Emsworth personal trainer prepares for Great South Run ten months after undergoing major heart surgery
Only ten months after undergoing a major open-heart operation, a fitness coach is preparing to take on the Great South Run.
After experiencing unusual breathlessness during workouts, personal trainer, Sagar Desai, was “really shocked” to discover he had a congenital heart condition.
The Emsworth man visited his GP, where he was referred for hospital tests, revealing Sagar had a bicuspid aortic valve—an abnormality where the valve has two flaps regulating blood flow instead of three.
The 38-year-old said: “I was really shocked - I couldn’t understand how I’d gone 38 years without knowing there was an issue.”
In January of this year, Sagar underwent open-heart surgery to replace the faulty valve, saying the operation has ‘given him a new perspective’.
He added: “It was very tough. I was nervous and anxious. It’s not like having an operation on your knee—you worry that if something goes wrong, you might not wake up.
“When I’m working with someone recovering from surgery, I can relate much more to the challenges they’re facing. I can have a meaningful conversation and share my story. It’s also helped me come up with new ideas for supporting people during rehab.”
A mere ten months after his major surgery, Sagar is now gearing up to take on the Great South Run on October 19, where he will raise money for the British Heart Foundation.
Having completed the ten mile run four times in the past, with a personal best of 1 hour and 16 minutes, Sagar said simply completing it this year will be his greatest feat.
Emma Hulland, Events Manager at the British Heart Foundation, said: “It’s fantastic to see Sagar’s determination to help us fund lifesaving research.
“Without the dedication of our BHF runners and the commitment of people like Sagar, we wouldn’t be able to support the breakthroughs that revolutionise treatments and transform lives across the UK.”