In this, Heart Health Month, it was a great pleasure to sit down with Christa Abbott, Director of Marketing & Communications for Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary. (I’m quite sure it used to be called Heart and Stroke Month, so I should be okay borrowing the older designation!)
I’ve been a member of Earl Grey for many years, although admittedly golf has taken second place behind running for most of that time.
Christa and I talked about my stroke journey… the medical one, not the golf one… about the role that running played in getting me through that ordeal, and about the process of writing my book, Stroke of Luck.
I was really pleased with the piece that Christa wrote, and in particular how she incorporated one of my main messages… the importance of knowing ALL the symptoms of stroke… into the graphic for her article. Here it is:
You can find the post on the club’s Instagram page here.
Christa neatly highlighted the phrase “BE FAST” as a reminder of the full range of stroke symptoms. You can read my post on this potentially life-saving topic here. I’ve included the information below, for quick reference.
And the picture of me that Christa used?
It was taken at about the 8k mark in the Calgary 10k race, in May 2017. I’ll be the first to admit it isn’t the best picture that’s ever been taken of me during a race. That said, when I do show this picture, I point out that I had just suffered a vertebral artery stroke a few minutes before it was taken!
For me, this is a stark reminder that strokes can affect any of us, at any time.
You can read the full story in Stroke of Luck: My Life in Amateur Athletics, available online at Amazon, or at independent bookstores, like our great local store, Owl’s Nest Books.
Thanks to all my friends at Earl Grey, and everyone else who has supported me in this initiative. Oh, that reminds me, there is one thing I plan to do in this next phase of my life (My Second Running Life)… suck a little less at golf!
Happy Heart Health (and Stroke) Month to all,
Steve
My Second Running Life 