The experience I had that lead me to remember this point happened yesterday while Kalina and I were out running. It was morning, still pretty early, but we did not beat the heat. By 8:30 we were well into the 80's and Kalina and I were struggling up a climb out into a nearby open space park. We passed a man who was on his way down and he had stopped for a brief rest near a bench. After we had passed him, I heard his bike go down and when I turned and looked he was on the ground with his bike on top of him. He had passed out and when he came to, he was coherent and able to talk. We stopped some bikers who had cell phones and they proceeded to call 911. The next 45 minutes was a scary series of episodes similar to a hypoglycemic reaction or minor seizures. We kept him calm while we waited for the paramedics and unfortunately, they had no idea how to get up into the open space park. Eventually they arrived, and thank goodness it wasn't a heart attack, because it took way to long for them to get there. Once we saw him safely in the ambulance, we continued on our run to give your hearts a chance to calm down. After evaluating what happened and what could have been different, it was clear our friend needed an i.d. on him, that we needed a phone on us, and that the Arvada Fire Department needs to have an emergency plan for getting up into the park.
Everyone likes to think that they are in good shape and wouldn't need an ambulance and certainly not an i.d., but you never know what could happen. If a car veers off the road and hits you, it doesn't matter how fit you are. In our neck of the woods, coyote attacks can happen, and I guarantee I can't outrun a coyote. Preparation is the key to success, and by having a phone and an i.d., you will be prepared for anything.
