Four years ago an accident left accomplished triathlete Glenn Hartrick paralyzed from the neck down.

But he has not let his disability stop him from competing in the New York City Marathon. Hartrick came up with the mantra, “Live life through the windshield and not the rear-view mirror.”

Hartrick became the first person I history to finish the race as a runner, hand cyclist and in a race chair when he competed in the marathon this past weekend.

“It’s euphoric. It’s amazing,” he says. “If I rank my top life’s achievements and moments, yesterday at the New York City Marathon is definitely one of those.”

Hartrick was struck and paralyzed by a car on June 12, 2014.

“I was training for my next Ironman and I was on 9W, just south on the George Washington Bridge, and a car made an illegal U-turn and hit me and I was instantly paralyzed from the chest down,” he says.

Hartrick went from gracing the cover of “Runner’s World” to a hospital bed.  But he says that his undying athleticism gave him the strength to compete again.

"I knew once I was able to get a hand cycle and go swimming again and getting a decent wheel chair, not only would it physically build up my strength from having lost a lot of weight from being in the hospital, but mentally it put me in the right place,” he says.

Within six months Hartrick completed in a half marathon. He also competed in two New York City marathons with his hand cycle and also an Ironman event in Hawaii. He says that he hopes it inspires others to never give up on their dreams.

“It’s hard work, but I love it,” he says.

Hartrick finished the marathon in 3 hours, 7 minutes. He will next compete in the Philadelphia Marathon later this month.