25 Facts About Dean Karnazes

Dean Karnazes, is an American ultramarathon runner, and author of Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, which details ultra endurance running for the general public.

Dean Karnazes had two siblings; brother Kraig and a sister, Pary, who died in an automobile accident at the age of 18.

Dean Karnazes's father worked as a field naturalist for the Orange County Department of Education in 2006.

The younger Dean Karnazes brother grew up in Diamond Bar, California and San Clemente, California.

At first, Dean Karnazes ran direct routes from school to his home.

In junior high school, Dean Karnazes met Jack McTavish, a track coach who became Dean Karnazes' mentor and introduced him to the appeal of long-distance running.

In 1976, as a high school freshman at San Clemente High, Dean Karnazes joined the cross country team under Benner Cummings.

Dean Karnazes ran his first endurance event that year, a fundraising run on a track for underprivileged children, finishing in just under six hours and raising a dollar a lap from his sponsors.

Dean Karnazes has completed a number of endurance events, mostly running events, but a swimming event.

In 2006, Dean Karnazes embarked on the well-publicized Endurance 50: 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days.

Since marathon races are typically held only on weekends, on the other days Dean Karnazes ran the course of a marathon in each state using the help of the race director and staff of each event to officially run the certified course, but on a different day than the "live" event.

Dean Karnazes overcame the endurance and logistical difficulties of this goal and finished the final marathon, the NYC Marathon, on the official race day in 3 hours and 30 seconds.

Dean Karnazes weighed 154 pounds at the start and 153 pounds at the end.

Dean Karnazes' achievements have been derided among some runners as tainted with hyperbole and that his fame is primarily due to self-promotion in the media, rather than top athletic performances.

In 1995, Dean Karnazes founded Energy Well Natural Foods in San Francisco and he remains president of the company, now called Good Health Natural Foods.

Dean Karnazes has appeared on the cover of Runners' World, Outside, and Wired magazines, and has been featured in TIME, Newsweek, People, GQ, The New York Times, USA TODAY, and The Washington Post, among others.

Dean Karnazes won Competitor magazine's "Endurance Athlete of the Year" award three times, and earned ESPN's ESPY award.

The "Ultra Marathon Man" episode of Stan Lee's Superhumans documentary television series maintained that Dean Karnazes is able to reduce the build-up of lactic acid over long periods of time.

Dean Karnazes stated that he quit drinking while at Cal Poly, after the death of his sister.

Dean Karnazes attended California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, where his major subject was food science technology.

Dean Karnazes attended graduate school at the same institution, ending up as the class valedictorian.

Dean Karnazes paid for his education by obtaining scholarships and grants, and by working at a campus health center.

Dean Karnazes then went to the University of San Francisco's McLaren School of Business.

Dean Karnazes met his wife Julie in 9th grade at San Clemente High School.

Dean Karnazes' children accompanied their father for much of his run of 50 marathons in 50 states, as they were home-schooled at the time.