CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — You can train hard, feel great and believe you’re in peak condition, but sometimes health challenges can emerge unexpectedly. That’s precisely what David Griffin discovered during the 2023 Richmond Marathon, and his message for everyone during Men’s Health Month is to be in tune with your body.
It was Nov. 11, 2023. Griffin, a Richmond native, lined up with two friends, ready to take on the demanding 26.2-mile Richmond Marathon.
“I felt, you know, really perfect that day. It was probably my best training year that I had had,” David shared. “I would obviously never have anticipated myself being in this situation.”
According to Griffin, it was around the 13th mile that he noticed something didn’t feel quite right. Moments later, his heart stopped.
“About half a mile further into the run, I collapsed and had a cardiac arrest. Was down for 10 minutes,” he recounted.
Remarkably, Griffin collapsed in what he describes as “the perfect spot.”
“If I could have planned it any better, I couldn’t have,” Griffin said. “I went down in front of, you know, nurses and an actual cardiologist.” Their immediate actions were critical in saving his life.
Tests later revealed that Griffin had been born with a bi-cuspid aortic valve, a heart mutation where the valve lacks one of its three cusps.
“It’s a mutation of your heart valve where it doesn’t have all three cuspids. And, you know, essentially they had to fix it,” David explained. “I didn’t have any signs or symptoms. I had even been tested for this bi-cuspid valve situation because I have another family member who has that.”
After recovering from open-heart surgery, Griffin put his running shoes back on, a testament to his determination.
“I started marathon training again. So ran the marathon last year as well,” he shared.
His near-death experience shifted his perspective on health. David now emphasizes the importance of a good diet and seeing your doctor.
“I know that I’ve got to watch myself. I have regular cadence visits with my doctors and take their advice seriously. So, things that I may not have done, you know, a couple of years ago.”
While Griffin doesn’t plan on running the full Richmond Marathon this November — opting to focus on other pursuits — he hasn’t ruled out future races, stating he could see himself running a half marathon this year.
Griffin has been involved with the American Heart Association for more than a year now. For more information about CPR training, click here.
