From heart disease to the NYC Marathon
BY LINDA FEINGOLD
My name is Linda Feingold, MEd,
MS, RDN and during my twentieth
year as a registered dietitian
and personal trainer teaching
others how to eat and exercise properly
in order to prevent heart disease,
I ended up becoming a cardiac patient
myself.
Being in the health education business
for so long, I literally forgot that
in some people, a family history of
heart disease can override healthy
habits. So when I started developing
back pain that would sometimes radiate
into my chest during my long runs
while training for the NYC Marathon
in 2018, I didn’t assume I had a heart
problem. Especially since only a few
weeks prior I had my annual physical
and was told my “ten year risk factor
for heart disease was .5-percent”.
But I couldn’t ignore the fact that my
dad had a massive heart attack and
went into cardiac arrest when he was
around my age. So I asked my primary
doctor if she could order me a
stress test and she referred me to a
cardiologist.
Nine days after my 18-mile training
run I was in a cardiologist’s offi ce
learning for the fi rst time that I had
something very wrong with my heart.
COURIER L 28 IFE, FEBRUARY 7-13, 2020
I underwent a slew of tests and exactly
one month after that fi rst appointment
I learned I had coronary artery
disease (CAD). One week later I was in
the cath lab undergoing my fi rst stent
placement for my “widow maker” artery
which was 99% blocked. I was
too sick to undergo the second stent
placement I needed for another significantly
blocked artery and had to wait
an additional fi ve weeks for that procedure.
I could have let all this beat me up
emotionally but I refused to do so. I
was weak from four months of being
completely inactive but I picked myself
up, wiped the tears of fear and
frustration, and powered through.
I’m pretty sure I’m the only person
who has ever signed up for a half-marathon
in the middle of a cardiac rehab
class (If you don’t sign up immediately
for the Brooklyn Half you’re not
getting in!).
I ran that half-marathon six weeks
after graduating from cardiac rehab
only 41 seconds slower than I did the
year before. And my dream of running
the NYC Marathon fi nally came
true on November 3rd, 2019 at 4:28:05
(my seventh NYC attempt and second
marathon ever in 23 years!). In addition,
in 2019 I earned a personal best
in my 1M, 5K, 4M, 10K and marathon
times. I guess it’s true what they say
— the comeback is always greater
than the setback.
In 2020 and beyond, I plan to continue
to educate others in eating
healthfully and exercising, with an
additional emphasis on being in tune
with the body and knowing when
something isn’t right. I plan on being
as active if not more so than before.
Most importantly, I look forward to
more sunrises and sunsets, and more
time with friends and family.
Heart Health