Dean Karnazes (born 1962, Inglewood, California) is an American ultramarathon runner widely known as “The Ultramarathon Man”. A former corporate executive, he quit his career at age 30 after spontaneously running 30 miles on his birthday and never looked back.
His accomplishments include running 350 miles non-stop without sleep, completing 50 marathons in 50 states on 50 consecutive days, winning the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon through Death Valley, and running a marathon to the South Pole. Time magazine ranked him among the 100 most influential people in the world.
He is also a New York Times bestselling author and has a memoir Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner Bringing Ultrarunning to the mainstream audiences. Now in his 60s, he continues to race and inspire runners around the world.
Q1. How did you first discover road running, and what made you fall in love with the sport?
I’ve loved arcades since I was a little boy growing up in Southern California. I climbed Mount Whitney in 1974 when I was 12 years old. My first Western States 100 race was in 1994 and I still love running just as much as I did when I first started.
Q2. Looking back at your journey so far, what experience, challenge or lesson has shaped you as a runner and as a person?
There is an unparalleled joy brought by being out on the road that cannot be compared to anything man-made. The more the world turns toward technology, the more I want to escape into the wilds.
Q3. What continues to motivate and inspire you to keep attending, training and exploring paths?
She has raced and competed on all seven continents twice. Even so, there is still a lot to discover! This thrill of discovery is what keeps me energized and craving more.
