Meet the Marathoners Living with Dwarfism Who Are Bonding Over Endurance Sports From Houston to Boston
Diana Codispoti of Achilles Houston made the decision to follow her dream and run in the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon, after being inspired by a fellow athlete and all that he has accomplished as an athlete living with a disability.
Living over 1,000 miles away from each other, Diana and John Young of Achilles Boston do not let that distance stop them from encouraging, and cheering each other on at each and every race.
This duo was first introduced to each other online, where they immediately hit it off and became fast friends upon learning that they shared many of the same interests, as well as learning that they are both living with achondroplasia dwarfism.
In the beginning of their friendship, John shared with Diana his many stories of completing races with Achilles, and how it was something he was truly passionate about. Diana was fascinated to learn that despite sharing the same disability as her, John wasn’t afraid to put himself out there and complete these races.
Diana didn’t get involved in any sort of athletics until much later in her life, as she was constantly being told that she would injure herself due to her disability. After finally deciding to take a risk, she participated in her first Tough Mudder race. She quickly fell in love with it, and knew she wanted to continue to train and keep herself active. After she met John and heard his story, she knew that she wanted to push herself to do more.
John has never let his disability get in the way of him achieving his goals. Growing up, John was a dedicated swimmer and was always very active. Later in life, he received a sleep apnea diagnosis, which left him feeling unenergized and inactive. It wasn’t until after he received treatment and felt like himself again that he was first inspired to compete in his first triathlon.
“I was feeling so much better and had so much energy that I decided to start riding my bike to work a few times a month,” John says. “That’s when I really fell in love with it, and decided to push myself to compete in a competition that combined two of my passions, which was my first triathlon.” From then on, John knew that he was passionate about competing in triathlons, and that he wanted to continue to compete and keep himself active.
John inspired Diana to get involved by encouraging her and reminding her that she is more than capable. Since then she has found a community where she feels like she truly belongs. “It was really awesome learning all about John,” Diana says. “It was so inspiring to see someone like me getting involved in all of these extreme races! I knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps and be like him.”
Since meeting John, Diana has competed in several races of her own, has been an active member of the Achilles community, and has even challenged herself to compete in her very first marathon! She raised over $7,000 to help support athletes with disabilities as a Team Achilles charity runner in the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon.
"I am extremely proud of all that Diana has done to help raise awareness within the dwarfism community around the importance of remaining active,” John says. “I started my journey much later than Diana did and if she continues running and racing, she will be able to help encourage and motivate young people, especially young women for years, to get out there, run and to possibly compete alongside her. I'm starting to get slower as I move into my late 50's. Diana has years to keep going. She's an amazing role model."
See below for a Q&A about what inspired this dynamic duo to take on this year’s TCS New York City Marathon!
How has Achilles impacted your life?
“If it wasn’t for Achilles, I would not be where I am today. I wouldn’t be as confident in myself, I wouldn’t be preparing to run my first marathon, and I wouldn’t have ever met John! The Achilles community is really so amazing in the fact that everyone is always able to come together, despite so many differences, and form such an inclusive and supportive space for everyone. I am so grateful to be a part of it!”
- Diana
“Achilles has helped me realize that my disability is only one part of who I am, and that it always has been. There are so many different athletes who are a part of Achilles, and they each have their own unique story to tell. I love hearing those stories because it reminds me that we each have our own reasons for wanting to be here and for wanting to race. I often tell people that if they think that they can’t run a marathon, it’s because they don’t really want to. The first step is to want to, and the next is to figure out a way to do it, regardless of any obstacles that may get in your way; and that's where Achilles comes in!”
- John
What inspired you to sign up for the New York City Marathon?
“This will be my first Marathon ever! I’ve done plenty of Tough Mudders and obstacle courses before, so I thought that this would be a great way to challenge myself and do something new. It’s something that I’ve really always wanted to do, and I figured that there’s really no time like the present to get it done! I think all the races I’ve done in the past were kind of preparing me for this one, so I’m really excited to have the opportunity.”
- Diana
“I’ve ran New York a few times before and I have to say, it is one of my favorite races! There is always such a diverse crowd, and that's one of my favorite parts. You get to meet so many people from all different walks of life, you get to run through so many different parts of the city and see so many different cultures! I’m really excited and looking forward to it.”
- John
Do you have any advice or a message for other athletes living with a disability?
“I would like to tell them to listen to their bodies! I was told my whole life that I should be really cautious when trying to participate in any kind of athletics because I might hurt myself, which is true. I do check in with my medical team when doing or trying something new, but I also know that I would have regretted it so much more if I just gave up and didn’t try the things I am doing now. The body is amazing. You are one of the best judges of telling yourself what you can and can not do. Listen to it, your body, because you have no idea where it will take you. I never would've been where I am now if i didn't listen to mine, and give racing a try”
- Diana
“I would advise them to change their perspective a little bit, and to remember that they're not racing against everyone else, they’re racing against themselves. A lot of people worry that they’re not going to finish with a good time or that they’re going to come in last, but that shouldn’t matter. You should focus on doing your best to improve your time and your skills, and the only failure is not to try.”
- John
Do you have any mantras you tell yourself on your training runs?
“My favorite mantra that really means a lot to me is ‘be the hammer,’ and I say this to myself and to other athletes all the time. It evolved from something my son, who was only eleven years old at the time, said to me when I was feeling down about being unable to complete the Boston Marathon after getting sick. He said to me, ‘it’s okay Dad. Sometimes you’re the hammer, and sometimes you’re the nail. Today you’re the nail, but you need nails to build things,” and that’s stuck with me ever since. Some days are good days, and other days are bad ones, but you need to keep pushing after experiencing a bad day in order to get to the next good one. I’ve learned to say that it’s not always about making the best time, or even meeting your goal. It’s about getting out there, and finishing what you started. It’s about doing the best you can, and getting other people to change their perspective about what we’re really capable of.”
- John
“I always have to remind myself to enjoy the moment for what it is. As much as you might want to reach a new goal during a race, I think that it's important not to suck the joy out of the event by pushing yourself too hard. My sisters really remind me of this. They always keep me grounded, and help me to remember why I’m here and why I’m doing this in the first place. I really want my community to know that it might not always be easy, but look what we’re really capable of when we really dedicate ourselves!”
- Diana
Want to get involved with Achilles? Learn more about joining as an athlete with a disability here or as a volunteer guide here. Find a chapter near you.
