Chicago based marathoner Mark Buciak had run 49 marathons and 26 straight Boston’s leading up to 2006. The day before he had open heart surgery he ran 10 miles at an 8-minute pace with no pain. His entire story is in the current issue of NER, but here are 10 tips he offers from practical experience.

10 Tips For A Healthy Heart

For most runners there are NO direct warning signs of heart disease.
Below are some guidelines to help decrease your chances of heart disease that I have learned through my experience as a heart patient.
These are only suggestions; for further advice please consult your doctor.

1. Know your family health history.

2. Wear a heart monitor.

3. Have an annual physical exam that includes a complete blood workup and an EKG.

4. Inform your doctor that you are a serious runner, running XX miles per week and racing X marathons per year. Ask him or her if there are any reasons why you should not continue your running at its current level.

5. If you are over 35 years-old, have a stress echo test for basic line purposes.

6. If your doctor does not approve the above test, find a doctor that will.

7. Eat a heart healthy diet as suggested in Nancy Clark’s article.

8. Develop an excellent relationship with your doctor. Be honest and open with him or her.

9. Listen to your heart especially at the quietest times of the day, i.e. before you go to bed, in the middle of the night and when you wake up in the morning.

10.  Beware of constant tiredness and fatigue