Dean Karnazes has run 262 miles–10 consecutive marathons–without stopping. He has raced 146 miles across Death Valley, Calif., in searing 120-degree heat. And perhaps most remarkably, Karnazes has downed an entire Hawaiian-style pizza while running, without getting indigestion.
Clearly, he is not like the rest of us.
Yet Karnazes, who recently breezed through Chicago to promote his spirited memoir, “Ultramarathon Man” (Tarcher/Penguin, $19.95), does have some insights that can help mere mortals who either want to push past their perceived limits or simply jump-start their sedentary lives.
It’s true, Karnazes is a genetically gifted and dedicated athlete who can run insane distances without getting shin splints or other common injuries. But like anyone, this 42-year-old husband and father of two also faces ordinary challenges: finding motivation and time to work out, eating right, pushing through low moments in races, and balancing exercise, family and work.
“The question I always get is, `What motivates you?'” Karnazes said during an easy 5-mile jog along Chicago’s lakefront. “In that question, I hear some searching. People wonder, `How do I get active?'”
Part of his answer is that something needs to click or resonate from within. “Whether it’s a traumatic event or an inspiring book, it’s got to spark a flame,” he said.
Karnazes’ own transformation began 12 years ago, on his 30th birthday. He had his Lexus, his corporate job in San Francisco and a depressing feeling that something essential was missing. So after a night out drinking with the boys, Karnazes decided to “live life on my own terms.” He wobbled home, blew a kiss to his sleeping wife and set off for a 30-mile, all-night run. Never mind that he was wearing shoes used for gardening and hadn’t logged a significant run in 15 years. “A switch had been flipped inside me,” he wrote. “I was transformed from a drunken yuppie fool into a reborn athlete.”
Karnazes survived the life-changing jaunt and even enjoyed the subsequent muscle spasms and inflammation. The aches and pains made him feel vibrant and alive. He has since become a fanatic, scampering up mountains and around the South Pole. He ran 100 miles to the start of the Napa Valley Marathon in California, then completed the race in 3 hours and 15 minutes. He finished a 199-mile team relay race–as a one-member team.
What he learned from running was that pursuing a passion is more important than the passion itself. “Immerse yourself in something with heartfelt desire,” he said. “Even if it’s basket weaving, and do it to the best of your ability.”
To start, pick something you enjoy doing. Ultrarunners are associated with pain, but these people are hooked on many things about the sport, including the euphoric feeling that a long run can bring. If it were truly torturous, they wouldn’t stick with it.
Karnazes loves the simplicity of running, but he also windsurfs and mountain bikes to cross-train and relieve boredom. “Make it fun–carry a credit card and run to Starbucks for a latte–and make it a priority in your life, as important as your career,” he said.
Then, use baby steps. When something that feels overwhelming is broken down into little segments, it’s easier to push through. In one race, after running 155 miles non-stop, Karnazes collapsed on a curb. He had 45 miles to go but found he couldn’t get back on his battered feet. When he finally lurched upright, his immediate goal became a reflector about 20 feet down the road. Then he saw a bush, 50 steps ahead. Soon he was stiffly shuffling along, as if wearing two leg casts.
“Get outside and challenge yourself,” Karnazes said. “Compete with yourself to see if you can make it to a tree. Then a stop sign. Soon you’ll be clicking off the miles.”
Finally, never underestimate the power of your mind. Physically, Karnazes, who is now training for a 300-mile run, benefits from his near-perfect biomechanics. He also eats smart, fueling up with whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables and wild salmon while avoiding trans fats or partially hydrogenated oils.
But he learned from a junior high school coach that legs can take you only so far. “Running great distances is mostly done with your head . . . and your heart,” Karnazes wrote. “If we could just free ourselves from our perceived limitations and tap into our internal fire, the possibilities are endless.”
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E-mail Julie Deardorff at jdeardorff @tribune.com. Send health and fitness news to drose@tribune.com.
