Endurance Is

BUILDING ENDURANCE

A lot of folks have written inquiring about how to build endurance. I’m not big on dispensing advice, I’ve got a lot of learning still left to do myself, but I'd be happy to share with you a little bit about what I've been up to. My personal training for the Endurance 50 kicked-off with the ING New York City Marathon in November ‘05. Since then, I've logged between 60-170 miles per week. I've worked closely with Chris Carmichael and Jason Koop at CTS to optimize all aspects of my conditioning, from cross-training, to diet and nutrition, to work, family, and lifestyle elements. We've decided that one of the best ways to train for running multiple marathons is (surprise, surprise) running multiple marathons. And to further build endurance, mixing in a couple ultramarathons has helped expand overall capacity. A partial list of the marathons and ultra's I've participated in this season include:

-LA Marathon
-Boston
-American River 50 mile run
-Whidbey Island Marathon
-The Relay (120 miles)
-Miwok 100K
-Big Sur International Marathon
-Mt. Diable 50K
-San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
-Western States 100 Mile Endurace Run
-Vermont Trail 100 mile run
-Badwater Ultramarathon
-San Francisco Marathon
-Skyline 50K

And upcoming:

-Leadville Trail 100 mile run
-Headlands 50K

So in the five month training block, I’ll have logged 925 race miles (185 race miles per month). Using these marathons and ultra's as training runs has been beneficial in helping us determine the right balance between pace and recovery. The challenge with the Endurance 50 will be to complete each marathon with sufficient time to travel to the next state, but not too quickly to compromise recovery. Through this training program, we've gleaned valuable insight into the various factors that impact recovery, and we're continuing to adapt our approach based on these learning’s.

One thing is for certain, I've been completely amazed by the resilience of the human body. At the conclusion of the Endurance 50, this year I’ll have run over 60 official marathons, as well as ten ultramarathons, including three 100 mile races, a 120 miler, and the 135 mile Badwater.

I guess the lesson here is something I’ve heard Ken Chlouber, founder of the Leadville Trail 100 Mile Race Across the Sky, say before: You’re better than you think you are and you can do more than you think you can. Whether you're running one mile or one hundred, I encourage you to test your own personal boundaries and expand upon your own personal limits of endurance. It's been tremendously gratifying for me to go farther than I ever thought possible, and I wish the same for you.

Long may you run...

Dean Karnazes

ADDITIONAL FAQ’s

Let me start by saying that I have just been blown away by the response to this event. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever anticipated such an overwhelming show of encouragement and support. I want to extend a warm "Thank You" to all of you that have left such heartfelt messages. Any inspiration that I may have provided along the way has been more than reciprocated upon reading these many wonderful and enthusiastic notes.

I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of you during the tour, and I’m so glad that we spent the extra years of planning and preparation to make the necessary accommodations for other runners to join in the adventure. The Endurance 50 is a celebration of healthy, active living, a celebration of life, really. Since its inception years ago, I’ve always wanted others to be able to join in along the way and share the spirit of camaraderie, the way we wacky runners do. Lance has written: “It’s not about the bike.” I would say that the Endurance 50 is not about the run. It’s about the wonderful people and experiences along the way, and the grand memories that will last a lifetime.

Now on to some specifics:

PACE

The Endurance 50 is about inclusion. We will make every effort to accommodate runners fast and slow. The anticipated full-marathon pace is 4-5 hours. That may be slow for some, and really pushing it for others. But again, we’re not out to set any records, this event is about getting people involved and participating in running.

Should you not want to run the entire marathon, that is okay. The important thing is that you do what you can, that you expand your own personal limits of endurance. If you’d like to run the first 10K, or even the first mile for that matter, that is absolutely fine. We are asking that you still register so that we know how many people will be joining the event.

DEAN’S AVAILABILITY

Many of you have asked if I will be available for photo’s and to sign copies of my book before and after the run. The answer is an unequivocal, yes. It will be an honor to meet and mingle with the many of you who have been so supportive over the years. Indeed, more than the running, I am looking forward to meeting all of you terrific people.

KARNO KIDS

The purpose of the Endurance 50 is to encourage and inspire folks young and old to get outside and live healthier, more active lives. Karno Kids was formed in response to the deteriorating health of our nation. The costs of our inactivity and poor diet are staggering, not just in terms of direct medical costs, but in quality of life. The Endurance 50 is largely a wake-up call to this great nation that we need to take back our health. Karno Kids is dedicated to this mission, and the contributions raised will go directly to those organizations that support this goal.

Girls on the Run is one such organization. Physical Education is being cut from our schools at an alarming pace, and Girls on the Run provides an outlet for young, primarily at-risk inner city girls to experience the joys and freedom of running. Karno Kids is working with local and state governments to get Physical Education back into our schools, so that “No child is left inside.”

THE ULTIMATE FAMILY ROADTRIP

As some of you know, my Mom has just retired as a public middle school teacher for the past 28 years. She, along with my Dad, will be home schooling my two children during the Endurance 50. We are a very close family, still sticking to our Greek heritage, and I wouldn’t dream of doing this event alone. My children’s respective schools have been extremely supportive in providing the necessary lesson plans, and my kids will be interacting with their classmates, and other kids across the country, via email and blog postings. And yes, they will also be doing some running along the way!

Keep the spirit alive.

Best to you all,
Dean Karnazes

FAQ’s Go Live

For the many of you that have had questions about the Endurance 50 and joining me along the way, the FAQ’s are now live on the Endurance 50 website.

A note of clarification on the schedule: eight of the marathons (Lewis & Clark, Boulder Backroads, Portland Marathon, St. George Marathon, UT Greater Hartford Marathon, LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, Marine Corps, & ING NYC Marathon) are the actual “live” event, and will be run with the thousands of other runners.

The other 42 marathons are “recreations” of the official marathon the day we’re in that city. For verification purposes, we have worked closely with the Race Directors of these marathons to ensure that we follow their certified marathon course the entire distance. Only in working closely with the race officials are we able to legitimately complete the official marathon route as it is run during the actual event.

The Endurance 50 has been two-years in the planning, and we have gone to great lengths to make sure that the certified marathon course is followed for all 50 marathons, and that the results are verified by the race officials in every case.

And yes, for those 42 officially recreated marathons, aid stations, food, energy drinks and water will be provided along the way. So lace up those running shoes, and let’s get after it!

Dean