It is amazing how someone running along the side of the plane while it was accelerating is somehow pushing the plane. The Wrights helped stabilize the plane while it accelerated, they did not PUSH it.
One could not even stabilize the plane because the counterweight (plus propellers) pulled it so quickly that it was impossible to run along the side of the plane (see the video). The Flyer accelerated faster than a sports car. Imagine somebody trying to run 2 seconds or even 0.5 sec along the side of such a car, immediately after it started. This is ridiculous.
The weight falls in about two seconds (see min 1:53 - 1:55).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3beVhDiyio
The force necessary to rise back the weight can be gauged if you watch the same video between min 2:08 and 2:15. Six people are pulling the load like the slaves who built pyramids and, in those 7 seconds, the counterweight travels less than 25% of the total height.