A cardiologist who competes in a California half marathon saved the lives of two runners with CPR after one person collapsed in front of him and another at the finish line after he completed the race.

Steven Lom had never witnessed someone go into cardiac arrest during a road race, and didn’t expect to use his professional skills outside of work.

While running the Monterey Bay Half Marathon in California on November 13, Lome was able to save the lives of two men in their 50s and 60s.

He told about a wonderful feat on Twitter noting the “crazy odds” of being in the right place at the right time for both men.

“What is the probability that two people will have cardiac arrest in one race?” What are the chances that they will both make a full recovery? (Typically, only 5 percent survive in-hospital cardiac arrest), Lohme wrote.

“I am honored to work as a cardiologist and use my training to benefit others, but I never expected that these skills would be needed in such a way outside of work.”

Greg Gonzalez, 67, right, collapsed about 30 feet before Lome, while Michael Heileman, 56, left, of San Anselmo, Calif., collapsed at the finish

Lomé completed the half marathon in 2 hours 30 minutes 32 seconds

Lohm said he remembers watching Greg Gonzalez, 67, of Vancouver, Wash., collapse about 30 feet in front of him in the race’s third mile.

He assessed that Gonzalez had not simply passed out or had a trip, but had gone into cardiac arrest.

“Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was started, people called the emergency services. The defibrillator arrived about 6 minutes later and the rhythm was ventricular fibrillation (fatal arrhythmia),” he said.

“One shock and a normal heart rhythm was restored.”

The American Heart Association recommends hands-only CPR, which instructs the person performing chest compressions to push hard and quickly on the center of the patient’s chest.

Lom told The Bee Gees publication. Washington Post.

“It’s because it’s the right rhythm,” he said.

Gonzalez woke up two to three minutes after being hit by an automated external defibrillator and said the last thing he remembered about the race was accelerating on the incline around the third mile.

But when he regained consciousness, he was in the back of an ambulance.

Lohme said the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest is only 5 percent if they are outside the hospital. He commented that being in the race was a ‘crazy possibility’

He tweeted about the heroic incident, saying he was “honoured” to be a cardiologist

“I felt fine except for the horrible chest pain, and they showed that the chest pain was caused by rib fractures due to chest compressions,” Gonzalez told the publication.

Lome continued the race, finishing the half marathon in 2 hours 30 minutes 32 seconds.

But as soon as he crossed the finish line, Lohme wrote that he saw another runner come down ahead of him.

“Totally excluded. No pulse. Start CPR. Within 1-2 minutes, a race volunteer brought an AED and applied chest pads.

“Shock is again present, indicating a fatal arrhythmia. One hit and I start chest compressions again.

“He opens his eyes and says, ‘Why am I here?’ then stops his Strava on the watch and wants to get up.”

Michael Heilemann, 56, of San Anselmo, California, collapsed at the finish line and was taken to the hospital after being revived.

Both Gonzalez and Heileman are runners with family histories of heart attacks or heart disease.

Gonzalez’s father died of a heart attack at age 58, and his brother suffered a heart attack at age 59.

“That’s why I ran, and I tried to control my weight, and I tried to eat the right food,” he said.

Heilemann said his father, who died three years ago of heart disease, went into cardiac arrest when he was 56. His uncle and cousin also died of heart disease.

Lom continued, adding that “both had undiagnosed heart disease” and both “have not left the hospital and made a full recovery.”

Both men said they felt fine before the race began, but the fact that both survived can be attributed in part to the quick actions of bystanders who performed CPR and the availability of AEDs.

The incidents have received national attention and offer lessons and reminders for runners of all abilities, Lohme said after thanking medical volunteers at the site.

“Thank you to the medical volunteers who participated in the race and the Big Sur Marathon Foundation for their efforts in organizing the event with so many medical volunteers who were well trained and ready to go,” he said.

“Being attentive and ready to bring EMS as soon as possible saved two lives. I still can’t believe it happened.

“That’s why we need to focus America’s attention on heart disease prevention, because the first symptom of heart disease in 1 in 3 people is sudden death, which these two people almost succumbed to.”

Lome used the incident as an opportunity to promote health and exercise, and is often seen on social media platforms promoting a healthy lifestyle

Other posts on Lome’s twitter show that the cardiologist is trying to reduce the risk of serious diseases, as shown in this post about colon cancer

Lohme said cutting out processed foods and focusing on unprocessed plant-based foods is essential to your health.

“Exercise is only 20 percent of heart health, diet is the most important part,” he added.

But a healthy lifestyle “doesn’t make you immune to risk factors,” said sports cardiologist Jonathan Kim.

“In general, if you exercise a lot, you eat healthy, you’re going to control your cholesterol, you’re going to control your blood pressure,” he said.

“But there’s nothing you can do to control your genes.

“If you have a strong family history, you’ll tell your doctor, and if you’re in your 40s or 50s, it’s really important that you have appropriate heart screenings and a preventive cardiologist.”

Cardiologists also stress the importance of listening to your body and understanding risk factors and possible warning signs.

About a year and a half ago, Gonzalez said he felt a “tiny pain” on the left and right side of his chest.

The pain came and went.

“Five seconds here, 20 seconds here, 30 seconds here, maybe a minute every now and then,” he said.

“Probably no more than five or ten times.”

Then, about eight months ago, Gonzalez felt a “tiny centimeter” of pain in his left bicep.

He ignored the pain and chalked it up to other things, such as indigestion or pain from lifting weights.

Gonzalez said in hindsight he should have seen a doctor.

According to a 2012 study published in New England Journal of Medicine.

The incidence rate is 0.54 per 100,000 participants, with the rate significantly higher during marathons compared to half marathons.

But most of these cardiac arrests (71 percent) were fatal.

“A lot of people run marathons and do well,” Kim said.

“But if you’ve never done it before, you should think about what risk factors you might have and make sure those are all accounted for and controlled.”

The Monterey Bay Half Marathon had about 5,000 finishers, and both Gonzalez and Heileman said they plan to race and finish the Monterey Bay Half Marathon next year.