Annie Kalter’s Unbelievable Return to the Boston Marathon After a Heart Attack

In the world of endurance sports, stories of resilience and grit are everywhere, but few compare to Annie Kalter’s journey back to the Boston Marathon just five months after surviving a life-threatening heart attack.

At 44 years old, Annie was on track to run her 15th consecutive Boston Marathon. A lifelong runner, mom, and middle school educator, she had just completed an intense training cycle with a coach, including 22-mile long runs and 7:20–7:50 marathon pace efforts. Her goal was clear: qualify for back-to-back Bostons and then retire from the streak on her own terms.

But on November 21, everything changed.

Annie suffered a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)—a rare and often fatal heart condition. She was revived four times, intubated, and placed in a medically induced coma for two days. Most people wouldn’t walk again quickly, let alone run. But Annie’s first question when she woke up?

“When can I run again? Because I have Boston in April.”

The Road to Boston: From ICU to 26.2 Miles

While her family feared for her life, Annie began her recovery with a fire most would reserve for race day. “If I can just walk,” she told herself while still on oxygen in the hospital, “there’s a chance I can get myself there.”

With the support of doctors at Mass General, Annie underwent a rigorous stress test just two weeks before the race. Despite not having run a single step in five months, her VO2 max tested at 122% better than the average for her age group, even without factoring in the heart attack.

She was cleared to run Boston—with two conditions:

1. Stop if any symptoms returned

2. Keep her heart rate under 150 bpm

15th and Final: A Victory Lap of Life

Leading up to the race, Annie jogged/walked 13.1 miles the week before as her “long run.” That, combined with 20 years of experience and unrelenting determination, would have to be enough.

The 2024 Boston Marathon turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day—"maybe a little too warm for racing," she joked, "but perfect for staying alive." She carried her phone for emergencies but also used it to capture the crowd energy, the cheers, the global camaraderie.

“It’s the most beautiful day of the year,” Annie says of Boston. “You go to a marathon and it’s an instantaneous connection to all these people. It’s peace in a world filled with so much frustration.”

And while she’s declared this her 15th and final Boston as a qualified runner, even Annie admits: “It’s hard to say never again.”

Listen to this episode if you’ve ever wondered who you are without your strongest identity, whether that’s being a runner, a parent, a leader, or someone who simply always pushes through.

Annie Kalter’s story speaks directly to anyone who’s faced a life-altering moment and had to figure out how to begin again, not at the start line of a race, but from a hospital bed, on oxygen, after being revived four times.

If you’ve ever chased a streak, been fueled by grit, or had to reimagine who you are mid-stride, this story will stick with you. Annie reminds us that joy is a practice, identity can evolve, and sometimes finishing, against every odd, is the win that matters most.

Can’t wait to hear what you think of this one. 🎧

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About Jon Levitt and For The Long Run

Jon is a runner, cyclist, and podcast host from Boston, MA, who now lives in Boulder, CO. For The Long Run is aimed at exploring the why behind what keeps runners running long, strong, and motivated.

Follow Jon on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.