Training for the Camino After a Heart Attack: One Man’s Return to Hiking | HikeStrong | Ep. 36

Training for the Camino After a Heart Attack: One Man’s Return to Hiking | HikeStrong | Ep. 36

From HikeStrong Podcast by Marcus Shapiro | Hiking Strength and Conditioning Coach

March 19, 2026 · 47 min

About this episode

Marcus Shapiro interviews Joel, a retired physician who overcame a heart attack to complete the Camino de Santiago.

In this episode of the Hike Strong Podcast, Marcus Shapiro sits down with Joel — a 63-year-old retired physician who went from a heart attack, beta-blockers, and years of declining fitness… to completing the Camino de Santiago and rediscovering what he’s capable of. Nine months before this conversation, Joel reached out with a simple question: Can I actually do this? After a STEMI in his 40s, years of weight gain, and the limitations of beta-blockers, Joel felt out of shape, uncertain, and ho...

People in this episode

Host: Marcus Shapiro

Guest: Joel

Topics covered

  • hiking
  • health recovery
  • fitness journey
  • heart health
  • personal transformation

Keywords

  • hiking
  • heart attack
  • fitness
  • Camino de Santiago
  • recovery
  • personal story
  • health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Camino de Santiago

More episodes of HikeStrong Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the HikeStrong Podcast podcast page.