For running enthusiasts, the Disney Marathon this weekend may have been just another endurance event completed. But for one runner from Utah, it was much more: it marked 50 marathons completed in 50 different states, all on one leg.
- Tim Hurst lost his leg in a motorcycle crash at age 22
- Hurst has been running in marathons since 2011
- Hurst runs on a prosthetic blade
Tim Hurst was riding his motorcycle on his way to school when a garbage truck hit him head on. Following the crash, he was told he would never walk again.
He was 22 years old at the time.
“I love to run," said Hurst. "I couldn’t imagine my life without running every day.”
But Hurst defeated the odds. In fact, he's defeated the odds at this point more than 50 times.
“Since 2011 including today, I’ve run 57 marathons, 50 of them in each one of the 50 states,” Hurst said.
Now 58, Hurst may have lost his leg but not the will to keep on going. He said running on a prosthetic blade made out of carbon fiber is painful, but he’s grateful the technology and tools are out there to help him run.
It hasn’t been an easy path, but he never gave up.
“People will come up to me and they will tell me I am in the wrong race," said Hurst. "This is the marathon -- you need to go run the 5K."
Today's Walt Disney World Marathon, being his 50th marathon in a different state, held special significance.
“I cried when I crossed the finish line this morning, it was unbelievable,” said Hurst. “There’s nothing you can dream of that you can’t accomplish if you really want to do it. whether you're blind, you're in a wheelchair, whether you’re like me.”