue and you know a way to get food and if you I mean if you do then I would say have a pop-up fundraiser with food make like the tickets I don't know 30 bucks food included have raffle prizes and whatnot. That's

Erika (29:29)
Mmm.

Hmm.

Troy Hoyt (29:52)
what I'm, I just happen to be doing that. So that's why it came off top of my head. But that would be what I would suggest with like a month out. And if you can't do that, then just, it sounds silly, but print a QR code and put it on the back of your t-shirt. When you go on your runs, just have people scan it and like start talking with them. And that usually works too. I've seen a lot of people do that ⁓ on our Saturday runs out in Boston on the course, and it really works.

Erika (29:55)
Awesome.

Eric (30:11)
Yeah.

Dude, it on the

Erika (30:17)
⁓

Eric (30:18)
back of your car, on the back window. Yeah. That's genius. my God. ⁓

Erika (30:19)
that's awesome.

Troy Hoyt (30:20)
Yeah, yeah, that too.

Or like

write your Venmo on the window like people do for their bachelor parties or bachelor parties instead of buy the bride a drink or the groom a drink, donate to this runner's fundraiser and sponsor a mile. Something like that.

Eric (30:28)
Yeah.

Erika (30:29)
you

Those are genius ideas that I never would have thought of. Yeah, that's so smart.

Eric (30:41)
Yeah.

Eric, I'm going to send you a QR code of our Instagram to put on the back of the Camry now. All right, man. You're not off the hook though. I want to hear this first marathon story. So tell me about the day, like you told the line?

Troy Hoyt (30:42)
and Super Bowl squares. was a big one.

Erika (30:46)
I can, can, yes. There we go.

Troy Hoyt (30:50)
That's perfect.

⁓ jeez.

⁓ I felt fully prepared. ⁓ I mean a lot of people will say I look prepared so I'll take that but I did not feel prepared. I had no clue what I was doing. ⁓ The longest I ran was 18 miles and that was in Chelmsford on the rail trail. My dad and I were like, it's just 18 miles. It'll go by quick not realizing I'm the one that sets the pace. So if I go slow we don't finish until it's dark out. And ⁓ I think we went out around like

Erika (31:17)
Mm-hmm.

you

you

Troy Hoyt (31:30)
4 o'clock and got back at 7, 8 o'clock and it was pitch black. We're trying to find our way back. He's on a bike. We don't have any flashlights. And I was like, well, what's the worst that could happen? And we get to the end of the trail and I trip and I landed in a puddle and I was like, that's the worst thing that could happen after this.

Erika (31:39)
no.

You didn't break anything though, right? So it could have been worse, but good, good.

Troy Hoyt (31:54)
No, no, I was perfectly

fine and I didn't know how to fuel either so alls I had before that run was ⁓ a chunk of cookie dough. I was like, I'll be fine. I, in fact, was not fine.

Eric (32:08)
I have many miles on that rail trail too, by the way. That's four miles to my work. Yeah, we're talking. Yeah, it's beautiful. It's actually like really nice compared to like just the wooden fences and stuff in some areas. And it's super long. Like I haven't run the whole thing yet. I've done, I'm trying to build my heat maps and I'll even sometimes drive to the opposite end and kind of run back or go to Narla Park and go for a swim after.

Troy Hoyt (32:12)
really? Such a nice trail.

Eric (32:36)
But typically I'm starting on the Lowell Chelmsford side

Troy Hoyt (32:37)
okay.

Eric (32:40)
But anyways, Towing the Line, your first marathon October of 2021.

Troy Hoyt (32:47)
Yup, yeah, so even like right before that I was like, you know, you get super nervous and like we I'll back up because like the you asked like the nerd like how I was getting onto the line So that morning we get up we have to my dad and I had to get on a bus at the Copley Hotel To go out to the start line and I'm just like, it's a bus. Whatever not a not a big deal. I'm like super nervous He's like, this is awesome. We're just on a bus going

of nowhere like no no no he's not a runner the state police pull up they clear traffic and i'm like crap that's just getting me here quicker i thought i had more time so like you know i'm still freaking out and then ⁓ we get off the bus we're walking to do an interview and then i'm walking by myself now to go start and meb comes up to me

Eric (33:17)
Is he running with you? Okay.

Troy Hoyt (33:39)
And he goes, so what's your plan? How are you going to approach this? And I'm like, Meb, I have no clue. I'm freaking the hell out right now. Like, well, what do I do? How do I? He's like, just run. It's your race. Just run. ⁓ I was like, All right, I'm just going to go run. And then you guys are familiar with Dave McGilvery, right? He always says, my race, my rules. So I was like, all right, you know what? It's my race, my rules. I'm just going to go out and run.

Erika (33:51)
Excellent advice, especially from Meb, he knows.

Eric (34:00)
yeah.

Erika (34:00)
course.

Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (34:08)
the

heck with it, I'm just gonna enjoy it. So, you know, after I told the lie and did all my pre-race stuff, I was fine and I didn't know where Heartbreak Hill was that first year, because I was, I never ran on the course. So I finish and my dad's like, so how was the hill? I'm like, what hill? Like, I don't remember, like, where was Heartbreak Hill? And he's like, those hills that you go up and this and that, I'm like, I don't remember that. So I must have like blocked that part out.

Erika (34:19)
Mm-hmm.

Eric (34:19)
Might have been

good.

Troy Hoyt (34:37)
And he's like, well, he did a good job. And I'm like, I hope so, I'm alive, I finished. And then I couldn't walk after, like that, God. That was the I go across the finish line and then we walk across the street to the bathrooms at the hotel because we were going to go to dinner after. And luckily I had my phone. I called my dad, hey, can you come pick me up? And he's like, you just went to the bathroom, what do you mean? I'm like, I can't get off the toilet.

Erika (34:42)
Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (35:04)
I was like, my legs aren't working, can't move, can't get up. And I locked the door behind me on the stall, so I'm like, aw crap, is this how I end? Like, I'm locked in the bathroom, no one can come save me. Like, just all sweaty after my first marathon, and I'm like, this is it, this is how I go.

Erika (35:06)
⁓ no.

just trapped in here forever.

I feel that so deeply in my soul. It's not even funny. The toilet is like your best friend, but also your enemy post-marathon because that is your quads. Like they want to die. And my gosh, I feel you. relate.

Eric (35:23)
Wow!

Troy Hoyt (35:28)
Yup.

yeah.

He

Eric (35:40)
Man, that was good. You delivered on that story.

Troy Hoyt (35:44)
yep, so that's how the first one went. No, I absolutely loved it. yeah, yep.

Erika (35:44)
But you didn't hate it. You didn't hate it. So you kept going.

Eric (35:50)
Did

you make it to the dinner table and how is your appetite? And I ask that because I actually have a hard time sometimes eating after a long endurance event.

Troy Hoyt (35:59)
So, ⁓ I barely made it because we had to walk another two miles to the restaurant we were going to after, but yeah, it's tough, but hey, when there's free food and free beer, I'm like, I'm in, I just gotta get there.

Erika (36:05)
That's rude.

Yep, yep,

you hobble, you do anything you can.

Troy Hoyt (36:17)
But yeah, appetite, usually I gotta force it. I'm not usually hungry after, because I'm like, what the hell did I just go through?

Erika (36:24)
Yeah.

Eric (36:25)
Man, let me ask you one other thing. You name dropped. What was it like meeting Meb? Did you already know Meb at this time? was that just by chance? Or was he like, I know who you are, you're Team Hoyt.

Troy Hoyt (36:38)
So he knew of team Hoyt he knew my grandfather and my uncle but I had no like I knew Matt but like you just you know him but like I I didn't know like never met him didn't know who he was and like I saw him when he won in 2014, but that's all I knew of him and When he came up to me, I was just like ah You're you're you're you're Matt and he's like, yes, that's me. Relax. You're nervous. I get it. That was like this is not happening

Erika (36:46)
You know, ma'am. He's pretty recognizable.

Troy, are all of us.

Eric (37:05)
you

Erika (37:07)
You are all of us. Like if anybody meets Meb, we're going to be like, babababa. Like words aren't going to work.

Troy Hoyt (37:12)
Right, yeah, it's just like...

Eric (37:12)
It's like New Girl.

It's like New Girl when they meet Prince. ⁓

Erika (37:18)
Wait, I didn't give you time to freak out yet. Proceed. Proceed.

Troy Hoyt (37:23)
Oh, that's hilarious. Yup. Yeah, I was like, fangirling and he's like, I don't know who you are, but that was sick. You like freaked out over seeing me. I'm like, yeah, you're a meb. Like, what do you mean?

Eric (37:25)
Aww.

Erika (37:27)
Ugh.

you

Eric (37:34)
well, that was a great first story. What a moment meeting Mab, having that race, the bathroom. Can you help me, Dad? that was great. That was so good. So I hope your next eight marathons went a little better, but those stories are incredible. If you have one more, let's save it for later because I want to learn.

Erika (37:36)
absolutely.

Troy Hoyt (37:41)
Yeah

I do have one more

story.

Eric (37:53)
All right, we'll

save it for the end. That's a teaser. But I want to learn a lot about Team Hoyt and what you do with Team Hoyt, what Team Hoyt is doing in the community. I love that Team Hoyt is still growing

Tell us what you want to tell us about Team Hoyt. We all kind of know the story about your uncle telling your dad he wanted to run when a kid in his school got injured and your dad wasn't a runner and he just he ran in that 5k to show he did and then your uncle said something along the lines like, I felt like I wasn't handicapped. That was kind of the birth of Team Hoyt. Take us after that moment in the growth of Team Hoyt from what you know. I know you weren't around for those days, but I'm sure you've heard so many stories.

Troy Hoyt (38:11)
you

Yeah, so basically after the the race and him saying yeah, I'll push you They started everybody thought they were gonna turn around go back and they finished in second to last but not last after that yeah, it was it took off. They ⁓ I don't even know

how many races they did, like from there to from what I can remember. But I know when they did the five mile race and then they got hooked, that turned into them biking across America, 3735 miles. So to go from pushing your son in a five mile race with like basically a, it was like a shopping cart type of chair, because it had like the little squiggly wheels on the front.

Erika (39:17)
Really.

Troy Hoyt (39:18)
Yeah, to going from that to biking across America. I was like, that's just insane. Like, yeah. I was like, that escalated quickly.

Erika (39:24)
That is an escalation. Zero to 60.

Yep. Zero to 60.

Eric (39:29)
That's like your marathon

Troy Hoyt (39:30)
Yeah, exactly. ⁓ But yeah, from doing that, they showed people what everybody thought wasn't possible. They showed them that it could be possible and that it was. And that's when Yes You Can came into play and that was their motto and still is the motto ever since. So I always tell people, he said, it's not really a disability, it's a possibility. Like, what are you capable of doing? What possibilities are there?

Eric (39:53)
Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (39:57)
nothing can hold you back you can do anything you want to do and basically we're always like can I do that and if the answer is yes you can then you're you're golden you can just do it up yeah I'm getting off track sorry ⁓ so from

Erika (40:11)
No, I love that.

Eric (40:12)
happens.

Erika (40:12)
Those

mantras are fantastic. Those are something like I'll carry like with me. That's fantastic.

Troy Hoyt (40:18)
yeah, from starting that, then they ⁓ started the charity, raising money to help people. obviously I wasn't born, so I don't know much of like what they did. I know they had camp for kids and they had kids with different disabilities, they helped them out. And then when I came into play when I was born, ⁓ I knew we would always have the marathon teams to raise money to help people.

Erika (40:33)
Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (40:45)
And to fast forward to today, they have the Dick and Judy Hoyt Grant, which still does the same thing. You just have to apply for it and then you can get pretty much any program that is adaptive that you need to help you like swimming lessons. We've done surfing, dancing. ⁓ Someone did a like a pageant type thing. I didn't even know that was possible. That was cool. And yeah, there's just...

Eric (41:07)
Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (41:13)
endless possibilities of what we're able to do and help people with and even the running chairs like every race you go to you see team Hoyt running chair. I'm like, I didn't even know we made one in that color.

Erika (41:24)
That's so cool.

And I'm glad that you guys are supporting the adaptive athletes, because I know that's a special thing that Eric likes to do. He does his sunrise ascent, and that raises money for adaptive athletes. And that's just something so important to let anybody get out there and have these experiences. It's being so inclusive. So I appreciate that. Yeah.

Troy Hoyt (41:46)
yeah.

Eric (41:48)
Yeah, my dad got me involved with a program called like Northeast Adaptive Sports Athletes, something along those lines. It's been a few years, but they're based up in Franconia Notch, and I got to learn how to ski behind those guys in the ski sled. I even got to learn how to ski in it because they want you to learn how to ski in this handicapped sled.

So you know what the adaptive athlete is going through. And then we got to do this hike up Mount Washington. It happens every year. I've missed the last couple because life's really busy with kids. But one year we made like almost $150,000 and we hike up Mount Washington, pulling someone, an adaptive athlete, up Mount Washington in an adaptive chair. We do it on the auto road and we raised a ton of money. And it was such a cool event. One of my best friends, Jay, would do it with me every year. And we always were on Team Chester.

Troy Hoyt (42:11)
wow.

Eric (42:37)
And Chester also had cerebral palsy, which your uncle had. So it's kind of cool seeing those connections, and I got to kind of see it a little bit. I've never been affected by someone handicapped in my life. I've never known in my family, right? So I never had an eye on that until my dad got, just because of like an ad he saw in an AMC magazine. It's like, let's do

Troy Hoyt (42:43)
you

that's awesome.

It's funny you brought up Mount Washington though because ⁓ My dad told it's a story from my dad was a kid with ⁓ my his brother and his other brother They'd always go camping and ⁓ my grandfather would carry Rick on his shoulder going up a mountain and people are like What are they gonna do with that kid are they like he's draped over his shoulder like what's what's going on? He's like we're just going for a hike like what do you mean like this is normal?

And we're like, nope, that's definitely not normal.

Eric (43:29)
Again. ⁓

Erika (43:31)
They probably thought you were

rescuing or something. Like, why are they carrying, like, it's not a backpack. I don't know.

Troy Hoyt (43:34)
Yeah, I

Eric (43:37)
Was it always just your grandfather or did he ever have help? anyone like were they, you know, hey, you take Rick this time or they switch off? Did anyone else ever run with him or was it always your grandfather?

Troy Hoyt (43:49)
So up until I 2000s like after after 2010 I want to say actually after after 2014 if really um This our family friend Brian Lyons. He passed away a few years ago, but he took over pushing Rick and he did a few marathons with did the Iron Man with him as well

And then I kinda somehow took over, I don't even know how, ⁓ not marathons, but like 5Ks, 10Ks. My first race with Rick when I took over ⁓ after Brian, Brian was still alive at that time, it was in Hawaii for the Ironman, and it was 5K, yeah, 5K, and you had to wear just your underwear. So I was like, okay, this is weird, I'm in Hawaii.

Erika (44:22)
Mm-hmm.

You

Troy Hoyt (44:40)
I'm running a 5k, I'm in my underwear, and I gotta push my uncle in his chair. Never done that before. And I'm like, this is gonna be interesting. ⁓ it was definitely a time, but I loved it. I was hooked on that ever since. But yes, to answer your question, it was my grandfather for years by himself, and then Brian took over. And then ⁓ after they both passed, I took over and pushed Rick up until he passed.

So there was three of us but technically four because Dave McGilvray pushed Rick in ⁓ a race at the finish to the 50 at So been a few different people that have pushed him in a race for sure. And my brother, he did a really short race and then he gave me the chair back and was like, you can have it, I'm not comfortable.

Erika (45:19)
⁓ an experience.

At least you tried.

Eric (45:31)
Your brother enjoyed

shooting hockey pucks more on your uncle than running with them, huh? Cause I also heard that your brother's or your dad and his brother would play hockey, street hockey, and they'd put your uncle Rick in goal.

Troy Hoyt (45:34)
Yeah

yeah, yup. Yeah, they

Erika (45:44)
you

Troy Hoyt (45:45)
would put him in the goal with a stick and they would just be like, alright, try not to lose any teeth. I've never saw it, but I've seen pictures of it. There's a video somewhere, but conveniently haven't seen that. But I've seen pictures of it.

Erika (45:50)
Jeez.

you

Eric (46:01)
What were some of your favorite races when you were pushing him?

Troy Hoyt (46:04)
had to be the Boston series. I did the 5k with him many times and that was actually the last race we ever did together before he passed. so I'd probably go the BA, 5k, and then um, there was one out in Charlton, it was a really hilly course. They didn't tell me that it was all hills and I was like, oh, this is a piece of cake. Mile one, I'm like dying, like sweating. I'm like, I need water, this sucks, like, I hate you.

Erika (46:22)
⁓

you

Troy Hoyt (46:30)
And then we finished and he spells that on his computer. had two pounds of chocolate cake to make myself fatter so you would struggle. And I was like, dude, come on. So that was his joke after every race. I ate chocolate cake the night before so you would struggle. And I'm like, yep, okay. So I got him one time. He did that and he told me the morning of, because at that point his computer could connect to a cell phone so he could text. And he texted me because we were meeting up. And he goes,

Erika (46:45)
You

⁓

Troy Hoyt (46:59)
I ate three pounds of chocolate cake. I'm gonna be like a solid block of cement. You won't be able to move the chair. So I was like, alright. We had, I think it was a 5k. So was like, I got time to think of something. So we're getting close to the end. And I stop and everybody's looking like, what's the matter? I turn around and I drag the chair across so I finish first. I was like, you're not finishing in front of me this time with all that crap you give me about the chocolate cake and all that. Nope, not having it. So.

Erika (47:27)
Ha!

Troy Hoyt (47:28)
And that race was up in Holland, Mass, where they lived. So I was like, what better place to do it than their stomping grounds? That would be my best, my favorite memory of that, for sure.

Eric (47:29)
awesome.

Erika (47:38)
That's amazing. ⁓

Eric (47:42)
That's great. I love that. It kind of sounds like you and him had that, you know, what brothers would have, you know? Yeah. That's awesome.

Erika (47:43)
wow.

Troy Hoyt (47:48)
yeah. Yeah, like

it's that weird connection. Like my grandfather would always say like, you just felt something different. And I was like, yeah, I feel something different there for sure. So yeah.

Eric (48:00)
Yeah.

We had Becca Pizzi on last year. She helped kick off Boston weeks actually just like you are. and Becca was telling us the story about her favorite Boston marathon was when she ran with Zdeno Chara because everyone was cheering. And I kind of imagine that kind of had to be the same effect on you when you're running with Rick because everyone's cheering for Rick and you're just like, wow, you know, you probably had the Becca experience in that, that scenario.

Erika (48:02)
That's incredible.

Troy Hoyt (48:07)
really?

yeah, especially with I actually have a race that that happened specifically. The last BA 5k we did, ⁓ we started the race, we had almost our entire marathon team there and my wife joined as well and we ran as a group but you we got split up because people run faster, slower, whatever and we stopped with like a half mile left to recreate their finish from 2014 in the Boston Marathon except this was just ⁓ a 5k but we had maybe

Erika (48:54)
Mm.

Troy Hoyt (48:58)
20, 25 of us and we're coming down wearing the red singlets and everybody's cheering. And I was like, this is awesome. Like they're cheering for him. I don't even care. The atmosphere. I was like, they're cheering for you. This is great. He's like swinging his arms around and I was like, oh, this is awesome.

Erika (49:15)
It's so heartwarming, I love it!

Troy Hoyt (49:18)
So that was another top, probably top three race experiences. was like, it went quiet, like you see the crowd cheering and then you get to the finish line. It's just like, ⁓ and I was like, that's awesome.

Erika (49:30)
Beautiful.

Eric (49:31)
That's great. That's great. Now,

I don't want to bring us down here, but something we love is a code Brown story. Now code Brown could be anything. It doesn't need to be like an, ⁓ literal crap moment. Right? It could be when just maybe a wheel falls off or you get a flat tire in your case. Is there any stories out there where something went wrong? Maybe you're stranded on a training run or whatever, or even on that ride across the country, you know, as

Erika (49:49)
⁓

Troy Hoyt (49:55)
Yeah

Eric (49:59)
Your grandfather and uncle are figuring this out. Like technology wasn't what it was then as it is today. Do have any of those fun stories?

Troy Hoyt (50:08)
one I can remember there wasn't really many with them from what I can remember but the biggest like ⁓ crap was they were in hawaii for the iron man And they were trying out this new bike setup that they never tried before didn't train on it got it shipped direct from the manufacturer to hawaii and day before set it up and then you know, racked the bike and everything and

Erika (50:25)
⁓

Troy Hoyt (50:32)
Normally Rick sits on the front of the bike, but this time it was towing him from the back. And we're like, what could go wrong? Like, you know, you're just basically a car towing a trailer. Like, you know, you've never done it before, so what could go wrong? And they do the swim, no problem. They're on the bike doing that. We're thinking everything's good. All of a sudden we get a phone call. Yeah, we flipped the bike. We're going to the hospital. It's totaled. And we're like, excuse me? And I was like,

Eric (50:42)
Mm-hmm.

Erika (50:58)
No!

Troy Hoyt (51:01)
Seven six or seven at the time I think so I'm like alright like we're going to the hospital like I don't know like stuff happens didn't know like the extent and I see them they're covered in like lava rock like bleeding and all that and We're like did you try the bike out before you came? He's like nope got it shipped direct first time trying it. We're like ⁓ Okay Yeah Yep, yeah

Erika (51:11)
Yep.

Nothing new on race day, people. Or at least that's kind of

Eric (51:24)
That's where nothing new and race was born.

Erika (51:27)
an important thing you want to try. mean, a new pair of shoes you can get away with, but like, ooh.

Troy Hoyt (51:29)
Right.

Eric (51:32)
Was what was the damage not to the bike but to

your grandfather to your uncle?

Troy Hoyt (51:37)
Just a little road rash and like a lot of dirt, but it wasn't funny, but the funny part because Rick was nonverbal. He was in the hospital obviously because like they flipped and the doctors are like poking and prod and trying to communicate and he's just like, does that hurt? And he's like, ⁓ and they're like, does this hurt? He's like, ⁓ like they don't know his yes or his no. Like I could have told you. So he had a hundred and seventy seven x-rays taken.

Erika (51:48)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Right. Right.

Troy Hoyt (52:04)
on every part of his body because they didn't know what hurt and what didn't hurt. okay, you didn't... I honestly don't even know. I probably wouldn't be able to fathom that if I saw that. I'd be like, how many x-rays?

Eric (52:08)
What was that medical bill like?

Ha ha ha.

Erika (52:18)
So he was okay and he was trying to tell them like, I'm fine, they like couldn't, they couldn't communicate. That's.

Troy Hoyt (52:21)
Yeah, yeah, just a few

bumps and bruises and then my grandfather trying to be all tough was like, can we go back out? We're like, no, no, you can't go back out after that. no, that was their biggest, that was their biggest code brown. ⁓

Eric (52:33)
But

Erika (52:37)
Mm-hmm. That's

Eric (52:38)
That's the code brown. Yeah. Not surprised

Erika (52:38)
pretty up there, yeah. man.

Troy Hoyt (52:40)
Yeah, ⁓ I don't

Eric (52:42)
he wanted to go back out though and finish. I'm not surprised. Yeah.

Troy Hoyt (52:44)
yeah,

I don't know of any that- I mean, they've had some pop tires and whatnot, but like, they have like such a crew out along the course, it's- I don't even- there could have been stuff that was way worse I don't even know about. I know there's a few races that they've done where it wasn't equipment, but there was a stone wall that they could get over that they weren't told about. They had to take Rick out of the chair, pick the chair up, put it over the wall, put Rick back in, and continue the race, so that was like a little hiccup throughout the race.

Erika (53:13)
Wow.

Eric (53:13)
Yeah.

Troy Hoyt (53:14)
but yeah, nothing crazy.

Erika (53:16)
I think flipping a bike pretty much covers it, yeah.

Eric (53:16)
that crash was crazy, man. That's crazy.

Troy Hoyt (53:18)
Yeah

⁓ To

him that he'd just be like, ⁓ it's another day, but we're like, you realize what just happened? Yeah, yeah, I've I only had one bad code Brown ⁓ I was training to push Rick and I had my wife in the chair to simulate having someone in the chair And I thought I had the wheels and the handlebars on tight enough. We're going down a hill There's a car coming and I go to stop and there's just like a little rope on the chair because we didn't use a handbrake or anything

Eric (53:25)
Yeah. Unreal. That's big. Incona.

Erika (53:26)
Pretty big. Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (53:49)
I pull the handlebars, the handlebars come off and she just keeps going. And I'm like, aw crap. And then she hops out of the wheelchair and the person driving stops and looks back like, wait, you can walk? And I'm like, that's what you took out of this? You took out of this that she can walk and not, ⁓ crap, are you okay? The handlebars are off. And I'm just standing there like this, like, where'd you go? And she stands up and just goes, surprise. And I was like, ⁓ my God.

Erika (54:09)
Yeah.

Eric (54:10)
It's a miracle!

Erika (54:12)
my god.

But literally

this is why you practice with things. Because you found out then instead of having your uncle in there or something, my God.

Eric (54:19)
you

Troy Hoyt (54:20)
you

Yeah!

Eric (54:28)
That's awesome. Your wife, sounds like she has a great sense of humor. ⁓ wow. That was great. ⁓ fast forwarding. actually I don't want to fast forward. Your, your, your grandfather and your uncle. At one point, your uncle said, I want to run the boss marathon. Let's do it. And the whole process to get in was hard. And the boss marathon made them qualify under your uncle's age group.

Troy Hoyt (54:30)
Yep.

Erika (54:34)
Whoo.

Troy Hoyt (54:35)
yeah, yup.

Eric (54:58)
And the same thing kind of happened in the Ironman. They didn't accept their application right away. You had to prove this. You had to do something. Talk about a little bit the perverance they had to not have any boundaries stop.

Troy Hoyt (55:12)
Yeah, I mean, when I first learned about the Boston Marathon, when I was like, you qualified as an 18 year old at like, I don't know how old he was at the time, but I was like 40 plus years old. He's like, that's not gonna stop me. He's like, if Rick wants to do it, he's gonna do it. watching them train to not have anything stop them, was crazy. would bike with cement blocks or bags of cement in the chair. He'd push bags of cement.

Whatever he had to do to let Rick be able to be involved and do it, he absolutely was there and fully committed to it. And watching that, I was like, that's the most inspiring thing I've ever seen in my life. Like, holy crap, you're not letting anything limit you from whatever you can do. that's kind of how I was like, you're literally the definition of yes, you can. And it was insane. Nothing would stop him. He'd be told no, like you said. And he was like,

Erika (55:58)
Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (56:10)
No, the answer is going to be yes, just give it time. And he would plow right through the block wall and just he would keep going.

Erika (56:12)
Mm-hmm.

Eric (56:12)
Yeah.

Erika (56:18)
That is just so, so inspirational. I'm like getting a little bit teary. Like it's just the love that your family has for each other and it didn't let like anything stand in the way. So just getting it done and trying to keep Rick happy and let him know that he can do whatever he wants. Yes, he can. Yes, you can.

Troy Hoyt (56:37)
Yeah, yeah,

yeah, he rarely heard no.

Eric (56:41)
Yeah.

And, and we're not diving real deep into the whole story. And maybe there's another day we can do that. But like when, when your uncle was born, they told your grandparents, like, you know, send them away to an institution or something. They, they, know, this is in the sixties. If you remember, like one, the technology to the information, you didn't know as much of it, but your grandparents were like, no. And they took them home and they figured it out. And it's just incredible. The story and what, what they

Troy Hoyt (56:55)
yeah.

Erika (57:01)
⁓ True.

Absolutely.

Eric (57:11)
built and what you guys are continuing with today. We'll get to that in a second, but I do want to know about the 2013 Boston Marathon in the 2014 because 13 was supposed to be their last,

Troy Hoyt (57:23)
Yes, that's correct. Yeah, 13 was gonna be his last, but obviously the unfortunate circumstances that happened. got stopped at mile, between mile 20 and 24 and myself, my brother and my mom and dad, we were all right at the finish line. So he's like expecting to come in, see us have a big celebration.

Erika (57:32)
Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (57:48)
And then he's just told, hey, you gotta stop, the race is over, go home. And he's like, what are you talking about? Like, I'm not just gonna go home, like what's going on? And no one had any idea. So he's like waiting for us, we're waiting for them. that was just, it was chaos. But after that, we went home, he sat down, he's like, you know what? I'm not gonna let that be the end. I gotta come back next year.

Erika (57:54)
Yeah.

Troy Hoyt (58:12)
So he was planning on to cross the finish line at 13 and just say, that's it, I'm retired. And he didn't tell Rick, but he was like, hey, we're doing it again next year, so you got one more with me. And Rick was like, all right. So they fast forward to that. They pushed and pushed. he got ready to run the 2014 marathon. And that's when they finished with the Sea of Red. That's what we would call it. think they had close to 30 people.

Erika (58:24)
Mmm.

Troy Hoyt (58:40)
And they're coming down and we could always tell when they were coming down to the finish line because you could hear people cheering. This was like, ah, it was insane. I was like, I think they're coming. How do you know? I'm like, just look. And it was just all red from guardrail to guardrail. Oh yeah, I still do even talking about it. It's crazy. I see a video pop up on Facebook or a reel and I just still, I'm like,

Erika (58:50)
Yeah.

⁓ I have goosebumps. my God.

Eric (58:55)
Just listen. Yeah.

Erika (59:03)
Yeah.

Troy Hoyt (59:09)
I knew that story, but holy crap. But yeah, that's how that went. And then, yeah, he ended up retiring in 2014 after that.

Erika (59:09)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Eric (59:11)
It's incredible,

yeah.

Erika (59:19)
Mm-hmm.

Eric (59:19)
You know, growing up in New England, Erica and I are just north of you in New Hampshire. And just, there's a few things I always remember that I grew up in the nineties seen on TV. And one of them was around the Boston marathon. There'd be so much coverage and they would always talk about your grandfather and your uncle. And like I mentioned earlier, when I got to see them once at a race I ran, I thought it was so cool because these are people I see on TV and it's, I couldn't fathom running with a wheelchair at the time. And I was in great shape at the time. So,

Just inspirational people and they built something incredible. They built team Hoyt and you said earlier, yes, you can. And they fight for inclusion and they fight to have ways for anyone who's an adaptive athlete to be able to do everything we're able to do. Let's talk about team Hoyt now for a little bit. What is team Hoyt doing today? Kind of what's the identity of team Hoyt, the goals and how is everything looking for this year's Boston Marathon?

Troy Hoyt (1:00:12)
So yeah, now fast forward to what we're doing today. have three ⁓ confirmed marathon teams. have Chicago, New York, and Boston. We're working on Sydney. I believe that's going to happen. And we might be getting into Berlin. So we're trying to have teams in all of the marathons so we can have a duo in pretty much any marathon.

Erika (1:00:34)
That's awesome.

Troy Hoyt (1:00:38)
⁓ We're even, well not me and myself, but my dad is now working with the ⁓ Tokyo Marathon to get the adaptive athlete program rolling over there and getting all that going. And on top of that, like I mentioned earlier, now we have the Dick and Judy Hoyt grant, which we're helping raise money to give people pretty much a chance to do anything that they want to do.

And that leads into the Boston Marathon team for this year, which I believe we're on course to raise, I want to say over $120,000 this year just for the team alone. Yeah, just a little bit. But yeah, no, I'm excited to see how that's going to go because to see that amount of money raised and then to see like what we get to do with it and how it impacts people's lives, it's it's mind blowing. I'm like,

Erika (1:01:11)
Wow.

Eric (1:01:12)
Not a big deal.

Erika (1:01:14)
Yeah.

Eric (1:01:27)
Right.

Erika (1:01:29)
Mm.

Troy Hoyt (1:01:30)
All I did was run and raise money, but looking at it, I'm like, I did that and now you get to do that. That inspires me more than the running and the fundraising all in itself. That's kind of like when people ask, why do you do it? I'm like, I do it for that, not for me.

Erika (1:01:41)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah. speaking

of fundraising, how is your effort going this year for Boston?

Troy Hoyt (1:01:52)
This year it's going pretty good. ⁓ I'm gonna be having a fundraising event, believe, yeah, March 21st, that's coming up quick, ⁓ at one of the local VFWs in Bilrica. So I'm hoping to bring in a decent amount of money for that and ⁓ I've been doing like, you know, little stuff like I had ornaments, I sold Christmas ornaments for the holidays, so.

Erika (1:02:00)
Mm.

⁓ I love that.

Troy Hoyt (1:02:17)
That helped out a little bit and then like the QR code on the back of the shirt and stuff like that. Just little stuff and yeah.

Erika (1:02:23)
All excellent ideas.

Eric (1:02:25)
You should put the QR

code on the rail trail. Randomly, yeah.

Troy Hoyt (1:02:28)
Yeah, I'm thinking about it.

Eric (1:02:30)
the presence team Hoyt has around Boston is huge. You see it everywhere. Like I know you're growing, you're trying to get into the other marathons, but like, just speak on that for a little bit. Like the reaction your uncle and your grandfather had during their last race, like everybody knows team Hoyt. Like you even had big Z running for team Hoyt. Yeah.

Erika (1:02:46)
Like I said, iconic, iconic.

⁓

Eric (1:02:49)
Dave McGilvery

Troy Hoyt (1:02:50)
yeah.

Eric (1:02:50)
talks about Team Hoyt. Like it's just, if there's one charity, it's a fight between Team Hoyt and Dana Farber. That's the truth. It's a fight between those two. And I'm not talking like who makes more money, just when you mention charities for the Boston Marathon, you think of those two.

Troy Hoyt (1:02:59)
yeah.

Erika (1:03:00)
Hehehehe.

Troy Hoyt (1:03:08)
yeah, definitely. No, is, it's crazy. Like, even walking down the street like Boston Weekend, I'll have like my hat on or even just like my sweatshirt and I'll be by myself because we're running around every which way and they're like, I know them. Did you know them? And then that turns into like a 10, 15 minute conversation and they're like, that was awesome. Such the impact. like, it's it's crazy. Like, like you said, around Boston, like those are the two that you hear about. And I'm like, wow.

Erika (1:03:17)
Mm-hmm.

Well, yes I did.

Troy Hoyt (1:03:37)
this many people actually know who they are and when they tell you their stories, the impact they have, it'll inspire me. like, I didn't know I needed that today, but yeah, that was a great story. Now I'm walking around like, yeah, yeah, I know those people too.

Eric (1:03:54)
Yeah, it

just, it's so cool to see, cause you're a nonprofit and we could call it like a small nonprofit that is just so well it must be so, so cool to be like running that behind. I know you and your dad do a lot of the work. You wear a ton of hats. Your dad's El Presidente of Team Hoyt, right? So.

You guys are doing so much after your uncle and your grandfather are gone. I mean, it's been about five years now or so, and it's just so great to see you continuing that legacy, right, Erica?

Erika (1:04:26)
Yeah, and you even have that race that's coming up, right? Tell us about the, what is it, the team Hoyt taper? Did I get that right or?

Troy Hoyt (1:04:33)
Yep,

no, that's right. So yeah, we just changed the name actually. So yeah, we switched it from the Team Hoyt Memorial, yes you can run together, to the Team Hoyt Taper. ⁓ Nice, short, and crisp.

Erika (1:04:36)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Flow's a little bit better, but yes.

Eric (1:04:46)
Right. And

perfectly play like it's like right at the beginning of your taper.

Erika (1:04:51)
Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (1:04:51)
yeah, yeah, it's

April 11th and it's at the Marathon Elementary School and it finishes at EMC Park in Hockington. And you get to run past Dick and Rick statue and then past the Boston Marathon start line. And then you loop back around and you finish at EMC Park. And yeah, it's going to be a great race, like just putting it on. ⁓ I never realized how logistically like you have to ⁓

Erika (1:05:03)
⁓

Troy Hoyt (1:05:20)
like plan things, but luckily our previous race director who retired, he pretty much retired to spend time with his family. I'll give him a shout out to Mike Geelongo. He set the foundation and this was the race was Dave's, Dave McGilvery's idea. So that's how it started. And then Dave and Mike were like, oh, we could do this, this and this. And then my dad was working with them. And then I was like, oh, that's cool. I want to like join in on the fun and

Erika (1:05:21)
Mmm.

Mm-hmm.

wow.

Troy Hoyt (1:05:50)
do that so they got it started and then I ended up taking it over but yeah it's April 11th a five mile run a two mile walk there's gonna be a kids fun run as well and the big selling point there's gonna be a beer garden at the end yeah no that'll be fun ⁓ we want to see as many duos as we can we're actually gonna have one of our ⁓ big chapters around here team team Hoyt New England

Erika (1:06:05)
there we go.

Eric (1:06:05)
Big selling point.

Troy Hoyt (1:06:17)
They're going to be showing up and they're going to have quite a bit of duos. ⁓ I believe ⁓ Mike, who does our running chairs, is going to be running as well. I think he's going to be running solo, but I believe he will be ⁓ at the race. So it's going to be a fun time.

Erika (1:06:27)
awesome.

Very cool.

Eric (1:06:35)
Yeah, you got a five mile run if you're not a runner, but you want to support you got a two mile walk. You got the kids run. You got beer. You got an ice cream truck. I mean, you kind of got it all here for a fundraise. It has a 10 a.m. start. That's perfect for someone like me. ⁓ Erica too. We know some friends who might be sleeping by then because they wake up way too early. What is Hoyt Break Hill?

Erika (1:06:40)
Yeah, there's something for everything. And the beer garden.

Yeah.

And me. Not a morning person.

You

Troy Hoyt (1:07:00)
So Hoyt Break Hill is kind of our spin-off of Heartbreak Hill and when Rick was alive he was the original race director. They ran everything by him and he was just like, yep, yep, yep, do it, do it, do We're like, Rick, do you even understand what we're doing right now? He's like, well yeah, it's just the race. So we mapped out the course and

Erika (1:07:04)
Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (1:07:24)
Mike was like, you know, there's a really steep hill. It's like comparable to part of Heartbreak Hill. And Rick's like, yeah, add it. We want it. Perfect. And I was like, all right. So my first year that I physically ran the race, I was like, oh, this can't be bad. And I'm like, oh crap, what goes down must go up. So we didn't have a name for the hill the first year, but the second and last year, we called it Hoitbreak Hill.

Eric (1:07:44)
Mm-hmm.

Erika (1:07:53)
Perfection.

Troy Hoyt (1:07:54)
Last year, we really stepped it up and Dave McGilvery's foundation sponsored The Hill, so he had pictures of Rick made laughing and smiling posted up and down The Hill, so that way when you're cursing out Rick for The Hill, because Rick was like, it's not that hard, it'll be easy. We're like, easy for you to say, but that's how we came up with Hoit Break Hill and we put pictures of him going up and down it so you can curse him out when you're going up the easy hill.

Erika (1:08:08)
Ha ha!

Eric (1:08:23)
I love that. Yeah.

Erika (1:08:24)
It's perfection. There is no

better name for that.

Troy Hoyt (1:08:28)
But yeah, and also funny enough for the name of your podcast, we're gonna be doing a discount code of I believe 25 % if you use code brown if you sign up for the race. So.

Eric (1:08:40)
love that. Using code

brown as a discount code. That's awesome. So this is on the 11th. So for anyone running Boston or anyone not running Boston, it's one full weekend before. So this is perfect. If you're doing a taper, but you want to do a race in the community. It's so awesome. That's really cool. I'm to see if I can make that and bring the kids for my daughter for that kids run, because it's one weekend after skiing's over and we got to like start running off on a hard start.

Troy Hoyt (1:08:53)
Right. yeah, perfect to taper.

Erika (1:09:06)
There you go.

Troy Hoyt (1:09:08)
There's free ice cream

too if your kids like ice cream. We're gonna have an all you can eat ice trap too.

Eric (1:09:10)
Yo, my kids like ice cream.

Insane. My kids would eat that whole truck, man. They would. Well, listen, man, this has been incredible. I really hope we can have Team Hoyt on every year and talk to some great people here, but like we didn't even dive that deep into it. They ran over 1100 races, 32 Boss Marathons, six Ironmans, like the whole yes, you can. We talked about it like growing up. I knew about your grandfather and your uncle as a kid, and I didn't know about many people besides

Erika (1:09:14)
Wow.

Troy Hoyt (1:09:18)
That's funny

Eric (1:09:43)
the entire Boston Bruins roster, the Boston Marathon, and your uncle and your grandfather. So that was pretty much me growing up, knowing like what I remember was sports. And it's super cool to meet you, have this connection, thanks to Dan the man. But you are not off the hook yet. We have two final questions and we need to first shout out these questions are brought to you by our awesome friends at MyRaceTats. So thank you so much, Don at MyRaceTats.

Troy Hoyt (1:09:50)
You

Erika (1:09:51)
Yeah.

Troy Hoyt (1:10:00)
⁓ boy.

Eric (1:10:12)
This is actually the very first time we're ever saying that on this for any recording. So you have the honor, but Dawn from My Race Tats is incredible and they're bringing us the final two questions in the guest segment. And I am going to let Erica go first, but I'm going to tease you my question. I am looking for a hot take. So if you have a hot take, it can be fun and silly like pineapple doesn't belong on pizza, or it can be something along the lines of, yes, you can, but I'll let Erica go first this

Erika (1:10:42)
Mine, swear is not that bad. Eric tends to differ sometimes, but we have a Spotify playlist and we like to invite our guests to add a song to it. So is there anything that, that you think embodies the team Hoyt spirit that would fit well on our playlist?

Troy Hoyt (1:10:56)
Freebird 100 %

Eric (1:10:58)
Yes.

Erika (1:10:59)
Yes, wonderful.

Eric (1:10:59)
Wait, are we talking the USA goal song free bird version or the original?

Troy Hoyt (1:11:05)
It depends. mean, I like the original because the guitar solo like I really jam out to that like But yeah, I could say you could do the ⁓ the USA the Olympic version

Erika (1:11:07)
you

I know it's-

Eric (1:11:19)
This one.

Troy Hoyt (1:11:24)
yeah, and then you gotta start doing.

Erika (1:11:26)
a little something extra.

Eric (1:11:28)
I'm sure you watch the USA games both for men and women it's incredible Love it absolutely love it

Troy Hoyt (1:11:29)
Ha

yeah.

Now I feel like I gotta go run a marathon.

Eric (1:11:40)
Yes.

Erika (1:11:42)
Let's go!

Eric (1:11:44)
All right. So my question is, I want a hot take. Listen, this is the year of hot takes, I think, and I think a lot of people have really set the tone here, but some people have had a lot of fun too. But what is a hot take you have for the year 2026?

Troy Hoyt (1:12:00)
That's a tough one. Geez, that's a, yeah, wow. That is a, I mean, I have a hot take that I have with my friend, like, and it has to do with grilling. We go back and forth, like, because we like to grill a lot. ⁓ So I always like to pan sear my steak and then put it on the grill to get that extra.

Erika (1:12:03)
He should have prepped you. He should have, but hey. Take your time.

Eric (1:12:04)
I know, I did a bad job with that one.

Troy Hoyt (1:12:23)
Lines on it and the flavor and he's like if you're gonna pan sear it just cook it and I'm like no That's not how you cook steak like that is no That's an abomination to steak lovers you pan sear it and then you put it on the grill and then you cut it open and eat it and That's been my biggest hot take this year on with

Eric (1:12:40)
I like that. I love that.

Erika (1:12:42)
I'm on board with that. am 100 %

on board with that.

Eric (1:12:44)
What do you add on the

steak? Like, do you have a seasoning you put on it or do you put any, like, do you marinate it in something for days?

Troy Hoyt (1:12:51)
⁓ So usually if I'm marinate it I'll do ⁓ it's kind of a weird marinade. It's a Coca-Cola Italian dressing ketchup and Just a little bit of salt and pepper and Then let it sit for a few days and it's ⁓ it's so good

Erika (1:13:06)
All right.

Eric (1:13:06)
Nice.

Erika (1:13:10)
I know the Coke,

the Coca Cola is supposed to make it really tender, like it tenderizes it. So that's, that's a key.

Troy Hoyt (1:13:14)
Yeah, it like almost takes

it takes the fat off, but it also absorbs the sugar. So it's like the best of both worlds

Erika (1:13:20)
⁓ I'll try that. 100%.

Troy Hoyt (1:13:22)
But if you wanted a little bit of

a lesser hot take, it's I think like, when you're running, like... It might have just been my cross-country team, but I don't get why people wear the tights and then put shorts on over them. Just wear the tights.

Erika (1:13:41)
Just wear the tights.

Eric (1:13:41)
It's actually a great

hot take and I put shorts over and I don't know why I just feel like I don't want to see pictures of me in tights.

Erika (1:13:50)
It makes, I feel

like it makes it a little more modest because the tights tend to show a lot of things if you know what I mean. So that could be it, but, but it is a lot of layers. So.

Troy Hoyt (1:13:56)
Okay, that's fair. That's fair.

Eric (1:13:58)
I guess

if you got it, show it. ⁓

We had a guest a while ago and I like to say, and I'll say to you later, like send me some of your favorite running photos or just photos for this podcast. And this guest sent a few photos and I was like, ⁓ I can't use that. I got to crop it off. And Erica sees it and she goes, ⁓

Erika (1:14:28)
I your eyes just go to it.

Eric (1:14:29)
This is the podcast for that. I'll tell you, this is the podcast for that. 98.5, the

sports hub might not be for that. Tell me real quick about your experience at the sports hub.

Troy Hoyt (1:14:40)
God, was, wow, yeah, that was like another surreal, like, am I actually here? Like, I'm just like, I walked through the door and like my first thought was, I'm just a kid from Bill Rikka, how did I end up here? And then they're like, they sit us down, you walk through and it's 98.5, the sports hub plastered everywhere. And like, I also listened to the other, some of the other stations that they have on that broadcasting company, so.

Erika (1:14:54)
Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (1:15:07)
You're sitting there looking around and it's like, there's Felger and Baz, there's Hot 96.9, all these other stations, Country 1025, and I'm like, how did I get here? And then the people from 98.5 come in and they're like, all right, you guys ready to go? And we're walking around. They're like, that's so-and-so. They cover the Celtics, they cover the Patriots, they cover the Bruins. And I'm like, this is fricking awesome. Just walking around. And then they're like, all right.

sit down in the studio, now you gotta record and I was like, I gotta go, you lost me at that. Yeah, was like this, like no problem, but that's like, it was pre-recorded, but still like there's a camera, the lights and I'm like, ⁓ God, it says like the station name on the back, I'm like, this can't be happening right now, but it was just the coolest thing, one of the coolest things I should say that I've ever experienced and just to be able to

Erika (1:15:44)
No pressure, man.

Troy Hoyt (1:16:06)
like actually be in the radio station and not even just like 98.5 but like I listened to 96.9 a lot and to meet Pebbles and ⁓ Ramiro I was like I listen to you every day at work and now I'm seeing you in person and ⁓ I think Leroy was there too I was like alright this is cool I was like I'll tune in tomorrow too like you better and I was like I will I promise I promise

Erika (1:16:14)
Mm-hmm.

How cool.

Eric (1:16:32)
That had to be awesome. I remember when that station started, I lived in Charlotte and I would listen on the app on my phone when apps just started to come out. man, must feel like you really took a deep dive down going from the sports hub to the On the Runs podcast. I apologize. I apologize.

Erika (1:16:32)
fan for life.

Troy Hoyt (1:16:49)
No, this is-

I've never been on a podcast. Well, I mean, we had one that fizzled out, but I've never been like a guest, so this was like super cool.

Eric (1:16:58)
It's fun. It's fun. you're,

Erika (1:16:58)
Well, we hope it was fun. We have fun.

So we are only a few short weeks away from the big Boston Marathon, and we know how special that can be. But what are your plans? Are you going to just be hanging out? Like, there's going to be the fan fest? Or are you just going to try to focus on your own race? But what do you have going on? And then will we be able to see you, hopefully?

Troy Hoyt (1:17:19)
⁓ yeah, so we'll be going in Friday afternoon after And it's going to be a crazy weekend. The Friday of that weekend, we're going to, I believe we're going to a BAA kickoff event at night where they have all the ⁓ charity partners, charities and partners and Bank of America there and you just kind of mingle, try to make connections, whatnot. And then Saturday,

Erika (1:17:39)
Mm-hmm.

awesome.

Troy Hoyt (1:17:45)
you'd be able to catch me at the BAA 5k. We're gonna do that in the morning. ⁓ We're trying to get most of our team, I don't know who signed up or who didn't, but we're gonna try and coordinate that, run as a team. And then ⁓ afterwards, I believe I'm just gonna try and go get my number and we're gonna just walk around Boston, probably hit up FanFest, see if we can like run into you guys, say what's up, maybe take a picture. ⁓

Erika (1:17:50)
Excellent.

Eric (1:18:10)
Come to the fan fest.

Erika (1:18:10)
Excellent.

Eric (1:18:11)
We'll be there at six 30. We'll actually know we'll be there starting around. Yeah, but we'll actually be there starting around four o'clock with news. can't share yet with the people, but we will soon.

Troy Hoyt (1:18:13)
630? Okay.

Erika (1:18:13)
Well, I'm sure I'm sure we'll be hanging around. Yeah.

Troy Hoyt (1:18:19)
Okay.

Erika (1:18:22)
you

Troy Hoyt (1:18:23)
Sweet,

yeah. And then after that, Saturday night, we go to the BA Gives Back event where they're actually going to be handing out the, I believe it's the third or the fourth year. Actually, no, it'll be the sixth year because it started with my first marathon. That's right, that's how I can remember that. The Dick and Rick Hoyt Award, they're going to be handing that out and it's going to be going to Susan Hurley who just recently passed away that was in charge of charity teams.

Erika (1:18:40)
Huh.

Troy Hoyt (1:18:51)
So couldn't think of a better person to be able to give the award to. So we'll be doing that on Saturday. And then Sunday, we'll be going to, she has a brunch that she would put on every year that her kids are gonna continue. And that's for all the charity teams that she would work with. And then after that, we're gonna have our, we call it our world famous because we think it's the best pasta ever. We're gonna have pasta dinner for our,

Erika (1:19:08)
⁓

⁓ huh.

Troy Hoyt (1:19:20)
Marathon team at the Sheridan Hotel. So hopefully that'll wrap it up and everybody will be nice and carb loaded up ready to go for Monday. But yeah, if you see me. yeah, if you see me walking around, though, feel free to come over and say hi. Say what's up. Take a picture. We might even have some team Hoyt swag to hand out. Who knows?

Erika (1:19:29)
Very good. And then yeah, big race.

We would love to.

Eric (1:19:40)
You'll be

easy to find because there's not many people walking around with a beard like that besides you and the bearded runner. And I think we should end on that. What is the game plan with this beard we got going on?

Troy Hoyt (1:19:43)
He

Erika (1:19:50)
you

Troy Hoyt (1:19:51)
Yup.

I mean I one day aspire to have it as long as Dan's the bearded runner, but you know We'll see where it goes. I mean I like to keep it somewhat tamed, but it's a little wild right now The after-hours beard, but I don't know I'm thinking maybe get it down to like here and then one year like he always does I want to try and run as Forrest Gump because I think that would be freaking hilarious so

Erika (1:20:03)
you

Yeah.

Eric (1:20:08)
Yeah. Yeah.

Erika (1:20:20)
Yes. We gotta get the two of you running together. Be like Twin Forest

Eric (1:20:20)
Right. Right.

Erika (1:20:24)
Gumps. Mm-hmm.

Eric (1:20:25)
That would be cool. That would

Troy Hoyt (1:20:26)
That would be

Eric (1:20:26)
be

Troy Hoyt (1:20:26)
awesome.

Eric (1:20:27)
cool. Dan did it really well last year and I love how he kind of kept it a secret, but we knew because he gave us an assignment and we did it. We had the whole like, what are you running for? You running for world peace? solve hunger or whatever. I just felt like running.

Erika (1:20:31)
Mm-hmm.

Troy Hoyt (1:20:32)
yeah.

Erika (1:20:44)
Mm-hmm. Well,

Troy, before we let you go, we have to just let you know we're going to have a cheer station on the runner's left side, mile 19.2, right by the Johnny Kelly statue. We usually set up camp right there, and we will be cheering our faces off for you guys and all of Team Hoyt.

Troy Hoyt (1:20:58)
Okay

Awesome, yeah, we'll be wearing tie-dye colored singlets, so I'll send you guys a picture.

Eric (1:21:04)
Yeah.

Love it.

We'll be looking for you. be tracking. We'll have our banner hanging on one of the barricades there because the police let us do it because they're amazing. And we'll have a cooler full of drinks and food or snacks or whatever you.

Erika (1:21:10)
Please do.

Troy Hoyt (1:21:16)
⁓ wow.

Erika (1:21:22)
just say waters

and like mini cokes, because that's the easiest thing and you guys can stop by if you need anything. We'll probably have some little snacks like, like, I don't know, something to give out, but you guys can hit us up as an extra aid station and we're happy to help.

Troy Hoyt (1:21:33)
totally.

Eric (1:21:36)
Yeah.

Troy Hoyt (1:21:36)
I'll definitely

make sure I stop by, take a picture, or have one of you guys take a picture and send it to me because I won't have my phone.

Erika (1:21:39)
Please do!

Eric (1:21:40)
Absolutely. might even be live

streaming. Absolutely. We might even be live streaming it. So, we're going to try. We're going to try some amazing things. Yeah. Yeah. So.

Erika (1:21:43)
Absolutely.

Troy Hoyt (1:21:47)
really?

Erika (1:21:47)
Gotta see what our capabilities are.

Troy Hoyt (1:21:50)
That would be awesome. I know we're

starting after 11, so I'm sure it'll be right when the huge crowd of people are coming through, but I'll make sure to stop by.

Erika (1:21:59)
Please do.

Eric (1:21:59)
Awesome.

I can't wait to do it. I can't wait to see you and we'll let's go for a run together because we realized we're all really close. Living and working reasons, you know, places. So this was a lot of fun. Dan, man, Dan, the running man. Thank you so much, dude. Or for, Eric is like, who did the running man, Danny? Thank you so much for like, for like saying, Hey, you should have Troy on.

Troy Hoyt (1:22:08)
Yeah, definitely.

Erika (1:22:08)
you

Oh, I'm like...

Troy Hoyt (1:22:18)
Yeah, shout out to Dan. ⁓

Erika (1:22:21)
him Dan I'm like my god no

Eric (1:22:26)
And then it's just, you and I kind of had fun the last couple of weeks and months chatting. So this is a lot of fun. I, going forward, I would love to feature someone from Team Hoyt every year for Boston weeks, because I want to, we, we want to be part of what helps you guys continue to grow the legacy that your grandfather and your uncle built.

Erika (1:22:26)
you

Troy Hoyt (1:22:46)
Awesome, yeah, I'll definitely ⁓ forward that to the rest of our team. ⁓ I can't see why that wouldn't happen, because I'm sure they'd love to be on. So yeah, I'm sure we can make that happen.

Eric (1:22:58)
Awesome guys. I hope you enjoyed that. that was wicked awesome. Troy Hoyt from Team Hoyt on the On the Runs podcast.

Troy Hoyt (1:23:06)
Thanks for having me guys, it was great.

Erika (1:23:12)
Troy, thank you so, much for coming on the pod. It was so awesome to get to know you and it's just been such a blast. We really do need to schedule that run soon, but maybe we can just do it after Boston as like a celebration victory lap of your victory lap. But we also, there we go. That's going to be so much fun. But we also have to shout out My Race Tats again for sponsoring the guest segment and we really appreciate everything you're doing for us. So thank you and thanks again, Troy.

Eric (1:23:25)
Let's get a recap on the Yes.

That was incredible. Also don't forget Troy and team Hoyt have a race coming up. It's called the team Hoyt taper. It's on Saturday, April 11th. That is the weekend before the Boston marathon, but two Saturdays before. If you use the code code Brown, you get 25 % off. If you type it in the first time, it doesn't work. Like change up, maybe don't do all caps or do all under case try it. It's there. It's active, but I even had that problem this weekend trying to get a discount on.

camping and I had to do all caps. it's the code is code Brown and that will get you 25 % off the team Hoyt taper and Hoppington. got finisher prizes, a beer garden, ice cream truck. It's a five mile run or two mile walk. And there's even a little kids run or kids race. So that would be awesome. We won't be there because you're leaving for California.

Erika (1:24:09)
Mmm.

Something for everyone.

I am. That's the day I come home and sadly I won't be back in time.

Eric (1:24:36)
But you're gonna, you're not going to do this next year. You're going to be all in on Boston. All yeah, you're going to be full time Monday night media, full time content creator. You are on payroll, but Hey, that was fantastic. Troy again. Thank you so much. What I loved about that was a couple of years ago, we actually talked a lot about Rick and Dick Hoyt and

Erika (1:24:41)
All in baby. in. Put me on payroll. Let's go.

you

Eric (1:25:00)
And I was just bummed because we were never going to have them. Right? And so we would never get to hear their stories and we would just probably hear stories from others. There's no one else better to share those stories than Troy. Yeah. So that was shh. Yeah, that was, as you like to say, chef's kiss. The story about his wife when he did a training run. And then she stands up, surprise.

Erika (1:25:04)
Mm-hmm.

Absolutely.

He's an excellent storyteller too.

Mm-hmm.

⁓ my God.

Eric (1:25:31)
He did really good. absolutely delivered on those stories and it's super cool. So yeah, he's local. I understand his raffle night did go very well and check out the team Hoit Trapper. And thank you Dan the man, Dan the running man. kind of, he sent me a DM. says, you should really have Troy. And I was like, I really should. You're right. I made it. Usually when people tell me that I wait and I vet them out. I checked them out. I was like, no way in here. Troy, what's up? I'm on the podcast.

Erika (1:25:39)
great.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Eric (1:26:01)
So that was cool. You know what else was not cool?

Erika (1:26:03)
Mm-hmm.

You're chafing? Let's get into that.

Eric (1:26:06)
Our ru- yeah,

our run the other day.

Erika (1:26:10)
You guys, let me preface this. It was last Thursday when it was like 66 degrees out. Such a beautiful running day. Yeah. You threw it out in the group chat. Like, Hey, can anybody go running? And I jumped on it. I was like, you want to run in the evening? That's my cup of tea. ⁓ yep. Yep. I was able to leave work on time and I was just like, yep. Get me outside.

Eric (1:26:17)
I wanted to go running!

like a four o'clock and I think we settle for four forty five. ⁓

Erika (1:26:38)
It's beautiful. can wear shorts. I had shorts and a tank top on. ⁓ absolutely gorgeous. So I was in my element. Eric was not having such a great time.

Eric (1:26:48)
So here's the deal. About a year ago, I talked to Herm about this on the podcast. Shorts with the underwear inside, or you just get the spandex underwear to where we're running, they always get holes on the inner thighs. And I have to throw them, yeah, I have to always throw them out. So I made it through winter with just a couple pairs, because I was not running.

Erika (1:26:57)
Mm.

Do you like chafe through them? Is that what happens? ⁓ yeah.

Eric (1:27:17)
I didn't need a bunch. I would just use them going to Justin's house to work out. In fact, there was this one pair of like box of briefs I bought, sorry about the TMI, but box of briefs I bought that were like kind of athletic-y and they're perfect for working out. So I was just like, let's go running. And I thought I grabbed my last pair and I didn't. I was like, it's fine. I'll run in these cotton briefs. Four miles, not a big deal.

Erika (1:27:21)
Mm-hmm.

you

Okay.

huh. ⁓

Eric (1:27:46)
Well, let me tell you, of my alien, I was like, hold on.

Erika (1:27:50)
He had to stop

so many times during a four mile run. I was like, it's okay. We're still out here.

Eric (1:27:56)
they had to pull the briefs back down. They were like crunching up.

And eventually it was just like, I think I'll be fine. I'll go home and get some diaper cream rash. Right? Fix it up overnight. Well, guess what? The boys are not in diapers anymore. They haven't been in diapers for about a year. I pulled some out, but it's not the same. It wasn't the white, thick, creamy one. Did nothing. So you got

Erika (1:28:07)
Uh-huh.

So you don't have any? No.

Okay.

you need to have your own stash

now.

Eric (1:28:26)
You got

to get the dust in. It's this white thick one and it gets, if you know, you do a little bit on your fingers and then it spreads everywhere. It's nasty. It's hard to get off. Like you need to use the rough spot of a sponge to get it off. I mean, that's the one that works, but still today, Sunday night, I still have like, now it's the scabbing. So Friday, dude.

Erika (1:28:29)
Mm-hmm.

you

Mmm.

God. you must have had it so bad then if it's

like.

Eric (1:28:53)
I legit had one of those moments in the shower where it hits it and you're, want to scream, but you're like,

Erika (1:29:00)
I'm laughing because I can totally feel like I know what this feels like. It's it like hurts me just hearing about it. ⁓ f-

Eric (1:29:05)
Yeah.

And then, and then you don't

want to take a shower because you're like, no, you're like, I'll just stink all day or all weekend. I need a shower right now, by the way. But, and I did take one this morning, skied all day, incredible day. It never bothered me skiing. So we go skiing on Saturday. Friday was awful. We go skiing on Saturday, me and Tyler and walking like from the car to the lodge, just like you kind of get that wide step. It kind of just sucks. And then skied all day. No problem.

Erika (1:29:15)
you

Yeah

Yeah.

Eric (1:29:35)
And then today still like just a little bit. I know like tomorrow I'm going to be fine, but man, it was

Erika (1:29:44)
Oh, man. Those four miles ruined you, Ooh. Yeah, yeah. I get that. You got to invest in a lot of new underwear then. Uh-huh. Great. Yup. There you go. We better not be stopping as many times now during our next run whenever that is.

Eric (1:29:48)
That was me in the shower, by the way.

Yeah. ⁓ it was.

That night, I bought six new pairs on Amazon. Yeah, yeah. People buy me...

No, but they, need to buy more because they don't last. I don't know what the problem is, but they, get holes in the inside thighs.

Erika (1:30:18)
Thick thighs save lives.

Eric (1:30:20)
Yeah, yeah.

I got those thighs from the Man Aquarium.

Erika (1:30:26)
You got me in a grave?

Eric (1:30:28)
I got man aquarium thighs.

Erika (1:30:31)
Thank you for that. ⁓

Eric (1:30:35)
You've been

sending some great Man Aquarium content lately, by the way. Did you see the content of the one guy at the airport from Brooklyn? Come on. Come on. Everybody's had to have seen this. They're not bothering me. I'm just a regular guy from Brooklyn. As long as they can check my bags and get me out, I want to go to the Bahamas. Come on, guys. Tell me you've seen this. Tell me you've seen this. And now...

Erika (1:30:38)
Because that's all I see now. Ugh, I'm not mad at it.

Yes, yes.

If you sent it, I watched it.

Eric (1:31:02)
Do you, okay, actually in that group chat, that's an Instagram group chat. There's a few others in it. Do you watch everything everyone sends?

Erika (1:31:06)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Yes, I try to. I am one who will go and scroll back. And I do notice that some people don't. I'll be like, I sent that already. So there's a few times. But it's silly.

Eric (1:31:21)
It's so true!

I usually watch the most recent one. If there's like more than three, I only watch the most recent one. But I'm like, I think you guys like, you must watch everything I send because if I send it, it's good.

Erika (1:31:29)
Mm-hmm.

You can definitely tell somebody's sense of humor by what they send us.

Eric (1:31:40)
I've watched this one.

There's this

one reel. I was dying. It's of a wife looking at her phone as her husband's in the other room, dying laughing. And she's like, he's about to send me the most stupid reel in the world. And he thinks it's funny. And I was dying because I have some reels I watch and I relate and I fucking.

Erika (1:32:00)
you

you

Eric (1:32:10)
die

and I send it to someone and they're just like, yeah, no, no, no.

Erika (1:32:16)
See, I feel the same way because there's definitely things that I think are hysterical and I'm like, nobody liked it on the thing. I feel very shafted. Uh-huh. Right, right.

Eric (1:32:26)
I'm almost like if you didn't laugh at mine, I'm offended. I'm absolutely offended. So it was

like, what a great, what a great, like that, that dude going viral. I love that he went viral because I felt like just regular guy from Brooklyn. I just want to go to the Bahamas.

What a guy. ⁓ you know who else is an amazing guy? Who I wish would go viral? Our boy Jason.

Erika (1:32:51)
Do tell.

my God, I've been following along on his Arizona Monster journey all weekend long. He started last Friday. And if this is dropping Tuesday, I don't even know where he'll be at. Will he be done by then? the... Miles, smiles are hard. He's having a rough time, but he's getting there. He's getting it.

Eric (1:33:11)
Well, I'll tell you once. Well,

I'll tell you what, he's not having a rough time right now. He's figuring it out on Saturday night. He's like, I'm now chasing cutoffs and I was getting worried. And he's like, I'm so tired. It's so hot. But then on Sunday night, he's like, Hey, I'm in good spirits. got way ahead of the cutoffs. got a 45 minute nap. This plan is working. And then he has time to show you some cool views.

Erika (1:33:17)
Well,

It was really hot when he started, yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Eric (1:33:39)
And he's like, I really thought I was going slow. I'm not even at a hundred miles yet. And the pros who were out there with them saying like, no dude, you're doing this right. You're doing it the right way. attitude in a 24 hour span went way up. When you would think it would probably go down. I mean, you're running 300 miles.

Erika (1:33:48)
Yup.

I think he hit the low part

early just because he's so used to, he's an excellent ultra runner. So he's used to performing really well. Like he could do a sub 24, 100. Easy. I think it's easy for him, he can tell otherwise. he was not moving as quickly as he thought he could, but he did say it was a hundred degrees. Like it's like an oven.

Eric (1:34:12)
Yeah.

Erika (1:34:23)
So you have to listen to your body. And he was having trouble keeping food down. Or he was drinking the liquids, but it was just the solid food that he was having an issue with. But he got it figured out. He's moving well now. So I'm just going to be glued to that tracker and his updates. You're crushing it, dude. Keep going, Jason.

Eric (1:34:44)
Right. I'm like watching every second. I'm sometimes going back watching again analyzing his story. I know he's not posting a lot because he's no well he's got work to do and there's no internet. But did you see Andy? Andy Glaze our boy Andy Glaze. He has someone pacing him carrying a Starlink.

Erika (1:34:46)
incredible.

Yeah.

Well, he's got work to do. He's got a job to do. That's...

Mm-hmm.

no shit.

Eric (1:35:07)
Yeah,

so his Pacers carry a Starlink. So they can post content! When you do that, Erika, I won't give you any more shit.

Erika (1:35:10)
Well, definitely works out. ⁓

How big is a Starlink? like he needs... ⁓

Eric (1:35:21)
It straps right on a backpack. was like as big

as ⁓ your laptop screen.

Erika (1:35:27)
interesting. I didn't see that, but that makes a lot of sense. Because I have been seeing a lot of his content too, and he's moving along too. But did you know we have a third pod fam who is actually there? We didn't realize.

Eric (1:35:28)
Yeah.

Check out Andy's stuff.

Yes,

I've been following everything. Every pod fam, I follow every move they make. I know Brady's there.

Erika (1:35:49)
You're way better at that than me. Brady.

I am sad that I missed it in the beginning, but wow, I've been following along with him and holy shit. Like you guys are just so bad ass to me. Like a 300 mile race is a huge undertaking in itself. And just like we know three people doing it. Mind is blown.

Eric (1:36:14)
Mind blown.

Well, you know what else blew my mind this weekend was, ⁓ all that drama on Instagram. You can, maybe you can't. Wow. I want to make a few initial comments. First I want to say is, so Emma Bates, I did, I think did something very brave because she could have not have said anything and

Erika (1:36:22)
aha.

⁓ boy. ⁓ boy. ⁓

Uh-huh.

Mm-hmm.

Eric (1:36:46)
No one would have known, but also she probably wouldn't have broken any bridges, but she was very brave saying something that she believed in. ⁓ pretty common. There's three sides to every story, right? There's her side. There there's their side. And then there's the truth. I want to hear more and I'm going to hold my opinion. I do think going forward, we should give opinions on things like these. We should either support.

Erika (1:36:50)
Mm-hmm.

Okay.

Eric (1:37:16)
Or say, you know, I'm not saying like go against anybody, but she's going to go on the Ali on the run podcast on Tuesday. And I want to hear her story. And let me tell you, I've gone on, I've gone back and forth. I thought this is unbelievable. I can't believe they did that to what I don't think they would do that. And now that she's going on another, like.

Erika (1:37:24)
huh. Okay.

I want to hear her story.

Eric (1:37:40)
the ultimate running podcast of all running podcasts. I want to hear her story. will say this.

Erika (1:37:43)
Mm-hmm.

Eric (1:37:47)
true or not. feel like you can't go wrong with supporting her and she's pregnant. You're like, Hey, you're pregnant. Have a, can have this energy, like going to get you through that labor. You know, like, right. Why would I, the whole Kara Gosher thing with Nike, the swoosh. I love that Kara doesn't even say the word Nike. She just calls it the swoosh. Like

Erika (1:38:01)
Doesn't that make sense? huh.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Ugh.

I read

her book. Yeah, she goes into it.

Eric (1:38:19)
We were actually talking with a guest dropping next week who was also talking about how they had to perform for their sponsors and they wouldn't get money. I like the idea of bonuses. Give them a salary with bonuses, but they can still promote your brand if they're competing at the highest level or not. So

Erika (1:38:26)
The tracks are

Mm-hmm.

See, that would

be the smartest thing a brand can do, but a lot of them don't. So it's stupid in my...

Eric (1:38:45)
I don't understand why.

And it sounds like from you can is they did try to negotiate something, but they probably did that after they found out. So, as I said, there's, there's three sides to every story. I think what she did was brave because. And I'm happy she's coming out to tell her story, but I think it was brave because she took a chance on potentially.

Erika (1:38:58)
Sounds like a PR spin. Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Eric (1:39:14)
Other companies out there saying, you know what? I don't want to sponsor you because you, after we drop you, for whatever reason, you'll come out and say this. And that had to be a tough choice. She definitely knew that before she made that post.

Erika (1:39:29)
Mm-hmm.

Eric (1:39:31)
But she made the post, I hope, for all the right reasons. And I think, like, the overall positivity of everyone supporting her is winning right now. So I'm really curious to see what she's going to say. I think it's stupid for brands not to support you even when you're pregnant. And I think she's gotten a lot of brands already saying, want to, you know, I saw the feed. The feed's like, we're in your DMs, by the way. So, yeah.

Erika (1:39:49)
Mm-hmm.

Absolutely. I love the feed. Yeah.

I just think there's a lot of shady business practices going on behind the scenes because they're all like, like confidential contracts that we're not allowed to see. So what the hell do we know? They could say whatever they want, but unless that contract comes out, I'm not, I'm not like inclined to believe corporate companies.

Eric (1:39:58)
So I couldn't be...

They're never gonna say yes. They we did it cuz she pregnant. They're never gonna say that even if they did But they're never actually gonna say it to her like ⁓ I mean maybe they did like maybe someone behind the scenes who's like pissed off at their boss said by the way They dropped you because of this so I'm really interested to hear what she has to say I Yeah, I would say we're runners first podcast. We support the runners over

Erika (1:40:21)
Of course not. It's gonna tank them. Uh-uh. That's why they're trying to save face.

I don't know. We're sorry, Emma. This is tough. It shouldn't have happened.

Eric (1:40:48)
the companies and I am loving the support I'm seeing. I'm just really curious to hear as this old famous storyteller used to always say, the rest of the story.

I, I also found

Erika (1:40:59)
I'll be listening to her episode on Allie.

Eric (1:41:02)
I even think Hillary, running up that Hillary posted that Emma ran like a 225 marathon when pregnant, like just a few months ago. Like, if you're a company and she's taking your product, be like, look, she takes our product and she's pregnant and she's kicking ass. So.

Erika (1:41:02)
Mm-hmm.

Ooh, that's so fast.

I will be listening to what she has to say on Ali's show. That's going to be a good one.

Eric (1:41:29)
And I love that Allie has the platform to do that and to allow someone like her to get their story out. Cause you can't just get it out on one post. So that's going to be great to hear. I'm excited and I'm excited for Boston weeks because we're two episodes a week every week for the entire month of April. And we have another amazing local runner running the Boston marathon on the pod coming this Friday. So guys,

Erika (1:41:37)
Mm-hmm.

Mm.

Absolutely.

It's kicked off! Yes!

Eric (1:41:57)
We're going to drop an episode every Tuesday and Friday throughout the rest of April. Also, March madness has not finished yet. We've only gotten through the first round of voting and Erica, let me tell you, you're taking over this next year. You're going to make, I'll, I'll edit the podcast, but but you're going to do all the Instagram stories, the polls. This is our matchup.

Erika (1:42:12)
Yeah. Fair enough. Yup.

Eric (1:42:22)
You are, I'm telling you right now, if we want to do March Madness next year, I will edit the episode, but you will do the pairings and you will do this story post. And I got some shit for the Boston Marathon medal, not just on our recording. Cause you guys were like, use the wrong metal. I use the metal that I was given.

Erika (1:42:25)
you

Okay.

You got it.

Eric (1:42:47)
And I was told I did the Boston Marathon dirty by not posting last year's medal. Well, guys, nobody sent us last year's medal. So it didn't make the cut.

Erika (1:43:00)
See that's how it works.

Eric (1:43:02)
And one of the people telling me I did them dirty ran last year's Boston Marathon, had the medal, could have sent the medal.

you

Erika (1:43:13)
See, that could have been easily remedied. Just send us your medals. But it's too late now. It is what it is.

Eric (1:43:21)
thought about subbing it out and switching it but Boston won so did catch up to cancer so did the buckle and the train spike

Erika (1:43:26)
Mmm. ⁓ okay.

⁓ excellent. OK. Got some choices.

Eric (1:43:34)
Right. So on

Monday will be a few more, let Tokyo and the beach bum and a few others. So over the next few days, you will have the rest of March madness. And we'll talk about the winner on a Friday's episode. How about that?

Erika (1:43:46)
Sounds great.

Eric (1:43:47)
Anyways,

Erica, save this podcast, take us home, we gotta go. It's gonna be a busy week and a busy month.

Erika (1:43:49)
you

Well, I'm so excited. This has been such an excellent kickoff to Boston Weeks. You guys are going to be so excited to hear what we have next for you. We have to thank My Race Tats one more time for sponsoring the guest segment. And thank you for listening. As always, you know we love you.

Eric (1:44:10)
Don't fear the code brown!

Erika (1:44:12)
and don't forget to stretch.

Eric (1:44:14)
you

Okay, ice cream?

What? No ice cream? There's no ice cream?

Why? Because you pooped your pants.

Erika (1:45:24)
You gotta keep this part.

Eric (1:45:24)
Said he doesn't get ice

cream because he pooped his pants.

Erika (1:45:28)
That's going to be the blooper. Because I'm thinking like, ⁓ ice cream. I could go for some ice cream, but you don't get ice cream because you pooped your pants.

Eric (1:45:36)
go to the bathroom i'll be there in two minutes yeah it is google yeah it's cool that little poop

Erika (1:45:44)
What?

Eric (1:45:46)
I'm gonna give him an ice cream. Alright, let's wrap up.