Friday, February 28, 2020

Attention Trail Runners! Proper Precautions Could Save Your Life!

You may have heard that last week a trail runner fractured his leg during a solo run and found himself stranded for more than 10 hours on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state... wearing only shorts, a shirt, and a light running jacket in sub-freezing temperatures. The 27-year-old man was halfway through a 20-mile run through the Olympic National Forest when he slipped on some ice and broke his tibia bone -- in an area with no cellular phone service. He fashioned a splint and began crawling back toward the trailhead. After seven hours of crawling, he obtained a strong enough cell signal to connect with 911 dispatchers. He was then rescued.

The runner admits that his passion is trail running, logging trail miles a couple of times per week. And yes, he opts to go alone. He was recently released from the hospital and told a media outlet, "I take all the precautions I can... but you can’t always fully prepare."

First of all, he didn't take all of the precautions he could have. Solo trail runners who venture 10+ miles deep into mountainous terrain known that cellular service is not something to be relied upon. Therefore, tracking devices (such as the SPOT Satellite Tracker, which I've used) are affordable and can be life saving.

He could have also worn a runner's backpack with extra clothing, a small first-aid kit, some food/water, and other essentials just in case something were to happen. Experienced solo trail runners know this. Finally, informing someone as to where you're going is important -- especially if going alone. He didn't do that either.

This particular runner did not indeed take "all the precautions" possible. If he did, he wouldn't have suffered to the extent he did and nearly lost his life.

Having run on countless trails alone in such remote locations as Alaska, Montana and Bavaria, Germany I can tell you that it is imperative to have the proper level of fitness, gear, technology, knowledge, and plan in order to be as safe as possible. Too many runners head out the door without processing through what could happen as they are deep into the wilderness all alone -- particularly when freezing temperatures are in the day's forecast. Being smart and being prepared will go a long way toward getting you home from that wilderness trail run!

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso
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