U.S. marathoner prevents suicide attempt while on a recent run

Overwhelmed with emotions right now. Something happened on my run last night I never would imagine I would ever come across. I was on my easy run and I normally take the same route every time. But I had this urge to go to a different trail…like something was pulling me to this other dirt path. While I was running and admiring this beautiful trail, I happened to notice a figure sitting on the edge of the cliff which startled me. I saw he had a rope around his neck and looked like he was ready to jump. ? I am not sure how I had the courage to do this, but I ran over to him and asked if everything was okay and he responded he’s not okay. I spoke with him and asked him to remove the rope around his neck. It was not an easy moment at all as I was picturing the worst to happen right in front of me…He said he was about to jump. He is 26 years old and having a tough time right now. No job and family to support him. Once he removed the rope off his neck, I grabbed his arm and I walked him to his car and spoke to him for about an hour. One thing that surprised me was what he said to me “I never have been able to talk so deeply with someone in my entire life…” I felt very sad but very grateful to be there that moment. He left and I went home overwhelmed with emotion. A couple hours later I went back to cut the rope off the cliff and drop it down. This was one of the craziest things I’ve experienced in my life. And it’s a reminder to me that people need help sometimes. And if anyone ever feels this way, PLEASE go and seek help. You can call 1 (800) 273-8255 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. ___________________________________________________ #youarenotalone #suicideprevention #live #life #love

A photo posted by Adriana Nelson (@adi_nelson) on Feb 5, 2016 at 8:33am PST

Adriana Nelson, a member of the ASICS Mammoth Track Club in California, came across a 26-year-old man on a recent run and talked him out of a suspected suicide attempt.

“I was on my easy run and I normally take the same route every time,” described Nelson through her Instagram account on Friday. “But I had this urge to go to a different trail, like something was pulling me to this other dirt path.”

Nelson ran over to the man and noticed he was sitting on the edge of a cliff and about to put a noose around his neck. She asked the man to move away from the cliff, which he did, and talked to him for more than an hour while walking back to his car.

“One thing that surprised me was what he said to me ‘I never have been able to talk so deeply with someone in my entire life;’ I felt very sad but very grateful to be there that moment,” describes Nelson, who lives in Boulder, Colo. but is currently training in California.

Later that evening, Nelson returned to the site of the encounter, cut the rope, and discarded it.

Nelson will be competing at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials on Feb. 13 in Los Angeles in hopes of qualifying for the Rio Olympics.

Roll Recovery, a company which Nelson co-founded with her husband, is paying the $30 entry fee for all athletes competing regardless of affiliation:

ROLL Recovery offers to pay all athlete’s entry fees into the 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon https://t.co/uGIYjov3v1 pic.twitter.com/7TUnuXtF3a

— ROLL Recovery (@ROLLRecovery) February 5, 2016