UltraMarathon Man (2008)

Celluloid

Ever known anybody who took up the challenge of running a marathon? I can personally attest that it is no easy feat, but it is achievable nonetheless. I had the pleasure of viewing the documentary UltraMarathon Man on its opening night a few days before I ran the San Francisco Marathon. Needless to say, I came away inspired and amazed. Ultramarathon man Dean Karnazes decided to run 50 straight marathons in each of the 50 states, on 50 consecutive days. Dean Karnazes seems as determined to push the human body to its limits as Nelson Mandela was in pushing human equality and freedom in South Africa. Dean’s humanitarian cause: to bring awareness and change to America’s obesity epidemic. Just think, for this 50/50 challenge he wakes up after four hours of sleep, and runs a 26.2 mile race. Next day, 26.2 miles. Day after that? You bet, another 26.2 miles. Repeat for 50 days straight. His 50th marathon of the challenge: the prestigious NYC marathon. A nice way to finish, right? Think again. After this final race, out of spontaneity, he decided to keep running in Forrest Gump fashion. How many miles did he continue to run for in the days following his 50th marathon? I’ll give you a hint, without revealing exactly how long. It’s about ¾ of the distance Chevy Chase traveled to land his family at the famed Wally World in National Lampoon’s Vacation, give or take a couple miles.

Dean Karnazes is not your average weekend warrior. He has a resting heart rate of 40 and appears to have the lung capacity of an adolescent dolphin (the latter is tongue-in-cheek and is not substantiated). In addition to the 50/50 Endurance Challenge highlighted in the film, Dean has completed a 200 mile relay race solo. He once ran 350 miles nonstop. He ran 10 marathons in 24 hours on a treadmill in Times Square. He won the 135 mile Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley’s 130 degree temperature. He ran a South Pole marathon in 40 below weather and swam across the San Francisco Bay. He also achieves impressive feats in mountain biking, surfing, and hiking. Dean completed all these achievements while juggling his position as president of a health food company and being a Dad in a family of four. He does his running in the early morning and functions on around 4 hours of sleep. Incredible, you say. Possibly insane, you say? With a laugh, he often admits to being a little crazy. You might be saying, well, what does any of this extremism have to do with my life, I’m not much of a runner? His message throughout the film speaks to anyone regardless of athletic ability or talent. He just encourages people to get off the couch and exercise. A reporter asked Dean what his hopes were for the movie. After thinking about it for a while, Dean simply replied, “my only hope for this film is that anyone who watches it leaves the theater more inspired to turn his or her dreams into a reality than when they entered.” This movie is about more than running. It’s about pushing oneself to be the best that one can be. To “take the next step” and go for something. Whether that be music, art, business, fitness, or juggling.

What also makes this film enriching is the connections Dean makes with the thousands of people who choose to run with him during the 50 marathons. Dean has charisma and he’s pretty funny. He cares about people. He shares his spirit with others. He’s good looking. He orders full pizzas on the run (cell phone+credit card+coordinates=full stomach for Dean). If this guy was arrogant and in it for the fame and money, I would tell you not to bother with reading his books or watching this film. Dean does not run for the medals or fastest times, nor does he run for recognition, even though he is a celebrity in the running world. Dean runs because he is good at running. He runs because he is curious about perceived limits. He runs because he wants to live every moment of his life to the fullest. Dean fully admits that, as humans, we don’t always know our full intentions when we do things. There’s still a bit of mystery in what drives us as humans, he says. An underpinning of this film is this air of mystery. Of the unknown. Pushing oneself into unknowns, by claiming your knowns. Running is the vehicle that allows Dean to access this world, pushing both his body and spirit to inconceivable limits. It’s a nice message to know that we have some control over our dreams. Dean, and those in the film, are living proof. And so are we. For information on this film and Dean's books, visit: www.UltraMarathonMan.com. -- Juggling Joe

Verdict:

Tags: UltraMarathon Man, Dean Karnazes, Review