Pastor Brian Horrobin spoke to the Rotary Club of Wallaceburg on Thursday, March 5th.
Brian graduated from the University of Windsor and completed his seminary in Toronto.
After graduating, he served as pastor in Petrolia for four years, and was called to Wallaceburg in 1992 for a 4-month contract in the First Baptist Church; he has now been here for 22 years, so far.
Brian has been very actively involved in many different things in his church and in the community, including many fundraising activities.
Brian spoke to us about the Boston Marathon, which is the oldest marathon in North America. It is a very big event; bigger than the Super Bowl. This year there will be about 30,000 runners; and over 1 million spectators along the route.
Brian has been walking and running all his life, starting in Grade 4. As a teenager, he ran in many races and completed a number of marathons. After he got married and began raising a family, he got away from competing in races, but started getting back into it in recent years.
This year he has qualified to run the Boston Marathon and was able to get his number. It is a unique race, not open to anyone. To qualify, a runner must be able to run the distance within a specified time. This year it is a bit easier for him to get in – for his age group he would have to best a time of just under 3 hours 30 minutes.
When he ran this distance in May, he did it in 3 hours 15 minutes.
He is very excited about running the marathon and qualifying is a personal goal for him. To prepare for a marathon, a lot of training is involved. He told us about many of the races and marathons he has completed.
Brian told us about running for charities and pushing a disabled person in a wheelchair. He told us a lot about Dick and Rick Hoyt, a father and son team who formed Team Hoyt in 1977, when Rick asked his father if they could run a race together to benefit a paralyzed lacrosse player.
Rick suffers from cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. Dick pushed Rick in his wheelchair for the race.
After the race, Rick said “Dad, when I’m running it feels like I’m not handicapped.”
Rick is very intelligent, and graduated with a degree from Boston University.
As of 2014, Team Hoyt had competed in 1108 endurance events, including 72 marathons, 32 of them in Boston Marathon.
Team Hoyt was started in the U.S. and is hoping to expand into Canada.
Brian will be running the Boston Marathon with some other locals, including Wallaceburg’s Joe Perry and Wes Harding of Sarnia, on April 20th 2015.
He is also hoping to raise some funds and gather donations to go towards Team Hoyt.
He is also hoping to be able to buy at least one special wheelchair for the disabled team races.
For more information about Team Hoyt, visit their website here: http://www.teamhoyt.com/
– Story submitted by the Wallaceburg Rotary Club
– Submitted Photos: Brian Horrobin speaking to the Rotary club; and a group photo of Carl MacLean, Brian & Ruth Horrobin, President Sussan Londry.
