Colorado Springs man runs Garden of the Gods Trail run Saturday after suffering heart attack at last year’s race

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- One man participating in the Garden of the Gods Trail Race Saturday morning was grateful to be there, as he suffered cardiac arrest during the run last year.

Mark Smith said he was honored to run the race again and thanked his fellow runners for saving his life.

"I'm very honored to be able to be here and express my gratitude because I was dead. I was dead for 24 minutes," Smith said.

When Smith's heart stopped beating during the race last year, a fellow runner stepped in and started giving chest compressions until medical help arrived.

Mark said he was happy to get to run again and have the opportunity to meet some of the people who helped him, giving them all specially made "savior" hats.