Run Dean Run
Today afternoon I passed by the ABC studios on Columbus Avenue and 67th street in New York City. And who do I see running on a treadmill in the ABC lobby? Dean Karnazes. To anyone who is into ultra-distance running* he is a well-known name. He is the “Lance Armstrong” of the running world. Among his biggest achievements is winning of the 2004 Badwater ultramarathon which takes place in Death Valley is considered “the toughest footrace in the world” (All 135 miles of it!). Here, he is trying to break the individual Guinness World Record for the longest distance run in 48 hours on a treadmill (240.11 miles). It is broadcasted live by ABC and followed on “Live with Regis and Kelly” show.
I found out about him for the first time in 2007 while flipping through pages of the Outside magazine. I liked what I was reading, esp. his attitude and outlook on running, outdoors, training and life in general. I grabbed his first book, “Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner”, and read it cover to cover in one sitting. Currently, he has a second book out called “50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons In 50 Days – And How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!” which I read not long ago, too. The title of the book says it all: 50 marathons, 50 days, 50 states!!! Physically, mentally and logistically, too, that is just unfathomable. He succeeded and ran the last leg of this 50/50 “super-run” during the New York City marathon, in 3:00:30 hours. That’s amazing time, after running one marathon a day for more than two months. Unbelievable!!!
Here are a few Dean’s quotes I love the best and try to live by myself:
If you’re not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you’re not constantly demanding more from yourself—expanding and learning as you go—you’re choosing a numb existence. You’re denying yourself an extraordinary trip. As a running buddy once said to me: Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: “WOW!! What a ride!”
Western culture has things a little backwards right now. We think that if we had every comfort available to us, we’d be happy. We equate comfort with happiness. And now we’re so comfortable we’re miserable. There’s no struggle in our lives. No sense of adventure. We get in a car, we get in an elevator, it all comes easy. What I’ve found is that I’m never more alive than when I’m pushing and I’m in pain, and I’m struggling for high achievement, and in that struggle I think there’s a magic.
There are more at Dean Karnazes Ultramarathon Man quotes…
Plus, I have more pictures here: Dean Karnazes Live on a Treadmill in NYC!!! For now, I’m just directing you to my front page. Later, I’ll put all Dean’s pictures in one set 
*If you wonder what ultra-running is: Basically any distance longer than a marathon (26.2 miles): 50 and 100 miles, or 50 and 100 kilometers, double marathons, 24-hour races, and multiday races of 1000 miles or even longer. The most famous (and toughest) races in the U.S. are Badwater Ultra (135 miles) and the four races that are part of the Grand Slam of Ultramarathons: Western States Endurance Run, Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run, Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run, Leadville Trail 100.
The second quote is something that I relate to rather well. Materialism is definitely not the essence of happiness.
Comment by Sidhusaaheb | September 18, 2008