Runner overcomes challenges to finish Boston
A Massachusetts man with dwarfism who ran 25 miles of the Boston marathon was able to finish his goal two weeks after the race.
Doctors said Massachusetts teacher John Young couldn’t run because of his dwarfism. His attempt to prove them wrong in Boston was thwarted by the bombings. On Tuesday, however, he reached the finish line.
Young, who has achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, was only a half a mile away from finishing the Boston Marathon on April 15 when he was pulled from the course after the bombings.
On Tuesday, Young went back out and finished his last half mile, cheered on by friends and family, according to ABC News. His 10-year-old son hung the finisher’s medal around Young’s neck at the end.
Most doctors recommend people with achondroplasia do not run, but Young told ABC his doctor was supportive and told him to continue running as long as he didn’t experience any pain.
Young, who started by racing in triathlons, wanted to train for an Iron Man, and originally signed up to do the New York City Marathon. When it was cancelled after Hurricane Sandy, he ran in Plymouth, Mass., finishing in 6:20.
According to ABC, that allowed him to qualify for the mobility-impaired division at Boston, where he was one of the first two people with dwarfism to compete in the race
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