Dean Karnazes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dean Karnazes
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Karnazes at the 2008 Napa Valley Marathon expo
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Constantine Karnazes
August 23, 1962 Inglewood, California, U.S.
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| Education | San Clemente High School (1981) |
| Alma mater | California Polytechnic State University |
| Known for | Ran 350 miles (560 km) in 80 hours and 44 minutes without sleep in 2005 |
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) |
Dean Karnazes (born August 23, 1962) is a famous American ultramarathon runner. An ultramarathon is a race longer than a regular marathon (which is 26.2 miles). He is also an author, known for his book Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner. This book shares his experiences with extreme endurance running.
Contents
Dean Karnazes' Early Life
Dean Karnazes was born in Inglewood, California. His parents, Nick and Fran Karnazes, were from Greece. He grew up with two siblings, a brother named Kraig and a sister named Pary. Sadly, Pary passed away in a car accident when she was 18.
His father worked as a naturalist, studying nature. Dean grew up in Diamond Bar, California and San Clemente, California. He stayed close with friends from San Clemente High School. Growing up in San Clemente helped him love the outdoors and appreciate small-town life.
How Dean Started Running
Dean started running home from kindergarten just for fun. At first, he ran straight home. Later, he began taking longer, different routes to explore new areas. By third grade, he was already organizing small running events with other kids.
As he got older, Dean loved to test his limits. When he was eleven, he hiked across the Grand Canyon and climbed Mount Whitney. Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States. For his 12th birthday, he cycled 40 miles (64 km) to his grandparents' house without telling his parents.
Dean's First Running Coach
In junior high, Dean met Jack McTavish, a track coach. Coach McTavish became Dean's mentor and showed him how exciting long-distance running could be. The coach's main advice was simple: "Go out hard and finish harder."
Using this idea, Dean won the 1-mile (1.6 km) California State Long-Distance Championship. After the race, Coach McTavish asked how it felt. Dean said it felt good. The coach replied, "If it felt good, you didn't push hard enough. It's supposed to hurt like hell." Dean has said he still lives by these words today. A week later, Dean's family moved to San Clemente, and he never saw the coach again.
High School Running and a Break
In 1976, Dean joined the cross country team at San Clemente High. His coach, Benner Cummings, believed running was about finding inner peace. His motto was "run with your heart." That year, Dean was named the "Most Inspirational" team member.
He also ran his first endurance event that year. It was a fundraiser for children in need. Dean ran for almost six hours, completing 105 laps around a track. This was like running a full marathon! Most students only ran 10-15 laps. After cross-country, he joined the track team but didn't get along with the coach. He stopped running for fifteen years. He rediscovered his love for running when he was 30 years old.
Dean Karnazes' Amazing Running Achievements
Dean Karnazes has completed many incredible endurance events. Most of these were running events, but he also did a swimming event. Here are some of his most famous achievements:
- Ran 350 miles (560 km) for 80 hours and 44 minutes without sleeping in 2005.
- Finished "The Relay," a 199-mile (320 km) run from Calistoga to Santa Cruz, eleven times.
- Ran a marathon to the South Pole in very cold −13 °F (−25 °C) temperatures without snowshoes in 2002.
- Ran a marathon in each of the 50 states in 50 days in 2006.
Other Athletic Feats
- Won the Badwater Ultramarathon in 2004. This race is 135 miles (217 km) across Death Valley in 120 °F (49 °C) heat. He also finished in the top 10 five other times.
- Won the Vermont Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run in 2006.
- Was the overall winner of the 4 Deserts Race Series in 2008.
- Was part of the American Ultrarunning Team for the World Championships in 2005 and 2008.
- Ran 148 miles (238 km) in 24 hours on a treadmill in 2004.
- Earned the 100-Mile/1 Day Silver Buckle at the Western States Endurance Run eleven times between 1995 and 2006. This means he finished the 100-mile race in under 24 hours more than ten times.
- Ran 3,000 miles (4,800 km) across the United States in 75 days in 2011. He ran 40 to 50 miles (65 to 80 km) each day, from Disneyland to New York City.
- Swam across the San Francisco Bay.
Awards and Recognition
Dean Karnazes has received many honors for his amazing endurance:
- Competitor magazine's Endurance Athlete of the Year Award winner in 2008, 2006, and 2005.
- ESPN ESPY Award winner for "Best Outdoor Athlete" in 2007.
- Inducted into Men's Journal's Adventure Hall of Fame in 2007.
- Named one of Outside magazine's Ultimate Top 10 Outdoor Athletes in 2004.
50 Marathons in 50 States in 50 Days
In 2006, Dean Karnazes took on a huge challenge called "Endurance 50." He aimed to run 50 marathons in 50 different states on 50 days in a row. He started with the Lewis and Clark Marathon in St. Louis on September 17, 2006. He finished with the New York City Marathon on November 5.
Only eight of these were official marathon races. On other days, Dean ran the official marathon course in each state. He had help from race directors and staff to make sure it was an official run, even if it wasn't on the main race day. For example, he ran the official course of the Boston Marathon, but not the actual race itself.
Dean successfully completed this incredible goal. He finished the final marathon, the NYC Marathon, in 3 hours and 30 seconds. He weighed 154 pounds (70 kg) at the start and 153 pounds (69 kg) at the end.
This adventure was the main subject of a 2008 film called UltraMarathon Man: 50 Marathons, 50 States, 50 Days. It was the first movie about Dean Karnazes.
Dean Karnazes in the Media
Dean Karnazes has been featured on many TV shows and in magazines. He appeared on The Today Show, 60 Minutes, The Late Show with David Letterman, and CNN. He has also been on the cover of Runners' World, Outside, and Wired magazines. He was featured in TIME, Newsweek, People, and The New York Times.
The TV show Stan Lee's Superhumans explored how Dean's body works. It suggested that he can reduce the build-up of lactic acid during long runs. Lactic acid can make muscles feel tired. Dean believes his endurance comes from his body's ability to clear lactate from his blood and turn it into energy. He also shares training tips, like eating sardines for protein.
Dean Karnazes' Personal Life
Dean Karnazes studied food science technology at California Polytechnic State University. He also went to graduate school there and was the top student in his class. He paid for his education with scholarships and by working at a health center. He later earned graduate degrees in Science and Business from the University of San Francisco's McLaren School of Business.
Dean met his wife, Julie, when they were in 9th grade at San Clemente High School. His children traveled with him for much of his 50 marathons in 50 states challenge. They were homeschooled at the time. Dean Karnazes lives in Ross, California.
In August 2022, Dean Karnazes shared on Instagram that he was attacked by a coyote during a race. However, park rangers noted that his story did not match how coyotes usually behave. They thought his injuries looked more like they came from a fall.
Books by Dean Karnazes
Dean Karnazes has written several books about his running experiences:
- The Road to Sparta: Reliving the Ancient Battle and Epic Run that Inspired the World's Greatest Footrace (2016)
- Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner (2006)
- 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days (with Matt Fitzgerald) (2009)
- Run: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss (2011) - This book won the British Sports Book Awards for Best Publicity Campaign.
- A Runner's High: My Life in Motion (2021)
