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Belgian Olympic marathoner breaks down in tears of disbelief upon hearing she finished 28th

38-year-old Mieke Gorissen had only been training for three years and the Olympics was just her third marathon.

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Imagine deciding to take up a hobby that usually requires many years to perfect at age 35, and three years later ending up in the top 30 in the world at the highest international competition for it.

That's what happened to a 38-year-old math and physics teacher from Diepenbeek, Belgium. According to Netherlands News Live, Mieke Gorissen has jogged 10km (a little over six miles) a few times a week for exercise for many years. But in 2018, she decided to hire a running trainer to improve her technique. As it turned out, she was a bit of a natural at distance running.

Three years later, Gorissen found herself running her third marathon. But not just any old marathon (as if there were such a thing)—the marathon at the Tokyo Olympics. And not only did she compete with the world's most elite group of runners, she came in 28th out of the 88 competing in the race.


With the heat and humidity in Tokyo, even completing the race was a major accomplishment. (Fifteen women competing did not finish the marathon.) But to come in in the top 30 when you just started focusing on distance running three years ago? Unbelievable.

In fact, Gorissen could hardly believe it herself. A video of her reaction upon hearing her results has gone viral for its purity and genuine humility. "No," she said when a reporter told her she came in 28th in the race. "That's not possible."

Then she burst into tears.

Her emotional disbelief is so moving. "I was already happy to finish the race," she said through sobs. "I do think I have reached my goal and that I can be happy."

"I also think I lost a toenail," she added, laughing.

Even after the English translation ends in the video, it's clear how much this finish meant to her. A remarkable accomplishment for a 38-year-old who knits and reads for fun and who has only run two marathons prior to competing in the Olympics.

According to her Olympic profile, she's glad she got started with distance running later in life. "If I started running in my teens, it wouldn't have been good for me," she said. "I wasn't really happy then, I would have been too hard on myself and I would have lost myself in it in a way that wasn't healthy. It came at exactly the right time."

Congratulations, Mieke. You've given us all the inspiration to set new goals and dream bigger than we ever thought possible.


This article originally appeared on 08.12.21

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Here's to the dedicated dad who pushed his son through more than 1,000 races over 40 years

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Dick and Rick Hoyt were an unforgettable team.

The father and son duo ran their first race together in 1977, after Rick told his dad that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile charity run for a lacrosse player who'd been paralyzed in an accident. Rick has cerebral palsy and is a quadriplegic, so Dick agreed to push him in his wheelchair while he ran. They came in next-to-last, but the experience opened up a whole new world for them.

"Dad, when I'm running, it feels like my disability disappears," Rick told his dad after that race. From then on, Dick ran as many races with his son as he could.

Over the next four decades, Dick and Rick would participate in over 1,000 races together, including completing the Boston Marathon 32 times. They even completed duathlons and triathlons, with Dick using a bungee attached to a vest he wore to pull Rick in a boat while he swam, and using a two-seater bicycle during the cycling portions of the races.

What Dick helped Rick achieve was extraordinary, especially considering the fact that when he was born, doctors had told Dick and his wife Judy that Rick should be institutionalized since he had little chance of ever living a "normal" life. Instead, Dick and Judy embarked on a mission of inclusion for Rick in school, community, sports, and the workplace. They worked with engineers at Tufts University to get Rick an interactive computer in 1972 so he could communicate with taps of his head. Their tireless efforts eventually led to Rick graduating from Boston University with a degree in Special Education in 1993.

Throughout it all, Dick and Rick would run races together. In 1992, they biked and ran together across the entire U.S.—a full 3,735 miles in 45 days. After some health concerns, Dick was set to retire from marathon running after the Boston Marathon in 2013, but the bombing made it so they couldn't participate, so they ran it in 2014 instead. In 2015, he served as the Grand Marshall of the race.

Dick Hoyt, this loving father who embodied dedication, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday. He was 80 years old.

The Boston Athletic Association released a statement:

"The B.A.A. is tremendously saddened to learn of the passing of Boston Marathon icon Dick Hoyt. Dick personified what it meant to be a Boston Marathoner, showing determination, passion, and love every Patriots Day for more than three decades. He was not only a fan favorite who inspired thousands, but also a loyal friend and father who took pride in spending quality time with his son Rick while running from Hopkinton to Boston."

Dick's other sons, Russ and Rob Hoyt, broke the news to Rick about their father's death.

"He's sad, as we all are, but he's OK," Russ told the Associated Press. "You could see it in him, it was like someone hit him."

Rick was once asked what he would give his father if he could give him one thing, and Rick responded, "The thing I'd most like is for my dad to sit in the chair and I would push him for once."

But Russ Hoyt wants the world to know that Dick's dedication went beyond running with his disabled son.

"I know it's a cliche, but I want people to know that I thought my father was a hero, not just because he pushed Rick in the marathon, but because he was a great father to all of us you could talk to about anything," he said. "He inspired people to look at all their children as equals no matter their disability."

In addition to his service to his family, Dick Hoyt was a 37-year veteran of the Air National Guard, retiring as Lt. Colonel in 1995.

Rest in peace, Mr. Hoyt. Thank you for serving as a tireless example of dedication and determination for us all.


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She started with just 10 minutes a day. 552 miles later, this kid is outrunning adults.

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Nike's Made to Play

When Kelbie Black first found out that her dad was trying to make running "a thing" at her school, she wasn't thrilled.

“I didn’t think running would be fun,” Kelbie says. She was nine years old at the time, and thought that running sounded boring, especially compared to her other interests, like drawing, baking, and most of all, spending time with her friends.  

All images via Nike.

But Coach Black — as her dad was known at school — knew that running, when it's done right, could be rewarding. He had a vision for how all the kids at Taylor Creek Elementary School, including his daughter, could benefit from the activity.

Kyle and Kelbie Black.

He also believed that integrating running into the school day would have a positive impact on the teachers, parents and their Texas community.

“Our school is on the edge of town, so everyone lives kind of out in the country,” says Black. “I was trying to find a way to bring people together.”  

While looking online for healthy community-oriented activities, he came across Marathon Kids, an organization that helps schools create and manage running clubs that are designed to get kids moving.

The program, supported by Nike, has a simple mission: To encourage every kid to go at their own pace and run (or walk) the equivalent of four marathons, or 104.8 miles.

At first, four marathons seemed like a steep goal for Kelbie.

She wasn’t much of a runner and that was a lot of miles. Still, when her dad brought the program to the school, he convinced her to sign up and give it a try.

In fact, with Coach Black's encouragement, 70 students signed up. They all started out by running about 10 minutes every day after school.

Right away, Kelbie realized that running could include one of her favorite activities: “I get to be with my friends.”

She loved the chance to spend time with other kids at school, outside of the classroom. They’d chat, laugh, and encourage each other as they ran, which kept Kelbie moving even after she began to feel tired.

“My friends keep on going [even] when it's hard,” she says. “So I keep going, and I keep pushing.”

Kelbie quickly discovered that she was capable of running more than she thought, and she reached her four-marathon goal before anyone else at her school.

And she didn’t stop there.

Kelbie kept running beyond her goal, reaching the equivalent of more than 21 marathons in one school year — more than any other Marathon Kid in the country.

This newfound perseverance has helped Kelbie in school, too. Her parents say that she used to get frustrated and give up when homework was difficult, but now that she knows she can push through tough moments, she keeps trying.

These days, Kelbie’s running because she likes it.

She does a run-walk every day, aiming for at least three miles each day.

Kelbie has also inspired others to get active by showing them that you don’t have to be a superstar athlete to enjoy running.

Her friends join her a few times a week to run through their neighborhoods, and her family joins her for physical activities like walking, bicycling, and rollerblading in the evenings.

“Kelbie’s kind of inspired her mom to get active,” Coach Black says, “because there's nothing that motivates [you] more than your 10-year-old outdoing you!”

The program continues to be a success overall, motivating kids to not only be active, but to find joy and connection with others while they’re at it.

In addition to running a total of 3,000 miles during their first year as Marathon Kids, Kelbie's class of 20 students also scored higher than other students on their physical endurance exams and showed more confidence than other students, according to Coach Black.

“They know their body better,” he says. “So they know that just because it's difficult, doesn't mean [they] have to quit … They're more self-aware of what their limits are and what they're capable of.”

Experts also say that exercise can actually change children’s brain chemistry to improve their capacity for regulating their moods, which helps them function better in school.

Marathon Kids has now become a school-wide activity. Hallways and classrooms are adorned with celebratory running logs and motivational posters. 10-minute runs or walks are built into the school day. Teachers — some of whom had worried this would distract kids from their schoolwork — are motivated by what they see in their students and have started running too. Even some parents have joined in.

After running more than she ever thought possible, Kelbie hopes that her story can inspire others to give their own goals a shot.

Not everyone will run 21 marathons in one year, but everyone can start small and gradually discover what they're capable of.

“It always starts with baby steps,” says Kelbie. After that, getting active might just help you in ways that you never saw coming.

We all have a part to play in empowering kids through an active lifestyle. That's why Nike and Marathon Kids are teaming up to get kids moving — but we'll need your help.

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Before her sudden death, his coworker sent him 14 inspiring notes across the world.

10 years ago, JP Caudill couldn't run a mile. Recently, he ran seven marathons in seven days across all seven continents.

By the time we hit 30, many of us are wrapping up whatever athletic accomplishments we'll ever set out to achieve. Caudill was just getting started.

"I knew running was something I was bad at and didn’t enjoy," Caudill said. "So, I just a set a goal of one mile on the treadmill at the gym."

A few weeks later, he hit his goal and had the itch for running. A few years later, he ran his first marathon. And now, just after his 40th birthday, he pulled off a dramatic feat of running 183 miles in less a week from Cape Town to Miami. Along the way he raised over $10,000 for pancreatic cancer research.

As he began his epic journey, he found a huge surprise that ended up serving as a powerful source of inspiration: his co-worker Koren Pandelakis-Dunn had quietly reached out to his friends and family to create personalized notes at the beginning and end of each marathon race. She even wrote one herself.

"The remarkable part, aside from her doing this in the first place, is that she took the time to find friends and family she didn’t know whatsoever — even my parents!" Caudill said.

All photos courtesy of JP Caudill.

Caudill has learned to use loss as a motivation for good deeds and personal growth.

After Caudill's grandmother passed away from pancreatic cancer 10 years ago, his family went to visit her sister in Germany. "I felt horribly out of shape," he said about walking around with his family during the visit. "I came back and wanted to do something about it."

After signing up for the World Marathon Challenge, he decided to use the event to launch a fundraiser on behalf of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

First, Caudill reached out to friends, family, and coworkers. Then, he handcrafted purple candles, set up prize auctions, and even coordinated with a local brewery to create his own special fundraising brew, which he says was "by far" the biggest draw. By the time the marathon challenge began, he'd hit his goal of $10,000, and the donations are still coming in.

"I know it's just a drop in the bucket of what is needed for this research," he says, adding that he hopes his story will help raise awareness.

Pandelakis-Dunn knew that Caudill was taking on an incredible challenge and like so many people around him she wanted to help.

That's when she began collecting the letters to send to him on his journey.

However, just two days after he returned home from his continent-hopping challenge, he was hit with tragic news: His co-worker Pandelakis-Dunn had died suddenly and unexpectedly of an illness. The notes were literally the last time he would communicate with her.

"I never got a chance to see her and tell her how awesome that was," Caudill says.

The notes JP received.

‌We're all capable of making a difference when we're motivated.

Despite his incredible accomplishment, Caudill is quick to emphasize that all it takes to make a difference is staying focused on a goal larger than yourself.

During times of doubt, he leaned on the promise he'd made to raise money for cancer research and often thought of those notes Pandelakis-Dunn had arranged for him, knowing he'd only get to see the next message if he completed his current race and made it to the next stage.

"I am and will always be so grateful for what for Koren did for me and for all the incredible encouragement I received from my family & friends through the notes," Caudill says. "It made each Marathon and the Challenge so much more special than it already was."

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