I woke up the next day in the hospital. I didn’t know why I was there, but I was wearing a housecoat and had needles in my arms and there was uncomfortable equipment attached to my neck. This, I soon learned, was an external pacemaker and it was keeping me alive, but it was clear that I needed to be fitted with an internal one.

Doctors said I had suffered a bradycardia – a dangerously low heart rate, which resulted in a lack of oxygen to my brain causing a blood clot. I was fitted immediately with a pacemaker.

To be honest, I had thought that the devices were strictly for old people and, at first, hated the idea of needing one. I was telling myself: ‘How can a young athlete have a pacemaker? This is not okay!’

Now though, I embrace the wonderful piece of technology that is protecting my life every day. It has completely taken care of the bradycardia. I don’t even think about it anymore. It was also a relief to learn that the pacemaker my clinician chose would allow me to undergo MRI scans if I ever need one later in life.

I feel very lucky to have survived the blood clot unscathed. Perhaps even more importantly, I am back running marathons again. In November, 2015, I completed the New York City Marathon – keeping pace with the race for 26 miles without missing a beat.