Dean Karnazes to run 50 MARATHONS IN 50 STATE IN 50DAYS!

I don't see a 200 mile run as being anything other than the sign of a sheer badass, but what I do see with this guy Dean Karnazes is a guy who, by the sheer number of google ads about him, is a PR hungry prick who needs to be taking down a notch or two.

So, now who out there in the Las Vegas area is with me to arrange some inconvenient rattlers out in the valley of fire?

Why why why are all of you critics of Dean so jealous of his marketing ablility? So he's not the fastest human on the planet but he's making a darn good living at running and YOU (and USATF) can't figure out how to do that same. As I've said many times, if YOU, or USATF, could LEARN from his abliity to MARKET (wait, read that again) MARKET himself to the GENERAL PUBLIC, maybe our elite runners and USATF would be better off. Maybe there'd be more people watching T&F and more people would understand what it means to be in shape. While Dean isn't the fastest runner in the world, at his age, I'll guarantee you he is most definitely in shape. So he can't run a 4 flat mile and I'll bet you can't either but he CAN make money at running and you can't. SO, why not say, "ok, the guy's not the fastest but how is he getting so many sponsors to help him out." Maybe THEN we could start figuring out how to get a freakin track meet on tv at a decent hour so people would watch. If USATF had ANY decent management, it'd be calling DeanK non-stop to get him to help them with their marketing of the sport! And if you disagree with me, then why are you b*tching about how much publicity Dean is getting?

i dont know about other people on here, but personally i dont care about if he makes money or not. but he should not say that he is doing something new or revolutionary with this. because he is not

Some people have principles, and don't try to exploit things that are sacred to others for there own profit. Then there are tela-evanglists and Dean Karnazes.

And then there are people who pay a lot of money to watch very wealthy basketball and golf professionals due to marketing efforts. And then there are track and field athletes who no one watches. Thank god no one is corrupting the purity of our sport with major marketing efforts.

i dont care about marketing wrote:

i dont know about other people on here, but personally i dont care about if he makes money or not. but he should not say that he is doing something new or revolutionary with this. because he is not

I feel the same way. I mean there have been amputees who have run accross the country for charity. Also, I wouldn't want to be in his position if it meant beating my chest to everyone. Why would I be jealous of him?

You too could be a road running idol/champion all you need to do is make up some ridiculous event that no one in there right mind would care to compete in.

Don't have a world record or claim to fame make up your own and start a website.

Listen: this other dude, guy named Sam Thompson, is basically doing the same thing NOW, before the self-aggrandizing publicity hound DK even gets started. See his site at

http://www.50in50in50.com/

This guy's running for a serious and worthy cause - relief for Hurrican Katrina survivors - and has cranked out 36 marathons so far, 36 days 36 states (probably 37 by now), averaging around four hours. Fastest so far is three and a half.

Dude runs sub 3 when not running 49 other marathons on consecutive days.

Call that slow if you must, but at least give him props for churning out seven weeks of 180+ miles, in singles!

That guy is doing awesome, but I'm very confused by his schedule. He's done four marathons in MS so far, and two in Texas. He also did one in CA, then did the next day in Arkansas, and then went back west for Washington. Doesn't make sense.

part of me agrees that "hey, good for him, he's making a living at running, we should just say congrats" .... but he's pretty hard to stomach. I refused to buy the book, thought it was cheesy, but then I said "well, I never read it, maybe I'm being unfair, maybe it's really good and inspirational." So I started reading it in a bookstore.... He starts by saying he had these records at school and all these great times, but never lists the times??? I got to the part where the coach ask him where his watch is, and he says something to the effect of, "I don't run with a watch, I run with my heart" and I got physically ill and had to put the book down.

I think generally runners aren't turned off by guys making money even if they're not the best, but he's just a bit off. Like if Jurek or someone was getting the attention, some people would still be jealous, but not the amount you see with dean.

Pattee Boler wrote:

Perhaps you should visit:

http://www.endurance50.com/

You would then see you are just making some idle guesses about what is going on. All 50 of the marathons will be completed between 4-5 hours. Not 7 and a half. I think that is an amazing feat! I plan on doing Kiawah Island with him. You can, too. You sound like you must be pretty fast. Come on out.

Didn't that guy in the 95+ age group run a 5:04? Dean sucks.

At the pace he is going to "run" them he has plenty of time to do the Gallowalk. As a matter of fact he could probably walk more than half the way and jog the rest. What's the point?

Well, like him or not, the guy knows how to market himself. His website looks great.

Now. Where the hell is the actual website for "KARNO'S KIDS"????

I'd really appreciate what he was doing a lot more if I knew exactly where the money went, and if there were some specific details about what he gives to the kids from all of the money he's pulling in for this shit.

Really, I don't give a damn if he's the biggest prick fuckface in the world if he raises a good bit of money for a worthy cause and helps somebody out. That's something very few people in this world can say they've done.

If the organization is legit, rock out with your cock out Dean, you goddamn publicity slut!!!

I share almost the exact same sentiment. I read the book chapter about the Antarctic marathon and scanned some of the rest. He is just too much of an attention wh*re for my taste, but how could he become famous being modest? My main issue is his blatant self-promotion and exploitation of a sport in which many serious competitors (many letsrun posters exempt) take pride in being humble since they recognize the amount of difficult training that the runners of all abilities put in. Just look at all of the stories people posted about how humble Bill Rodgers is (or at least portrays himself as publicly).

I think Dean has fooled casual observers into thinking he is the only person capable and/or doing the feats he is performing. Now he has North Face behind him, and they are obviously going to promote the hell out of him probably knowing that more serious runners won't be as impressed with DK.

However, I am not one to knock his accomplishments, outside of all the swagger, he has some very impressive, badass accomplishments. I have never run more than a marathon, but I don't understand why so many people think the ultra events are so trivial, comparing them to "knocking your head against a wall" and labeling the ultra runners as people who are incapable of running fast for a shorter distance so they specialize in longer runs. I am under the impression that most people posting the latter argument are not specializing in the 100 and 200 meter events themselves. All of you marathoners who proclaim that beating all the 100 mile racers, or at least DK, would merely be a matter of tolerating some boredom should prove it. It isn't hard to figure out which ultra he'll be running next.

And once again the point is lost or over your heads. If our elite runners or USATF would start doing what Dean is doing, then the public would have a greater knowledge of T&F and what it means to be an elite runner and even WHO our elite runners are. Then Dean couldn't do what he's doing because there'd be marketing campaigns for our elite runners. But since USATF can't figure out how to do any marketing, unless you think "Spike" is some kind of great marketing idea, then Dean is just saying, "hey, if you're not going to do it, then I am". And he is, and USATF is NOT. If they did, Dean would even show up on the radar.

I see where you are trying to go with that, but your argument doesn't come full circle.

USATF runners and Dean Karnazes are two completely different animals.

There are a number of reasons Dean is successful at what he does.

1. He's good looking/sex appeal.

2. He markets himself relentlessly.

3. He has an engaging personality.

4. He spins a pretty good fucking yarn to those who don't know any better.

5. His goals/accomplishments are difficult/sensational/boderline insane.

After reading 2 pages of part of his book I expected him to be a complete smegma pump, but when I heard him on a shock jock type radio station in Boston awhile ago I was impressed. He kept up effortlessly with the DJs. He was actually a little funny.

People keep bitching and moaning about the pace Dean runs for his marathons. The truth is, I'd say there are only a handful of people in the world who are fit and resilient enough to run 50 in 50 in 50. To accomplish that takes dedication, talent and luck. Doesn't matter what anyone says, that's fact.

Also, at the present time, someone doing that means a hell of a lot more to the average schmuck than saying "Hey, I ran a 2:20 marathon". It's fucking insane and idiotic, really. I mean, you do have to be a little off to attempt something like that. Most of the public bristle at 1 marathon, let alone 50.

Point is, even if USATF marketed runners and running, Dean could still make his coin with his crazy stunts and relentless drive. Nobody in USATF is crazy enough to pull off some of the shit he has. And I don't think 99% of the USATF runners would attempt his shit because of lack of durability and potential for injury.

Perfect assesment. He is unbelievably smart in the way he markets himself. He never claims that he is fast, just that he is going to run some outrageous distance. DK knows that the time of his 50 marathons is pretty irrelevant to John Doe as long as he runs them all. Some people aren't recognizing that it takes a certain type of personality, not just elite talent, to gain media attention and endorsements. Who is more recognizable to the casual NFL fan: Jeremy Shockey or Antonio Gates? The USATF and endorsers can't market elite runners who outwardly project as much personality as the average person's co-workers. DK is not the fastest, but he has a very outgoing personality, does outlandish running stunts (especially in the eyes of the public), and isn't afraid to market himself in an extremely aggressive manner.

That guy is doing awesome, but I'm very confused by his schedule. He's done four marathons in MS so far, and two in Texas. He also did one in CA, then did the next day in Arkansas, and then went back west for Washington. Doesn't make sense.

Looks like these are in reverse chronological order, and the handful on the bottom are the ones he ran before starting the 50/50/50 on 1 July 2006 - kicking off with the Leadville trail marathon no less.

And that sequence is California - Alaska (not Arkansas) - Washington. Makes more sense.

Hey people. You complain DK the self-aggrandizing doofus gets too much attention? Then stop paying attention to him! Talk about Sam Thompson instead, if you want to talk about the guy who's three quarters done with his 50/50/50 well before DK has even started.

Dean ran with Sam Thompson (the guy currently on 42 of 51 marathons) in ATL today. Here's an email Dean sent to a blogger, recently posted on his blog (runtrails.blogspot.com). Also, it looks like North Face "signed" Sam to their elite running team last week. See link for press release.

"Hi All,

Some of you may have heard of Sam Thompson, some of you may have not. Sam is in the midst of running 50 consecutive marathons in 50 states. In many ways it is similar to the Endurance 50, in many other ways it is very different. Sam is traveling with his parents, his girlfriend Kirsten, and her parents. They are supported by an SUV and a BMW sedan, and have been staying in hotels across the country after running and driving.

I had the pleasure of traveling to Atlanta to run with Sam today. There were a handful of other runners at the start. A few covered the entire marathon, while others ran primarily to show support and get some exercise. Sam was a delightful individual, and Kirsten and their parents were extremely gracious. I got to run with Kirsten’s father, a school teacher like my mom, which was really great. We ran at a nice clip, and Sam looked surprisingly good for someone who’s been traveling the country for more than a month. Sam and I spent a lot of time talking, and it was clear that he has a deep passion for running, and for life.

Kirsten ran the second half-marathon with us (her second half-marathon in row!!) and when we reached the finish we were greeted by some other runners, the ING marathon staff, and some passers by (I think it was around 4:00 hours, but Sam’s GPS couldn’t get a signal at the start, so I’m not sure of the exact time). Sam did a couple interviews, shook some hands, took some pictures, and then was off to the hotel for an ice bath and massage (Kirsten is a massage therapist). That has been their routine following the marathons.

It was really terrific to be able to join Sam. He seemed very down-to-earth and likeable from the moment I met him. I’m sure we will run together again in the future, and I very much look forward to it.

Some of you may have heard of Christian McEvoy, but again, most of you probably have not. Christian is in the midst of running across the country for cancer patients and survivors. He is supported by a small crew of friends, and has been covering 24 miles a day. Next week I’ll have the pleasure of running with Christian through Utah. I’m taking him, and his crew, a care package donated by The North Face. We’ve been corresponding since he began his endeavor in San Francisco back in July, and he’s going strong and keeping on his projected pace. Most of all, Christian has raised over $112,000 dollars for cancer patients and survivors!!

We’re also looking to hookup at some further point down the road during the Endurance 50.

Together with their crews (and I can’t give enough credit to their crews), both of these guys are doing remarkable things. Not only are they expanding the realm of what is humanly possible, they are using their talents for the benefit of others. I am awed and inspired, and wish them both continued safety and success along their journeys. This is all so fun and exciting!!

Warm regards,

Dean"