Some might describe Jeremiah Mushen as a total fitness freak.

And that’s perfectly fine with him.

When he’s not on duty for the Valley Regional Fire Authority, Mushen is pounding the pavement at a local road race or completing other endurance training.

He runs an average of 60 miles a week.

Pretty regimented, hardcore stuff for someone who takes pride in his athletic performance and his firefighting profession.

At work or at play, Mushen also is adept at making the quick save.

Such was the case at a nearby foot race last year. Mushen and his Auburn Station 32 leader, Capt. Norm Golden, had just completed a 5-kilometer race in Fremont when they were spurred to action.

A man collapsed face first onto the road after finishing the race.

Mushen was first on the scene and immediately began to administer CPR. Golden, who followed Mushen to the race’s finish line, soon was there to assist.

“It was such a bloody mess, but there was Jeremiah doing the rescue breathing … and I was doing chest compression,” Golden recalled. “Jeremiah was doing what he was trained to do. … That’s the kind of guy Jeremiah is … he’s such a solid guy.”

Golden had trained Mushen throughout his career. They had worked in tandem many times before. They understand what it is like to perform calmly in a situational storm. They simply were doing a difficult job.

“There’s definitely much more pressure,” Mushen said of performing CPR in a life-or-death situation. “But it’s what we are trained to do. It is what we are supposed to do.”

The regular routine, the training paid off.

“Just to work with that caliber of guy is what’s gratifying to me,” Golden said. “It was a proud moment for me seeing him do that.”

Thanks to CPR efforts, the man was breathing again when nearby fire department personnel arrived. They used a defibrillator, shocking the man several times before successfully resuscitating him, then transporting him to Harborview Medical Center.

“The important thing is that we got to him early,” said Mushen, who appreciates those who know CPR and encourages others to learn the potential life-saving procedure.

Mushen was later examined and cleared of possible cross infection at Harborview. His insurance picked up all most of the $700 bill. The Local 1352 firefighter union picked up the last $100.

The fallen man who suffered a heart attack would make a full recovery, and today stands forever grateful to quick-responding medics.

In a show of gratitude, the man, who prefers to maintain his anonymity, and his brother recently made a large donation to the VRFA’s Fire Medic Fund.

“While going through the cardiac rehab program, I saw many patients who did not fare as well as I did,” the man wrote in his thank you card to the VRFA. “This makes me realize how truly lucky I was to have the help of Capt. Golden and firefighter Mushen.”

To this day, Golden and Mushen have not had any contact with the man they saved.

“I prefer it that way,” Mushen said. “That’s our job, and that’s what we are supposed to do.

“It’s great to know enough that he did well and he survived.”

A curious Golden, however, wanted to briefly meet the man, but missed out when he visited the station to make the donation.

“I understand that he’s a lot like me,” Golden said. “I would have liked to hear first hand the story from him and just to talk to him. I don’t know what I would have asked him. … But it’s just great to see him return to normal life.”

The man is back at running distances, as are Mushen, 32, and Golden, 39.

Mushen, who completed the New York Marthon in 2 hours, 40 minutes, was planning to compete in this month’s Paris Marathon with a goal of finishing in the top 100.

Mushen recently finished in the top 10 for the third straight year at the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb. Mushen, equipped in full gear, climbed 69 floors of the Seattle Columbia Center Tower in 13 minutes, 7.15 seconds. His time was the fastest in his age group and 10th overall.

Golden, another Stairclimb competitor, and VRFA’s Dave Casselman are expected to run in the prestigious Boston Marathon on Monday.

Golden, like Mushen, has covered many marathons.

And handled a few crises together.

Fleet of foot, they’re even quicker in response.

One fortunate man can attest to that.