DEAN KARNAZES has been named as one of the ‘top 100 most influential people in the world’ by TIME magazine, one of the fittest men in the world by Men’s Fitness and has run 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days. There are many more accomplishments such as running for 350 continuous miles, running across Death Valley in 120 degree temperatures and running a marathon to the South Pole in minus 40 degrees. On ten different occasions he’s run a 200-mile relay race solo, racing alongside teams of 12.

So which would he declare as his most cherished achievement? Surprisingly none of the above!

Dean recalls a ten-kilometre run with his daughter on her tenth birthday as his proudest moment in this up-close-and-personal interview, in which his passion for life and commitment to family shine through.

Read on to find out more about Dean’s latest book and how this world-renowned athlete’s career started in a bar after an order of one shot too many!

Has running always been part of your life and what were any early successes?

My earliest recollections are of running home from kindergarten when I was when I was six years old. As the oldest child, I remember feeling sorry for my mother having to tend to my two younger siblings while simultaneously having to pick me up after school (my dad worked two jobs). So I decided to lift this burden and run home myself.

I had some early success with competitive long-distance running in middle school and early in high school, but stopped running altogether after my freshman cross-country season.

Flash-forward to the night of my 30th birthday where I found myself in a bar with some friends – doing what you do on your 30th birthday (ie drinking heavily) when I suddenly felt this primitive urge to leave. “What?” they questioned, “It’s only 11 o’clock; let’s have another shot.” I walked out of the place and ran 30 miles to celebrate my 30th birthday. I ran straight through the night and it was the first time I’d run in over a decade. It almost killed me, but I kept going. That run forever changed the course of my life.

What has been your greatest achievement in marathon running?

When it comes to my proudest accomplishment, the answer might surprise you. While I’ve had the great privilege of running and racing on all seven continents of the planet, twice over now, in some of the most remote and exotic locations on earth – from a marathon to the South Pole to running a across the Sahara Desert – my most cherished accomplishment is running a ten-kilometre race with my daughter, Alexandria, on her tenth birthday. Nothing will ever surpass that experience.

You ran 50 marathons in all 50 States in 50 days! What was the inspiration behind the idea to do that and which State provided the hardest challenge?

It all started with a simple quest; I wanted my kids to visit the 50 states of America. Since they only had limited time off from school, we had to travel quickly. The notion of seeing all 50 states in 50 consecutive days is pretty extreme for a kid, and I wanted to match that intensity to show them that anything is achievable if you believe in yourself. People said that running 50 marathons, in 50 states, in 50 days would be impossible, but we proved that nothing is impossible. And we had the best family vacation of our lives!

Perhaps the hardest challenge was dealing with the logistics. In many ways the travel was more taxing than the running.

TIME magazine has named you as one of the ‘top 100 most influential people in the world’ and Men’s Fitness has hailed you as one of the fittest men on the planet. What do these accolades mean to you?

The voting is rigged (laughter). In truth, these things just come as a result of me doing what I love to do, so it doesn’t feel like I worked that hard to amass such distinctions. When you’re doing what you love it comes naturally.

What can readers expect from ‘Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss’ and how did it feel putting pen to paper to write your story?

This is my third book and I wanted to do something different with each one. ‘RUN! 26.2 Stories of Blisters & Bliss’ is comprised of a series of 26.2 short stories that can either be read continuously or as discrete standalone chapters. It’s a fun and breezy read written in an upbeat, positive tone. The book hit the NY Times bestseller list so I guess people enjoy it. I certainly had fun writing it!

You are also a successful businessman and have worked for several Fortune 500 companies. How does this side of your life coincide with the running?

There are many lessons from running and athletics that translate directly into business. Themes like overcoming obstacles, dealing with adversity, excelling in a competitive environment and adapting to change are all skills that you learn through the pursuit of high achievement. I’m asked to speak at many corporate and university functions and have delivered keynote addresses around the world. When you give a speech in Japan using a translator you learn to think on your feet!

What is next for next for Dean Karnazes and do you have any long-term goals you have not yet achieved?

I always have dreams and ambitions; I’m kind of restless in this regard. One of my sponsors, The North Face, has a motto: “Never Stop Exploring.” To me this is not just a corporate slogan but also a way of life.

 
In the grand spirit of this aphorism, starting next year I’m planning on embarking upon a worldwide expedition to complete a marathon in every country on the globe in a one-year period. There are 204 countries and I’m working with the State Department and UN to get the necessary passports and permits to be able to do this. It is a dream of mine and I am doing everything I can to see to it that this dream comes true.

What advice would you give to a young person who is inspired by your life and achievements?

Look inside yourself to see what you truly love and then turn that passion into your life. Don’t listen to the critics and naysayers; be true to who you are. If I can somehow make a living out of running, you can do anything!