All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking - Neitzsche

Hello, let me introduce myself. My name is Dean Karnazes, I am an ultramarathon runner. I have run 135 miles through Death Valley. I have run further in my life than a lot of people have driven. I have 5% body fat, which is 5% too much. Why do I run? Because it’s there. Does that make sense? I don’t know. Does running 50 marathons in 50 states make sense? I’ve run a marathon in Antartica. I won’t stop until I’ve run 50 marathons in Antartica

People often ask me why I need to run so far. “Why?” they ask me. Maybe I’m running from something. I just don’t know. It’s one of those questions that I get asked a lot, but there is probably no true answer. Maybe I’m running to something. Did people ask Michelangelo why he had to paint? Or Nietzsche why he had to be a philosopher? I like to think I’m just running, but it might be something bigger than that. Who knows.

Wake up. Warm-up. Run 50 miles. Cool-down. Make love to my beautiful wife. Tousle my super-smart kids’ hair. Eat nine dinners. That’s my day.

I’m often asked “Why do you torture yourself, Dean?” They ask me why I run so far that my legs blow up twice the size. Honestly, there are some questions that are better never to be answered. It might have to do with the need to push human boundaries to their utmost limit, but then again, it might not.

Stay tuned for my thoughts on the world.

P.S. Read my book, written by me.