DEAN KARNAZES

ULTRAMARATHONER

When a bone-crushing endurance challenge is a normal part of your workweek, when TIME magazine names you as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World” and when Men’s Fitness says you “might just be the fittest man on the planet,” your name is Dean Karnazes.

Dean’s accomplishments? Here are but a few: Winning the Atacama Crossing, a brutal 6-day race across Chile’s most inhospitable desert; winning the Badwater Ultramarathon, 135 miles through the bowels of Death Valley in July; running a hellish minus-40-degree race through the South Pole (in running shoes); running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days and finishing with the NYC Marathon (which he completed in 3 hours flat); swimming across the San Francisco Bay; climbing Yosemite’s Half Dome; mountain-biking for 24 hours straight; and surfing the monstrous waves off Hawaii’s coast.

The Atacama Crossing race Dean won is one in a series of five heart-pounding events slated for 2008. Called “The Desert Grand Slam,” the remaining marathon locales are in the Gobi Desert, Death Valley, the Sahara, and Antarctica.

Dean’s supplements? Shaklee Vitalizer™, which he counts on before, during, and after his adventures. “Vitalizer helps me perform at my best and recover quickly between hard workouts,” he says. “It’s an incredible wellness enhancer and I find it excellent pre-event, post-event, and for maintenance.” *

Dean is also an avid fan of Shaklee Performance®, which he drinks before and during his races.  “I think Performance is a terrific balance of both nutrients and electrolytes.  You’re getting a good source of fuel with the carbohydrate blend as well as getting the electrolytes you need in the right balance.”

After every race, Dean counts on Shaklee Physique® to recover. “If I don’t replace the protein that I’ve depleted after strenuous workouts, I notice that the recovery is much longer and I don’t feel like I’m doing too well the next morning.  So that’s where Physique has helped me tremendously because it contains a unique protein and carbohydrate blend with essential amino acids as well as vitamins and minerals which can enhance recovery, allowing me to train harder and go further.” 

As an ultramarathoner, Dean also relies on Shaklee Joint Health Complex to support joint function and long term joint health. “I’ve been using Joint Health Complex, and I very much believe in the benefits of glucosamine.  Scientifically, there are multiple studies that have confirmed the benefits of glucosamine.  I think that, from a practical standpoint, I notice a difference.” *

Competing as an extreme athlete is one of Dean’s many passions; another is serving as a messenger to encourage others to be their all-out best. He travels the country promoting healthy active living to people of all ages—meeting them, running with them, speaking, supporting, giving of his time and of himself. Lately one of his causes is working to stop the “globesity” epidemic. “Its been estimated that as many as one third of our young people—25 million kids—are classified as overweight or obese” he says. “This is tragic! Kids love to move and play and run free. They are looking to us as adults to show them the healthy way. Certainly as a society, we would be much happier if everyone led active healthy lives.”

In his spare time, Dean wrote a book. Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, which has been on The New York Times list and is a national bestseller. Itwon a “Best of Amazon” award in 2005 and was the #7 best-selling sports book worldwide (The Economist). Ultramarathon Man has received gleaming reviews in Publisher’s Weekly, Esquire, Newsday, Sports Illustrated, and is currently in print in eleven languages.

Dean has been featured on 60 Minutes, The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS News, CNN, ESPN, The Howard Stern Show, NPR’s "Morning Edition," the BBC, and many others. He has appeared on the cover of numerous magazines, including Runner’s World and Outside, and has been featured in Time, Newsweek, People, GQ, The New York Times, USA TODAY, The Washington Post, Men’s Journal, Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, and the London Telegraph, to mention a few. He is a monthly columnist for Men’s Health, the world’s largest men’s health and lifestyle magazine.

How does Dean feel about handling celebrity? Although he agrees it isn’t “something you can train for,” his experiences with fans usually inspire him. “Inspiration is a two-way street,” he says. “There is something clearly magical about many of the people I meet. They’re kindred spirits…and they’re not always athletes. Recently someone told me, ‘After I read your book, I got up off the couch and walked around the block for the first time in 10 years.’ A story like that fills my heart with passion.”

In spite of his unbelievable calendar, Dean loves to be home, devoting time to his wife Julie and their children Alexandria and Nicolas. Dinner together as a family is a top priority, even though it often means training late at night and sleeping less. “I’m into needing less now, especially material things,” he says. “They’re not important to me anymore. I want to be free of any material encumbrances. And I’m never more free than when I’m running down an empty trail.”

Some of Dean's Achievements:

• Winner, Atacama Crossing, 2008
• Winner, Dead President’s Ultra, 2007
• Completed 50 marathons, 50 states, 50 days, then ran 1,300 miles from New York City to St. Louis as a cool down, 2006
• Winner, Vermont Trail 100, 2006
• Winner, Badwater Ultramarathon: The World’s Toughest Footrace, 2004
• Winner, Arabian Stallion Award, Angel’s Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run, 2003
• Winner, Outdoor World Championships, 2000
• Eleven-time Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run Silver Buckle holder
• Ran 350 continuous miles
• Six-time finisher of the Saturn Relay ultradivision (199 miles nonstop solo)
• First and only person to run a marathon to the South Pole in running shoes
• Competed in over 100 extreme endurance events around the globe
• Member of the American Ultrarunning Team representing the USA at the 2005 World Championships
• Specialties: running, mountain biking, surfing, snowboarding, windsurfing, triathlon, adventure racing

For more about Dean Karnazes, visit ultramarathonman.com