I am Sheamus - Very Personal Development

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Between September 17 and November 5, 2006, Dean Karnazes completed the North Race Endurance 50 (also known as the 50/50/50), an event that saw him run fifty marathons in fifty different states over fifty consecutive days. Eight of the fifty races were official marathons - the challenge finished at the New York City marathon, where Karnazes ran better than three hours.

Karnazes book, Ultramarathon Man, was a New York Times best seller, and Dean’s journey, and his experiences at the Endurance 50, have been documented in a film, Ultramarathon Man: 50 Marathons, 50 States, 50 Days, which opens in select US theatres on July 31, 2008.

Check out this trailer:

I’m not sure how you could fail to be moved by some of that. Yes, this is a world where the concept of ‘reality’ has been warped beyond recognition, and yes, Karnazes is the master self-promoter, but there’s some stuff in there that echoes within us all. As I’ve said elsewhere, I’m off to Mississippi on August 1 and hope to find this still playing somewhere in the Memphis area.

Meantime, the follow-up to Ultramarathon Man, 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days, is now available at Amazon.com for pre-order (at the low, low price of $16.49). As you would imagine, this book also details Karnazes’ experiences at the Endurance 50, but also promises “…training tips that runners everywhere will want to know. These include what to do when you hit a wall, how to adapt quickly to drastic terrain, how to get motivated after a really tough day, and the best diet and exercise tips to improve your own best time. Complete with Dean’s practical tips on building endurance, this book will appeal to marathon runners and athletes everywhere.”

Finally, the 2008 Badwater Ultramarathon finished yesterday and Karnazes placed fourth in a time of 27 hours and 11 minutes. Interestingly, he finished just over half an hour ahead of his long-time rival, Pam Reed, which likely will add further fuel to their respective fires.