Mark Hulsey is a competitive runner who competes on both the national and international levels. However, the work he does with myTeam Triumph brings him the most joy.
Team Triumph is an organization that allows children, teens, adults and veterans with disabilities to lead a team and experience endurance races. They are the “Captains” of the team who are being pushed or pulled by “Angels.”
Hulsey is an Angel who volunteers to push his racing partner, Moses Cooper, a Captain who has Cerebral Palsy. The two have seen a lot of success together.
On June 8, the two raced at the Unified 5K where they were gifted a customized running chair by Hoyt Running Chairs and AdaptX. The design is based off of The Flash from DC comics, a character that Cooper loves.
Hulsey made a goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon with Team Triumph. That is how he met Cooper.
The two met last summer and were introduced at an RBC Race For The Kids event where they shared the same goal.
“I fell in love with Mo, and we got along famously,” Hulsey said. “At the end of the race (Cooper’s mom) said, ‘We want to do this with you,’ and I said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
The two are going to try and qualify for Boston at Grandma’s Marathon weekend from June 19-21.
Hulsey said there were three main goals he had when working with Minnesota Team Triumph.
“My goal here was one, bring an opportunity to a family. Number two, bring awareness to Minnesota Team Triumph. On a more global nature, bring awareness to disability inclusion in sports,” Hulsey said.
Hulsey attributed Dick Hoyt for the beginning of this inclusion. Dick pushed his son, Rick Hoyt, who had Cerebral Palsy in many races, including marathons.
Hulsey said that the Hoyts were the ones who really put all of this on the map.
“The legacy is with the Hoyts, and Dick Hoyt,” Hulsey said. “There is a Hoyt foundation, and Hoyt racing chairs.”
The Hoyt racing chairs are what both Cooper and Hulsey were gifted at the Unified 5K. Both Dick and Rick have passed.
Hulsey added that their chair is really meant for racing. He also said that when Cooper and he are done using the chair, he will pass it forward to Team Triumph.
One of Hulsey’s dreams from this awareness is to hopefully see Minnesota Team Triumph grow.
“I want to see us have a waiting list,” Hulsey said. “We need more disabled athletes, more special needs athletes to join Minnesota Team Triumph because we have so many volunteer runners.”
He said he doesn’t just want to see it in Minnesota, but every Team Triumph around the nation.
“There are a handful of people like me who all have the same goal,” Hulsey said. “So that we can make disabled inclusion in posting events normal and natural.”
