About 8,000 runners laced up for the Eversource Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon on Saturday. It held a special meaning for one local man, who put his heart into the race.
Pounding the pavement or hitting the trail is Michael Lo Presti’s passion.
“I've done 105 marathons and longer races,” Lo Presti said.
For the Norfolk native, the Hartford marathon is his hometown race.
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“I definitely plan to run with gratitude, to run with joy,” he said.
Lo Presti sees running as his path to fitness and emotional well-being, but marathon number 106 means even more.
“I had open heart surgery back on May 27 of this year,” he said.
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When Lo Presti had to undergo open heart surgery to repair a heart defect, he was forced to end a seven-year daily running streak.
“I definitely was concerned about the impact of open-heart surgery on my running,” Lo Presti said.
However just six weeks after the operation, he put on his sneakers and did a two-mile run.
Now, he went into the 26.2-mile route feeling ready with hopes to cross the finish line stronger than ever. It’s something his doctors said was very possible.
“They said. you actually should be able to come back and actually be stronger and have a better heart as a result of it,” Lo Presti said.
Lo Presti was one of 12 runners chosen by the Hartford Marathon Foundation to represent the 2022 inspiration team. He said during the race its crucial to lean on his fellow runners, who hold a special place in his heart.
“I’ll definitely need some emotional support on this one as I go through it,” Lo Presti said before the race. “So, knowing I'll see so many friends along the days, it's going to be a special treat.”
