A man’s life was saved by his fellow run club members when he suffered a shock cardiac arrest mid-jog.
Seasoned runner Chris Poole was enjoying a tempo training session with his regular group, Redway Runners, when he collapsed without warning.
Despite training three to four times a week and having completed multiple half-marathons and two full marathons, the 40-year-old’s health was in a precarious state, unbeknownst to him.
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Thankfully, a run leader from the group had recently had CPR training, and began chest compressions immediately, while others called 999.
Another club member ran to collect a defibrillator from a nearby gym, and within minutes air and road ambulances had arrived.
It proved to be life-saving for Chris, who was resuscitated using CPR and defibrillator shocks before being taken to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital, where he spent almost 50 days in hospital, including time in a medically induced coma.
“One moment I was standing there waiting to start the session, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in hospital days later,” he said in an interview shared by Need To Know.
“I had no warning signs, no pain – nothing.
“It’s terrifying to hear what happened to you when you weren’t conscious for any of it.”
The horrifying scare happened earlier this year when, after completing a warm-up mile, Chris collapsed shortly before the main session began.
Chris, a security engineer, had just returned from holiday and nearly skipped the session, feeling tired, but ended up going after being persuaded by his wife – a decision he now believes helped save his life.
He said: “I survived because people around me knew what to do, CPR started immediately, and there was a defibrillator close by.
“If just one of those things hadn’t been in place, I might not be here.”
Doctors later confirmed Chris had had a cardiac arrest caused by acute myocarditis, leading to heart failure.
Having had no idea or indication of a heart problem before, he now lives with an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and will need lifelong medication.
He returned home at the end of March and has recently been cleared for gentle walks, having previously run several times a week.
Chris said: “Running was how I coped with life’s stresses and anxieties – how I relaxed, socialised and felt like myself.
“Losing that has felt like losing a part of who I am.
“I’m grateful to be alive, but I’m also learning how to live again.
“The physical and mental recovery has been tough, but I’ve refused to let this define me.
“Instead, it’s given me even greater determination to move forward.
“I’m focused on getting back to running, and one day I hope to stand on another marathon start line knowing I’ve overcome the biggest challenge of my life.”
He is now urging communities, gyms, workplaces and organisations to register defibrillators on The Circuit and encouraging the public to learn CPR, which can be done for free in just 15 minutes using the British Heart Foundation (BHF)’s, online tool, RevivR.
According to the BHF, fewer than one in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK – while early CPR and access to a defibrillator can more than double the chances of survival.
Simon Dunn, Head of Circuit Operations at the BHF said: “Chris’ story is a powerful reminder that cardiac arrest can strike without warning – even in people who are young, fit and seemingly healthy.
“His survival depended on a chain of events happening quickly: people recognising a cardiac arrest, starting CPR immediately and using a defibrillator before emergency services arrived.
“That’s why it’s vital that defibrillators are registered on The Circuit and that as many people as possible feel confident stepping in during an emergency.
“Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival, and too many people still don’t get the help they need in time.”
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