Name: Andrea Kantor
Age: 59
Hometown: East Islip, New York
Occupation: School psychologist
Time Running: 14 years
Reason for Running: A serious heart issue helped me learn the balance between pushing myself and respecting how my body needed to heal.
Even though I was athletic in high school and college, I was never a runner. So as life went on and I became a school psychologist, married, and had kids, I didn’t consider adding running to my life, and honestly I didn’t even exercise much because there was never enough time between working and being with the kids. Then my mid-40s hit.
There came a point around 2008 where I felt horribly out of shape and decided to start walking. Those walks kept getting a little longer each week and I then saw a sign for a local four-mile race called the Jigsaw Run, a fundraiser for autism awareness in April 2009. It seemed like a fun goal so I entered and ended up finishing first in my age group. I got a medal, people were cheering me on, and I felt like I won something. Talk about addictive.
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I then started signing up for 5Ks and 10Ks after that and began training in a more focused way. The more races I ran, the faster I wanted to be. Then, in 2019, I ran my first marathon and thought, this is it. I loved everything about it.
After getting into a running group in November 2020, running became an even bigger part of my life. It was a fun social thing now, after being a solitary endeavor up until that point.
But at the same time I was getting faster, my heart was getting slower.
When I started running in 2009, I went to the doctor for a checkup and my heart rate was low, so they sent me to a cardiologist who said we’d need to continue to monitor the situation. The doctor also said, at some point, I would need a pacemaker if my hear rate kept dropping.
Then in 2010, my heart rate was down to 18 beats per minute. I was asymptomatic, but it was dangerous. I’d either have to give up running or get the pacemaker, and I wasn’t about to stop running.
With pacemakers, a battery lasts about 10 years and then needs to be changed, so I had my pacemaker battery replaced in June 2020. Because doctors continually monitor pacemaker function, they noticed in December 2021 that there was a problem. The prior battery change procedure had caused a small nick in one of my heart valves, and blood had been slowly leaking for a year and a half before it became noticeable. By March 2022, only a couple weeks before I ran the Boston Marathon, the leak had become more severe.
Because doctors said I could still run, I did the 2022 Boston Marathon with a bib that read: “PR or the ER.”
In many ways, I was pushing myself as much as usual because I didn’t have any negative effects that I could see. I wasn’t fatigued or short of breath, I was just as excited to run as ever. And at the time, the leak seemed like a minor issue that would be a quick fix.
However, doctors later found out it was causing my heart to become enlarged. One cardiologist suggested open heart surgery and that sounded terrifying. It felt like it might be a possibility that this would lead to me being unable to run anymore and that was devastating.
Fortunately, I sought out another opinion with a cardiologist who suggested a minimally invasive procedure and accessed the heart through a six-inch incision through the ribs. Because this would drastically lower my recovery time, and it meant I could keep running, I had the procedure done in October 2022 and it was successful.
After surgery, I could only run a little and progressed in small increments. I took a lot of walk breaks which felt demoralizing at the time. In the past, even in marathons, I walked only when I slowed down for hydration stations.
However, my heart problems made me realize I needed to give myself permission to take it easier and let myself heal. This was as much about my mindset as it was about my body. I absolutely love pushing my own limits. But you can only push yourself so much, and can only control so much. I learned that having the surgery and having to rebuild my training in a more thoughtful way created a strong sense of balance within myself. It took so much work, but I think I’m a better runner as a result.
Five months after the surgery, I ran Boston again, with a time of 3:49. That was only 14 minutes slower than when I’d done it the year before. But the biggest difference was how much I’d learned between those two races about respecting my body and being grateful for having the opportunity to get to the start line.
These tips have made my running journey a success:
1. Check in with your doctor
If I hadn’t gotten my heart checked when I started running, I wouldn’t have known I had to watch my heart rate so closely. I didn’t have any symptoms when my heart started slowing down so much, which means that it’s important not to wait until something feels wrong to get checked.
2. Appreciate the little wins
That first race where I won in my age group was like rocket fuel. But there are other wins along the way, like making time to run even when you’re busy—that’s a win. Prioritizing yourself and what you want to do is always a win.
3. Find a supportive running group
After years of running solo, I didn’t know what to expect with a group. Honestly, I’d always considered running to be a solitary sport. If I knew how social it could be and the level of camaraderie you could have, I may have started doing it sooner.
4. Respect your recovery
Whether you’re coming out of surgery or from an injury, listen to what your body is telling you. When I first started again after my surgery, I was winded after half a mile. I had to take many breaks. But I’m proud of myself for stopping when my body told me to stop.
5. Notice your mental health
What I appreciate most about running is how much it frees my mind. I joke that it helps me run the crazy out. When I say I challenge myself on a run, I don’t just mean physically, I can see my own mental limitations as well. It’s good to appreciate that process.
Andrea’s Must-Have Gear
→ Shockz Open Run Headphones: I often listen to podcasts and music while I run but having the ability hear outside street noise is a must. These headphones provide great sound and allow me to hear traffic so I can run safely.
→ Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 and Endorphin Pro 3: I am definitely a Saucony girl! I love the new Endorphin 3 line. They provide a good amount of cushioning and great bounce. I use the Speed 3 for everyday training and the Pro 3’s for racing.
→ Rabbit Running Shorts: I love their shorts. They are comfortable, never ride up, and have pockets in the right places!
→ Noxgear Vest: Great colors and I can create my own light designs! The vest is very lightweight and comfortable. I always wear it for early morning or late night running.
→ Garmin 245 Music Running Watch: I am addicted to my Garmin! It gives me all the great stats so that I can improve my speed and endurance. It also has easy-to-read graphics and good GPS. I never leave home without it.
Elizabeth Millard is a freelance writer focusing on health, wellness, fitness, and food.
