MIAMI (WSVN) - One woman will be pounding the pavement at this weekend’s Miami Half Marathon with a powerful purpose.
Runners far and wide are set come out in a celebration of athletic excellence in the Magic City: the 24th Annual Life Time Miami Marathon and Half.
However, some may be there to cheer for something more meaningful — like Migdalia Rodriguez, who will be running the half marathon to mark one year since she received a new heart.
Rodriguez said she has been given a second chance to live.
“I’m doing this as a tribute to my heart,” she said.
It was back in 2024 when Rodriguez’s difficulty breathing began. However, when she went to the doctor, they couldn’t see what was wrong.
“A pulmonologist wrote it off as it’s just stress, you’re young, you’re fine,'” she said.
Rodriguez eventually decided to go back when the fatigue became too extreme to handle.
Doctors planned to release her with just the flu, until she pulled out a recording of what she sounded like during sleep.
“They decided to run some extra tests. That’s when they decided to do some X-rays, chest X-rays, and that’s when they discovered that my heart was severely enlarged to the point that it was barely pumping, and that’s when I found out that I was at end-stage heart failure,” said Rodriguez.
After some reflection, Rodriguez recalled a medical episode from her teenage years and decided to look back at old records.
“I saw I had already a form of heart failure since the age of 17, but I had totally forgotten about that,” she said.
Through proactive steps, Rodriguez was able to undergo the organ transplant surgery, which was then followed by recovery.
“My body is learning how to adapt to a brand-new heart that isn’t mine, while at the same time having to learn how to use my body all over again,” she said.
And now one year later, Rodriguez is working hard to train for the half marathon.
“I am going to walk it — it’s 13.1 miles — I’m going to speed walk it, as I want to give my body a chance to pace myself,” she said. “This isn’t about a race, it’s about an accomplishment.”
Rodriguez said she plans to write and publish a book that she’s been working on ever since she got her heart transplant.
The Miami Marathon and Half will take place Sunday. The race route stretches from Coconut Grove to Miami Beach.
For more information about road closures, click here.
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