Getting active after a cardiac arrest — and staying active — is one of the most positive things you can do for your recovery. Exercise supports heart health, reduces anxiety, improves sleep, and builds the kind of confidence that helps survivors reclaim their lives. But motivation can be hard to maintain, particularly when you’re recovering alone and unsure what your body is capable of.
That’s partly why we have built a community presence on the fitness platforms and events most used by our members. Whether you’re a walker, runner, cyclist, or simply looking for gentle accountability, there’s somewhere here for you.
parkrun
parkrun is a free, weekly 5K event held every Saturday morning at hundreds of locations across the UK and beyond. There is no last place. You can walk, jog, or run at whatever pace suits you. Many of our members find parkrun to be one of the most important parts of their recovery — not just for the physical exercise, but for the community, the structure, and the simple act of showing up each week.
Every parkrun in the UK is required to have a working AED on site at every event — making it one of the safest public exercise environments available for cardiac arrest survivors.
SCA UK has its own parkrun group. You can join by selecting Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK as your club in your parkrun profile. Our consolidated weekly results — showing every member’s activity across all parkrun locations — are available at the link below.
📊 View the SCA UK parkrun consolidated results
Not ready to walk or run yet? You can also volunteer at your local parkrun — marshalling, scanning barcodes, or cheering people on. Many survivors start this way and find it just as valuable.
Read more on our dedicated parkrun and cardiac arrest page, including evidence on the benefits for people with heart conditions, real survivor stories, and how to get started.
Strava
Strava is a free fitness tracking app popular with runners, cyclists, and walkers. It connects with most GPS watches, fitness trackers, and smartphones, and allows you to log activities, follow friends, and join clubs.
The SCA UK Strava club lets you see what other members are doing, give kudos, and stay motivated alongside a community that understands your situation. Basic membership is free. Join at strava.com/clubs/SuddenCardiacArrestUK.
Fitbit
If you use a Fitbit fitness tracker, you can join the SCA UK Fitbit group to see step counts and activity alongside other members. You’ll need a Fitbit device and a free account. Join at fitbit.com/group/23558H.
A Word on Getting Started
If you’re in the early stages of recovery, please speak with your cardiologist or cardiac rehabilitation team before significantly increasing your activity levels. What’s right for you depends on your underlying condition, your current fitness, and where you are in recovery. Our communities are welcoming at every stage — whether you’re walking gently or training for a marathon.
Be aware that some of our members put in extraordinary distances and times each month. Don’t let that intimidate you — use it to inspire you. Everyone in this community started somewhere, and many of the fastest runners in our group were once where you are now.
If you have suggestions for other fitness clubs or apps we should add, get in touch.
See also our pages on Cardiac Rehabilitation and parkrun and Cardiac Arrest.