At 46, Jacques Grosoriginally from Alsace and installed in Eure since 2006, has not lost a second. After coming close to death following a myocardial infarction four years ago, this determined man decided to live his “second life” thoroughly.
“I want to prove that after a hard blow, everything is still possible. I want to be master of my life and my choices, even if it is not easy every day, ”he says with conviction. Sports as always, this resident of Caorches-Saint-Nicolas (near Bernay) is preparing for a major challenge: the Diagonal 2027 in Reunion, a legendary race.
Advisor to professional integration for the Local Mission of Eure, Jacques Gros played football for many years at the Coulommiers-Chamiers, Brionne and Serquigny-Nassandres clubs: “But at 42, at 1 am, I was struck by a heart attack”.
Operated in emergency, two stents later, he must say goodbye to high intensity sports and brutal accelerations as in tennis and football. “It was hard, but I started to trot a few months later,” he says. With the support of his cardiologist, he finds a taste for effort and lengthens distances.
“I compete myself”
Today, Jacques is dismissed at the Bénayens Bipedes club “where I listen to my body and I compete myself. I run four times a week between 80 and 100 kilometers. I also participate in official races to support the Team KDE association which fights against cystic fibrosis. I ran the Paris marathon twice, finished in 4 hours in 2023. I mainly went to trail like that of the cursed kings in Andelys (27). During the races, I do not think of the infarction ”.
His recipe? “I especially pay attention during training where I no longer force. Today, Jacques Gros wants to confront the legendary test of the diagonal of madmen in Reunion. 175 km with 10,500 m of elevation gain without stick in 66 hours maximum. An extreme race he tackles with the enthusiasm of the man of the “second life”.
To take up this challenge inspired during a meal with his brother-in-law, Jacques is preparing tirelessly. With his coach, he strengthens his musculature and planned his budget of 4,000 euros for this adventure. He even launched a online kitty On Leetchi to finance this dream. In the meantime, he will start from the ultra trail of Bernay on June 22. “I would like to share my experience with associations or in medical structures,” he concludes, ready to inspire others through his career.
