Empowering people with disabilities through running

Every Ability. Every Mile. Together.

Team Hoyt Denver pairs runner athletes with rider athletes who are pushed to the finish line in specialized wheelchairs. Joy. Teamwork. The shared thrill of crossing — and no one left on the sidelines.

Join the Team Support the Mission →

Team Hoyt Denver, in plain language

Inclusive racing in Denver, built around the athlete.

Team Hoyt Denver is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving the Denver metro area and Colorado Front Range. The team pairs rider athletes — athletes with disabilities who participate in specialized racing chairs — with trained runner athletes so they can take on running races together.

See how to take part → Read participation FAQs →

MILE 01 Ways to join N°01 / 05

Three lanes.
One finish line.

Ride with the Team

Athletes with disabilities are the heart of every race. Join the roster, get matched with runners, and take the line at events across the Denver metro, all at no cost.

Become a rider athlete

Power the Team

Runner athletes power the racing chair to the finish line. Run alongside, volunteer on race day, cheer from the course, or champion the mission in your community. Every supporter widens the team.

Run or Volunteer

Support the Team

Sponsors and donors keep the wheels turning — racing chairs, race registrations, hospitality, uniforms, and the work behind every start line.

Donate to the team

Rider athletes on the team

Races on the 2026 calendar

5K→26.2

Race distances we run

Cost for rider athletes

MILE 02 Our inspiration

— THE HOYT LEGACY · SINCE 1977

A father. A son. A stubborn idea.

In 1977, Rick Hoyt was born a spastic quadriplegic, confined to a wheelchair. He told his father Dick — who had never competed in a running race — that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile benefit run for a paralyzed lacrosse player.

When we were running, it felt like my disability disappeared. — Rick Hoyt, after the first race

Over the next thirty years, Rick and Dick competed in more than 1,000 races, including 32 Boston Marathons and 6 Ironmans. In 2013 they were awarded the ESPY Jimmy V Perseverance Award. Team Hoyt Denver carries that legacy to the Denver metro area — a separate and distinct legal entity from Team Hoyt and The Hoyt Foundation, Inc.

MILE 03 Our rider athletes

Meet the people at the heart of every race.

Every athlete on the team brings their own story to the line. Here are four of the people who make race day what it is.

Jaxson

Jaxson is a happy, healthy and inspiring 14-year-old freshman at Bear Creek High School. He has a form of cerebral palsy that includes involuntary movements, a visual impairment and seizure disorder.

Maxon

Maxon loves being part of the action — having his dad push him and competing with the whole family.

Brandon

Brandon is a 41-year-old athlete who keeps the Christmas spirit alive all year — his decorations never come down. When he isn't celebrating the season, he's cheering on the Colorado Rockies and Green Bay Packers, catching a hockey game, or rapping along to 50 Cent, and his faith and friends mean everything to him.

Jack

Jack is a joyful and curious four-year-old with quadriplegic cerebral palsy who lights up every room with his smile and sense of humor. Whether he is ringing his cowbell in a road race or cheering through a snowy sit-ski run, Jack shows that ability comes in many forms.

35 rider athletes on the 2026 roster — and we're always growing the team.

Meet every athlete →

MILE 04 2026 race calendar N°04 / 05

The 2026 season.

September 27, 2026 ● NEXT UP

See the full calendar →

FINISH Show up

Lace up. Show up. Race.

Runner athlete. Rider athlete. Family. Sponsor. Volunteer. The team is built from people who decided to show up. Today's a good day to start.

Get involved Donate now

Every Ability. Every Mile. Together.

Inclusive racing in Denver, built around the athlete.