A man suffered a heart attack during Huddersfield Parkrun – but refused to stop until he had crossed the finish line.
Glenn Davies, 51, of Lindley, had a “silent” heart attack but didn’t know about it until 12 hours later.
Glenn knew something wasn’t quite right during the 5km run at Greenhead Park and while he slowed to a walk he was determined to finish.
It was only when he was grabbed by his wife, who had also just completed the same run, that he realised something was wrong.
“I was about half-a-mile from the end when I started to feel a bit strange,” said Glenn. “I would say I felt a dull ache, not a sharp pain.
“I slowed down to a walk but I was determined to finish.”
Wife Samantha, 47, a clinical podiatrist who works for the NHS, became worried when Glenn hadn’t finished and went back to meet him.
He was “grey” and complaining of discomfort in his chest and seemed more breathless than usual.
Knowing her husband was due to take part in his first marathon a week later Samantha insisted he go to hospital.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) came back clear and his blood pressure was fine but doctors at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary insisted he stay for a troponin test.
The blood test, which has to be carried out after 12 hours, measures the level of troponin, a protein released when the heart muscle has been damaged.
The test show significant levels and proved Glenn had suffered a heart attack.
Glenn was immediately transferred to the resuscitation area and that night taken by ambulance to the coronary care unit at Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax.
Tests found a narrowing in one of his arteries and he underwent surgery to insert two stents on the Monday and was back home the following night.
Samantha told of her relief and said: “It was just gut instinct. He could have just ignored it because in 45 minutes everything was fine. But I just wanted to get him checked and I am so glad I did.”
Glenn, fit and otherwise healthy, suffered his heart attack on May 9 this year – almost exactly two years to the day since marathon runner Sean Doyle collapsed at the same parkrun after a massive heart attack.
Sean, 47, of Brockholes, almost died and medics worked on him for 20 minutes. The dad-of-two had a second heart attack but he survived, defying the odds which gave him only a 6% chance of recovery.
MORE: Marathon man Sean Doyle tells how he cheated death after double heart attack at Huddersfield Parkrun
Glenn said he never thought he had suffered a heart attack and added: “Everyone’s image is of someone clutching their chest and collapsing on the floor, just like I saw Sean do when he had his.
“My left arm was tingly and my cheeks were numb but that was all. When the blood test results came back it was a surprise to say the least.”
Glenn, who has two stepsons, made a quick recovery and went for a 10-minute walk – as recommended as part of his rehab – shortly after returning home.
Astonishingly, he was back at Parkrun on May 30 – he completed it in a fast walk – and on June 20 he ran it.
His first official race was the Kirkwood Hospice 10k trail race at Huddersfield on Sunday where he met up with Sean.
The pair are both members to the Cardiac Athletes Facebook group, which unites heart patient athletes from across the world.
Glenn and Sean will join five other members of the group in the Thoresby 10-mile race in Nottinghamshire on October 18.
Glenn’s fitness levels helped him recover quickly and he was back at work after two months. Rather than taking it easier he’s just been promoted at the security products firm where he works.
“I would be lying if I said the heart attack hadn’t changed me but with time I can’t see why most things I wanted to do before can’t still be achieved,” he said.
“Today a marathon might not be possible but I am still a runner who knows what the future holds.”
Sean, meanwhile, completed his 50th parkrun on Saturday in a time of 20 minutes and 40 seconds. He runs two laps instead of one and is a minute quicker than before his heart attack.
