A guy who risks going too far…

“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.” T. S. EliotI just finished reading a book my brother loaned me called Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All Night Runner by Dean Karnazes. What an incredible life this guy is living!

Karnazes showed promise as a distance runner in high school, but he quit running after a conflict with his coach. On his thirtieth birthday, Karnazes experienced an “early midlife crisis” partly caused by personal tragedy. He told his wife: “I’m confused. I feel trapped by my routine of twelve-hour workdays. I’m not sure what’s important anymore. My fear is that I’ll wake up thirty years from now and be in the same place, only wrinkled and bald…and really fat. And bitter” (p. 51) Tell me about it, brother!

Later that night, Karnazes walked home from a party, put on some old sneakers, and began running. He ran all night long and wound up 30 miles from home with his feet bleeding but his spirit fully alive. Karnazes has been running since that night (it’s almost no exaggeration to say that). His book recounts in fascinating detail his first 100 mile ultramarathon (not to mention the 50 mile qualifier) and his first attempt at the Badwater Ultra in Death Valley (135 miles in 120-degree heat). He collapsed and passed out halfway through this race and didn’t finish, but has successfully run it many times since, and he won it in 2004. The climax of the book is his account of a 199 mile run at a relay race designed for teams which he ran alone to raise money for a girl who needed a liver transplant.

Today (and I do mean today, Monday, October 9, 2006) the 43-year-old Karnazes ran the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A 26.2 mile marathon is no big deal for him, except that this was his 23rd marathon in 23 days, and he is almost halfway through a spree of 50 Marathons in 50 States in 50 Days!

Karnazes doesn’t write from a Christian perspective. Running is his religion (and take note that his book does contain a moderate amount of foul language). But Karnazes offers a challenge from a seemingly decent guy and family man to those of us who get discouraged too often, quit too easily, and make excuses for ourselves. Even if I never run another 5K, I’d like to learn a lot from his example.

Here are some more Dean Karnazes links:
Dean’s blog for the 50 marathons…
Karnazes Completes 350-Mile Run on 10.18.05
Dean’s web site

October 9, 2006 · Filed Under Books

Comments

Leave a Reply