Research shows that endurance athletic events can turn into heart events, especially for people with pre-existing heart issues. No one wants to tamp down enthusiasm among adults working to stay in shape and who want to participate in marathons or cycling races, but some heart experts would say to get cleared by your cardiologist before and listen to your heart.
Patrick Raycraft, 62, is a journalist and professor at the University of Connecticut. He did just that after a cardiac event back in 2011 – which gave him the knowledge to listen to his body. This likely helped save his life.
“I’ve been a passionate cyclist for years but suffered a heart attack just 10 miles from the finish line of a 42-mile charity bike ride last year. I felt a pain in my chest and left elbow and pulled over to ask a bystander for help. He drove me to a water station I’d just passed, where I collapsed. After being loaded into an ambulance, I went into cardiac arrest and was shocked nine times while on the way to the hospital. The doctor implanted a tiny heart pump called the Impella that allowed my heart to rest. Then I got a stent. I went home two weeks later, I was determined to recover and finish the ride I’d started. At first, I could only manage a few steps with a walker and a nurse’s help. But I was back on my bike in three months and in April completed the last 10 miles of the ride.”
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