He had no idea he had heart disease and what would come next.
An angiogram revealed that fatty deposits in four of the blood vessels taking blood to his heart had calcified, meaning only a quarter of the blood was getting through.
“I was told straight away that I was up for a by-pass,” Odom said.
“I will be walking not running, and the doctors have advised me to just do the six kilometres and leave the 12 kilometres for next year,” he said.
When Odom suffered the heart attack, an echograph using ultrasound showed how much damage had been done to his heart. It determined he needed a quadruple by-pass.
On December 6, he underwent surgery. Four blood vessels were taken from his leg and groin to replace the four blocked ones leading to his heart.
“I had to stay in for three days longer than usual because I had fluid on the lungs, and in total I was there for 21 days.”
But he soon recovered his strength and within a few weeks was walking up to five kilometres a day.
One day while out walking he saw a poster advertising the City2Surf and decided to make that his next goal.
“It was something to strive for,” he said.
Odom has long been a loyal Breeze listener, and after being interviewed by presenter Hilary about his surgery and subsequent fitness goal, she and her co-host Fitzy agreed to join Team Odom for the City2Surf. His wife Wendy will also join the team.
“This has been a life-changing event for me. I feel better than I have for years, and I am so grateful to the doctors and nurses at Christchurch Hospital.
"They were phenomenal. We have all heard about the stress medical workers have been under, but you couldn’t tell that from the care I received.”
It’s never too late to enter Christchurch’s most iconic fun run and walk.
Entries to The Les Mills City2Surf will still be accepted all the way up to starters orders, with on-the-day sign-ups available on the start line.
Online entries at www.city2surf.co.nz are open until Saturday 11.59pm.
While in previous years the route had been switched to starting at Pioneer Stadium and finishing at the Ferrymead Historic Park because of damage caused by the February 22, 2011 earthquake to the original route, this year it will be a similar route to the first years of the event.
Participants will start in the central city and follow the Avon River to New Brighton’s Rawhiti Domain.
The full 12km route starts at Latimer Square at 9am, and finishes at the City2Surf village at Rawhiti Domain.
For those who want to take part but find the 12km distance too long, the 6km route starts at 9.45am at Avon Park and also finishes at Rawhiti Domain.
Star Media regional manager Steve McCaughan said returning to the old course and distances have created a lot of interest from both traditional and new supporters.
“The beauty of our event is that it is designed to cater for everyone, competitive runners to recreational joggers and walkers, everyone can do the 6km course and it’s the perfect goal to get you motivated and moving,” McCaughan said.
“One of our more colourful entrants this year is Camilla the Gorilla from the What Now team. She will be on the 12km start line with her supporters and I understand is very excited about doing the event.”
All entries purchased for the 2022 City2Surf are automatically valid for Sunday’s event.
• To enter go to https://www.city2surf.co.nz/
-By Christine de Felice
