This year I planned to train more and build up to running the full 5K without walking, improving on my 2016 time of 37:28. (Keep in mind that back in the day my PR was 21+ and I would warm up for a 5K by running 5K.) I was building up on mileage on the treadmill, until one day my heart stopped for about 5 seconds and I was diagnosed with a bradycardia (slow heartbeat).
Next thing I know I was flat on my back at Virtua Hospital feeling great but with a temporary pacemaker that prevented me from moving for two days until the surgeon was available to do the procedure. The cardiologist recommended not running for six weeks, which I stretched to seven, but I kept walking during that time. Very gradually I began running a bit with the walking.
I did not run a full mile until this past Wednesday. At my age (71) six months without training requires about six years to get back to baseline. So I wasn't sure what to expect when I went to the starting line today. Fortunately the weather was ideal - low 40s, manageable humidity, no wind.
I hit the first mile in 11:07, walked/ran the rest of the way and finished in 40:17 - not great but I'll take it. During my first New York Marathon in 1980 I remember crossing the 59th Street Bridge at 16 miles and hearing people say Al Salazar had won. Today, sort of like that on a much smaller scale, I was thinking early in the second mile that the winner had most likely crossed the line (he had) and at 20 minutes - when I still had half the course to go, I expected my son Scott had finished. He had - after being uncertain whether he could break 20 minutes, he came in at 19:33, good for first in his age group and 24th overall.
After the race we posed for our traditional picture in front of the Pour House sign.
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