Ep. 1212: The Life-Saving Power of Running (or Any Sport) Revisited with Dave Scarpello
15 May 2026

Ep. 1212: The Life-Saving Power of Running (or Any Sport) Revisited with Dave Scarpello

Adventure Sports Podcast

About

Running: A survivor of armed robbery, a drunk driving accident, and three back surgeries finds redemption and healing by going from a neighborhood 5k to the New York City Marathon.

After surviving an armed robbery attack at the age of 26, Dave was told he’d never walk again. Being stubborn, he proved everyone wrong by getting back on his feet in a surprisingly short amount of time. Unfortunately, a few years later he was hit at a stop light by a drunk driver and forced to start back at square one and learn to walk yet again. Three back surgeries later and years of managing chronic pain with prescriptions left Dave in a state of life that he no longer wanted to live in. Something had to change. 

He walked into the pain clinic that had been treating him and told the doctors he would radically change his life and become healthier. He found peace while walking the streets of Philadelphia for exercise and quickly saw the positive impact it was having on him. After hearing about a neighborhood 5k and learning that you can walk the entire way, he set his sights on simply finishing. 

It absolutely changed his life. The 5k grew to 10k, and then to a half marathon, and ultimately led him to run the New York City Marathon, which was admittedly one of the best days of his life. 



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