Only Five Months After Major Heart Surgery, Philip Spiezio Is Training For The Boston Marathon

Running is another means of giving back to his family

Philip Spiezio of Greenwich, New York has been a volunteer firefighter since 1981, saving lives and conducting trainings for his local fire department.

But now, at 58 years of age, Spiezio has become a competitive marathon runner often at the top of his age group, prioritizing his health and his family. Unfortunately, he recently suffered a major health setback that would have derailed the training and athletic aspirations of many — but it’s just one hurdle in his marathon journey.

Spiezio says he’s just a regular guy trying to take care of his family, but in his personal life, Spiezio’s swift recovery from his health setback is inspiring many.

At the beginning of 2023, Spiezio felt completely healthy. He qualified for the Boston Marathon, the gold standard of marathons, and was training for the event with long runs and workouts. He had a personal record in his sights, but running is more than just running personal records. The sport is a means of maintaining health and spending time and bonding with family.

In February, however, Spiezio had an unexpected heart surgery due to two aneurysms, which…