Del Mar, CA – Jim Pathman, and his son Riley, are well known athletes among the San Diego running scene. The popular duo participates in dozens of events every year, from half marathons and marathons, to duathlons and triathlons. They even travel to many of the nation’s most popular events, including the NYC Marathon and LA Marathon.
Jim and Riley are hard to miss at races. Because 21-year-old Riley has cerebral palsy, Jim pushes Riley in a state of the art racing chair in every race. But that hardly slows them down as the duo are regularly a top finisher.
Therefore, when the COVID-19 outbreak shut down all running events for the foreseeable future, it created a huge void in the lives of Jim and Riley.
That’s when Jim had an idea, all while raising awareness for their non-profit organization, Team Hoyt San Diego.
“Riley just loves the energy and atmosphere of races,” said Jim. “He’s really missed that these last few months. I thought, if we can’t go out to a race, why don’t I bring the race to Riley?”
Jim shared this idea with a few friends and he quickly found all the support he needed. Within a matter of days, he had several industry veterans volunteer their services including two emcees, a deejay, a race management organizer, timing company, national anthem singer, videographer and photographer. There was even a flooring company that installed a few ramps in the backyard.
“Jim and Riley have been a motivational force in the San Diego running community,” said Eric Marenburg, Chief Running Officer at San Diego Running Co. “They provide so much inspiration and support to countless runners. When Jim called us to see if we could give a hand, we said yes before he could even finish the question.”
In no time, their event, Everybody’s Home Half Marathon, was formed. The half marathon course was a mere 265 laps around their home.
With friends and family cheering on the duo from a distance and on Zoom, Riley once again was able to feel that race atmosphere.
It even inspired a few other athletes to take on the challenge. Running simultaneously with Jim and Riley, Andrew Kastor, running coach of Mammoth Track Club and husband to Olympian Deena Kastor, ran 180 laps around his home in Mammoth, CA. Additionally, US Marine Veteran and accomplished endurance athlete Maggie Seymour ran 328 laps on the dock at her home in South Carolina.
So how did they do for their first half marathon around their house 265 times? An impressive 2:24:43, a time that would finish in the top half of many local half marathons. But you won’t catch Jim and Riley resting on their laurels.
“Riley and I are already wondering how much faster we can go,” said Jim.
And for those that know Jim and Riley, they know they mean it.
About Team Hoyt San Diego
Team Hoyt San Diego is a non-profit that assists families in inclusion in sports, running races, and triathlons. The chapter is inspired by the father and son duo, Dick and Rick Hoyt. Dick and Rick compete together in endurance events year round.
The Hoyt Foundation aspires to build the individual character, self-confidence and self-esteem of America’s disabled young people through inclusion in all facets of daily life; including in family and community activities, especially sports, at home, in schools, and in the workplace. Team Hoyt San Diego works to partner with local organizations to show support for its cause through donations as well as to provide assistance at races and events. For more information, go to https://teamhoytsd.com
