#54: Oh, the Irony
Running is a great way to improve your blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. James Fixx was a public figure who popularized jogging as a form of exercise in the 1970s. He was a huge fan of running and authored several books about it to encourage others. Sadly, his death is one of the biggest ironies in sports history.
In an ironic twist of fate, James Fixx died from a heart attack while jogging. Doctors later explained that James was most likely predisposed to heart attacks because he had an enlarged heart and used to smoke very heavily. Also, his father had passed away from a heart attack at a very young age. While it’s sad that James Fixx lost his life to a heart attack, we hope his loved ones took solace in the fact that he was doing what he loved.