DEAN KARNAZES

Mr.Karnazes,

Regarding this quote...

"I do not claim to be the best in the world. If it comes off that way, it is the media's work."

please answer this question:

Why did you pose for a cover of Outside Magazine and let that ridiculous title "America's Greatest Runner" stand?

Like all publications, the editor of Outside assuredly handed you or your agent or your PR team a draft copy of that article before it went to press. You or your agent or your PR folks assuredly let that bullshit title stand.

Nice try, man.

You are a narcissist who's entered a world of sterotypical introverts (the ultra world, that is). You've exploited a sport, gladhanding, posing, and good-deeding your way from Maine to Gnome, Alaska. You are doing nothing for furthering our sport in this fat country with no attention span. You've ARE doing something for yourself and your checkbook by pied pipering a hundred-thousand people into buying your book or the soles of their shoes that have your picture on them. (like these ones, Dean)

http://www.yoursole.com/cgi-bin/edge/splash_buy_now?product_category=DK

Go away; be humble; turn the cameras off; do your good deeds in private.

Stop blaming the ignorant, uninformed press (The USA Todays and the Today Shows...the Wolf Blitzers and the fawning you-ran-how-far? Leslie Stahls) for listening to your propaganda or for watching your documentary videos and concluding that you are really what you want them to see you as: America's Greatest Runner.

[quote]Dean Karnazes wrote:

I am not the fastest runner over every distance, and arguably even any distance. I don't pretend to be. I am an ultramarathoner and love pushing my body to the absolute limit.

quote]

it's a lie of omission.

dean karnazes is a joke in everything besides marketing and ultramarathons. he should in no way be associated with any completitive running community.

No one is famous unless we make them famous. Do you think any of Dean's sponsor's care if Dean is loved or hated so long as he is talked about? At least a couple of his sponsors were mentioned in this thread.

My thought is - if you don't like him, stay quiet and let his star fade. If you like him, then by all means keep on talking.

I'd trade place with the guy if I could. A living, and probably a decent one, from running ain't a bad gig if you can get it. He is certainly one heck of a promoter. I did not see mention in this thread of Scott Thompson who did the 50/50/50 (actually 51 marathons) before Dean. I always felt bad for the Scott, he wanted to raise money and awareness for Katrina victims and could barely get noticed.

Thanks for the post, Dean. Regardless of what some people who post here say about you, I believe that a lot of people are motivated by your message and your energy. I, for one, am fulfilling a long-time goal this year by competing in the LT100. I have been a 15 mpw runner for years. I got the ultra bug after reading your book. After cranking up for a couple of months and participating in the LT100 training week, I feel confident that I can attempt this incredibly challenging event. Thanks for the motivation, Dean!

I'm really surprised that this thread isn't getting more acclaim with all of the Dean bashing that goes on here.

you are the reason why i have no respect for ignornant critics.

go run. stop whining.

Dean,

Im a huge fan, these little high school punks on letsrun.com know nothing, so I wouldnt worry about what they say, keep doing your thing man, its great to see you out at the races, every time I have approached you, you have been very cool, down to earth, and un-assuming. Thanks for bringing attention to the sport. FWIW, I saw a piece on you about 8 years ago, thats why I started running.

you felt so bad for him you don't know his name is Sam, he and Dean get along..

also I doubt that Dean Karnazes is Dean Karnazes, and from here on out...let all good deeds and actions by everyone..or any marker or acclaim ..go unpublished, unrecorded and unacknowledged....for it is all marketing...for now we shall follow in the words of the great Candide and cultivate our garden....

*poof*..I think the internet just collapsed on itself...

this is great though..more pub for Karno..by the same 8 guys on a monthly basis...it must generate some good ad-sense revenue by google all the times I see his ad on this site ...so everytime you bitch and complain you line his pockets but you can't stop..its like he's a shock jock and the few of you can't change the channel despite how bad the DJ supposedly sucks...

THANK YOU

You show our sport in a positive light and undoubtedly bring in new runners.

You are just far luckier than I because you make your living at it.

THANK YOU and keep up the running

Thanks wrote:

THANK YOU

You show our sport in a positive light and undoubtedly bring in new runners.

You are just far luckier than I because you make your living at it.

THANK YOU and keep up the running

BEEEEEEEP

newsflash: people who post on the letsrun messageboard pose as people whom they are not. try not to be so gullible.

BEEEEEEEP

I feel like if someone were to troll him they would have at least made it funny.

So what's the over/under on this poster actually being Dean?

Alan

sp!kes wrote:

BEEEEEEEP

newsflash: people who post on the letsrun messageboard pose as people whom they are not. try not to be so gullible.

BEEEEEEEP

Looks like you're all over that one Sherlock. If someone other than Dean K. made that post, the effort was pretty lame. If someone was posing as Dean, they most likely would have used sarcasm, something like: "I know I'm a publicity whore, but I need to do it to get women." (No offense Dean, I was just making a point.)

Sp!kes, no offense meant to you either. You're probably just a youngster who does not yet grasp the vagaries of sarcasm. Consider this a learning experience. You're welcome.

Overall, I just think ultra runners are crazy...they have no idea about the damage they are doing to their bodies. Just wait until they hit 60-70, they will have major problems.

Just like Helen Klein? Finishing the Tahoe Triple marathon when she was 82??

Some people are able to handle that much mileage - some aren't. Those who can't will find out during their training. If they keep pushing it, maybe they will damage themselves.

Just need to listen to your body......

It's all relative...ask a couch potato what running 20mi /week will do to your knees....ask a 20mile /week guy what 50 will do, etc....

Same applies

There are two kinds of people: doers and critics.

For every one person like Karnazes, there will always be 100 critics. You've never heard their names and never will.

Karnazes inspires. He has done a great deal of good for the sport of running in general and ultra-running in particular.

And yes - he is also a skilled marketer, who has managed to take a passion and turn into a lucrative career ... that furthers his ability to engage in that passion. He also has the good fortune - or the curse, depending on your perspective - of being good-looking.

Thus, the little people and small souls will always try and tear him down, to assuage their own wounded egos.

It has always been that way. In every human endeavor in history, there have been people like Karnazes; people who were not necessarily the best in their field, but who inspired the masses.

If that universal truth bothers you, you have a few choices:

1) You could train hard enough to actually go enter the WS 100 or Badwater or another long ultra and soundly defeat Karnazes ... and then go brag about it. It would be petty, and frankly a waste of your time unless his passion is really the same as yours, but it would at least give you some legitimacy. I've read 100 posts from people saying "I could do that if I wanted to." Okay. Go do it. You might even learn something along the way.

2) You could simply ignore Karnazes, ignore anyone who's approach you disagree with, and do your own thing. This is called maturity. It's not a bad option. Some of the critics should think about it.

3) You could be really radical and allow Karnazes and people like him to inspire you. You could take that inspiration and use it to pursue your own passions. Perhaps you want to the best 10-k runner in your city; maybe working towards that goal is a better use of your time than talking about what some wealthier, better-looking, and more well-known runner is doing. Maybe if you take the inspiration and forget the rest, someday you could carve out your own niche ... so that one day, you could chuckle as you read the dozens of sad folks trying to tear YOU down. Of course, by then you'll understand the thinking a little better, won't you?

4) Or - you could whine and criticize. This last option has some benefits. It's the easiest one. It'll always be the most popular. There's no risk; any coward can join the pack. You don't have to do anything all. And if your esteem is really that lacking, tearing down some schmuck can make you feel better. Plus, you'll serve a useful purpose: for every person that history remembers, there have to be hundreds that nobody cares about. It's just the way it works. So your contribution will matter!

Critics and doers - which one are you?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

****************************************************

Mr. Karnazes:

On the very off chance you return and read this, I left the above on another message board discussing this rather embarrassing thread, and thought I'd repost it here.

Your book got me running again. For that, I thank you. Since reading your book, I've run six marathons and I'm approaching speeds in my 40s that I couldn't meet in my teens. I'll qualify for Boston shortly, a feat I wouldn't have thought possible two years ago. Now I think a sub-3:00 is well within reach.

All because of your book. Thank you.

Your description of the Western States 100 was so vivid that running it immediately became a goal. I'm not there yet, but every step is a step towards that silver belt buckle. Maybe I'll meet you there.

(You can keep that Badwater stuff ... that leaves crazy and veers into stupid!)

Ignore the little people and small minds, please. They don't matter.

In fact, I do have one complaint - the only time I've ever seen you do something that truly disappointed me was when you bothered to respond to this thread.

That's beneath you. I hope you'll ignore it in the future.

Ignore the critics. They never matter. In anything. But especially in a sport like running. They just don't matter.

Peace. Quit reading, go run.

Zed

OldXCguy wrote:

Looks like you're all over that one Sherlock. If someone other than Dean K. made that post, the effort was pretty lame. If someone was posing as Dean, they most likely would have used sarcasm, something like: "I know I'm a publicity whore, but I need to do it to get women." (No offense Dean, I was just making a point.)

Sp!kes, no offense meant to you either. You're probably just a youngster who does not yet grasp the vagaries of sarcasm. Consider this a learning experience. You're welcome.

Thats exactly why it is definately a good troll and not Dean K. The troll wanted to seem believable so he didnt say something like "I know Im a publicity whore..." That would not be believable.

There's your learning experience, Oldguy einstein. Damn I wish I could play you in poker.

YOu guys are such a crowd of punk bithes, that isnt the first time dean has posted on letsrun, he actually used to post here fairly regularily. f*** all of you panty wearing pussies who think you know everything, go back to your pathetick myspace lives, go run a bit, maybe eventually youll run 5k in less that 20 mins. again f*** all you naysaying pieces of shit.