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Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner by Dean Karnazes
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Yesterday, I ran for two hours. At noon. It was
hot, and this was the first of half a dozen “long” runs between now and the end
of August, when I will participate in the Pikes Peak ascent. Many people think
I’m crazy. As are the other 1,200 “runners.” The people who do the marathon,
turning around at the top and running back down Barr Trail to Manitou are even
crazier. But what about those athletes - extreme athletes - who are driven to
compete in the Iron Man events, or the Badwater 135? Or... run 200 miles because
it’s the next thing? Are they nuts!?! My answer is no. An emphatic no. Native Americans have vision quests... runners have ultra-marathons. What both have in common is that they test the extreme limits of the mind/body relationship. Reaching extreme fatigue results in a mental state that for some inexplicable reason provides clarity of vision indescribable to others. At least, that's what I think happens. Why else would anybody be crazy enough to do such a thing? If you’ve run a marathon, or participated in any physical activity where you feel strong and self possessed, you know all about the “clarity of vision.” It is a great vision, and one you will crave again and again. Trust me. In the book Ultramarathon Man, Dean Karnazes relates the beginnings and evolution of his all-night running. He is driven. His extreme running career starts with the Death Valley 100 mile race, and by the end of the book, Karnazes completes a 226-mile relay by himself, running straight through two nights and three days, portraying his fellow extreme athletes along the way. During what was the inaugural (and perhaps only) Marathon to the South Pole, which is indeed a pole with red and white stripes, like a barber pole, Karnazes is one of three finishers. Six participants dropped to three after three weeks of waiting on the ice for weather conditions to “improve.” Karnazes was the only finisher to wear running shoes (the other two opted for snow shoes), and he finished in an impressive 9 hours and 18 minutes: three times longer that it’s taken him to run any other marathon. Ultramarathon Man is enjoyable for armchair marathoners, and will validate any athlete’s intense desire to take the next step, no matter how extreme. Review by Sarah Bagby, June 22, 2005 |
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