Posted on 12/25/2019 4:05:42 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Two and a half years ago, Erin Menefee didn’t know if she’d be able to run competitively again after having open heart surgery. But on December 8, the 27-year-old physical therapist realized her dream when she qualified for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials at the California International Marathon (CIM) in Sacramento with a time of 2:43:10.
Surrounded by dozens of other women who qualified for the first time, Menefee basked in the accomplishment of a goal that motivated her throughout the long recovery. For the first time since she underwent surgery for a rare congenital heart defect in July 2017, she ran a personal best by more than eight minutes.
Setting a lifetime PR that beat the Trials standard by almost two minutes wasn’t just a running milestone for the San Diego native—it was a turning point in her life.
“Not having the definition of ‘post-heart surgery PR’ for this one just feels like a big weight [has been] lifted,” Menefee told Runner’s World. “I’m finally back to who I was before.”
Repairing Her Heart
Menefee was nearing the end of a long run in December 2015 when her heart started beating at an alarmingly fast pace and pain shot down her left arm. At just 24 years old, the former collegiate runner for the University of Arizona thought she was having a heart attack. Menefee could barely breathe, but she managed to get herself to the emergency room.
After a series of tests, her cardiologist discovered that she had partial anomalous pulmonary venous return, a condition where the veins that are supposed to carry blood to the heart’s upper left chamber instead carry it to the heart’s upper right chamber, or to other blood vessels . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at runnersworld.com ...
Merry Christmas!
PING!
Great story; thanks for posting.
It is a shame that in all the years he played basketball, the many physicians who examined Pete Maravich never discovered his similar problem, which cut short his career and eventually killed him.
Its brutal and usually you need long term care afterwards.
Then again, she’s younger than your typical open heart surgery patient.
No cardiac surgeon I know would approve of this.
Reggie Lewis...Boston Celtics. One of the world’a best cardiologists (Harvard Medical School) told him he could play after several “noteworthy” cardiac events.
What and why?
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