The In-Person 2022 Rochester Heart Walk & Run is planned for Thursday, June 9, at Genesee Valley Park, 1000 East River Road, Rochester. Heart survivor and well-known runner Bruce Rychwalski is seeking teammates to walk or run on his team, The Lionhearted, in this annual fundraising event for the American Heart Association.
Rychwalski experienced a life-threatening Ventricular Tachycardia in 2011 and was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC). He had surgery to receive an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), a two-lead pacemaker. In 2017 he had implantation surgery to receive a Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Device (CRT-D), a three-lead pacemaker, to replace the ICD.
Since 2011, Rychwalski has participated in 375 5K events and received many accolades. He was inducted into the Gates Chili School District Hall of Fame in 2013 and received the Fleet Feet Sports/Mizuno Power of Running to Inspire Award in 2015. Rychwalski ran his 200th 5K in 2016 and received the Lifespan Eli Rudin Second Half Hero Award that same year. In 2019 he received the USA Track & Field (USATF) Phidippides Award.
For information on how to join Bruce Rychwalski’s team, The Lionhearted, for the In-Person 2022 Rochester Heart Walk & Run on June 9, email him at brucerychwalski@gmail.com.
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