About book Ultramarathon Man: Confessions Of An All-Night Runner (2006)
I received this book as a gift from a friend. Having completed my first marathon just a little over a month ago, the timing of the gift was very appropriate. But unlike many people, who run a marathon, hang up their medal and call it quits afterward, I am planning on adding many more miles to my running shoes. Dean Karnazes’ Ultramarathon Man was therefore the perfect inspiration to continue the hobby.Although I must admit, reading this book was akin to a newly recruited soldier reading about the conquests of Alexander the Great. For though one may be rightly proud of his or her accomplishments at the marathon level, Karnazes elevates long-distance running to that of legend. Or, put differently: the marathon runner is to the non-runner what Dean Karnazes is to the marathon runner.His book is written with the same pace as his running clip – fast, energetic and heart-pounding. His childhood and adolescent adventures in running are fun and anecdotal, and his relationships with his siblings and parents serve to provide an emotional framework for his motivation behind running. However, the majority of the book is spent on detailing four superhuman races: the Western States 100-mile Endurance Challenge, the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon, the inaugural marathon to the South Pole, and the Providian Saturn 199-mile Relay. Though a tiny sliver of a minute fraction of the most elite athletes are capable of Karnazes’ feats, he still manages to keep humble throughout his memoir, reminding us of the backbreaking pain that he routinely suffers on his runs, his altruistic causes, and the unconditional support he receives from his family. Some of the highlights of his stories involve the ways his body has reacted towards ultra-endurance races. At one point, he fell asleep while running and kept on running, at another he lost visibility through fogged goggles while running a marathon to the South Pole, and once he actually went legitimately blind for a portion of a race (a condition called “nyctalopia”).Given the subject matter and the narrative pace, I was fully engrossed in this book and managed to finish it in a little over an afternoon. For anyone looking to jump-start their training or wanting to read about a regular guy’s quest to achieve the extraordinary, Karnazes’ story will inspire you.
I did not expect Ultramarathon Man to be a tearjerker, but it was. I did not expect to laugh out loud, but I did. If someone had told me I would read this book while sitting on the edge of my seat, I would have told them to Shut Up, but, guess what, I read most of this book whilst sitting on the edge of my seat. In short, this was the most entertaining book I read in 2010. In case you are wondering, this book is about Dean Karnazes. I read about him a couple years ago in 50/50. He's the guy who ran fifty marathons in fifty states in fifty days. This book isn't about his marathon abilities, though. It's about his tender heart. I realize he would probably sick one of his blisters on me if he knew I called him "tender hearted" but it is true. It is his tender heart that led him to run not only marathons, but 100+ mile ultra-marathons in mountain air. (This book is bookended with a charity one-man race that is almost 200 miles long.) It is his tender heart that lead him to grieve for his sister, be influenced by good (and bad) coaches, gain an appreciation for running with the tide of the ocean, nurture a lifelong love with his wife (whom he met in high school), raise children, thrive in corporate America, enjoy a terrific relationship with his parents, understand his brother and sister-in-law better, run for organ donations and, here's what I find so inspired, not only face his demons, but run with them, too. This is a fun, hilarious, inspired, uproarious, rowdy book that is also centered, inspired, down to earth, beautifully balanced with masculine and feminine energy and honest. I loved it. I think I should mention that my running mileage increased from 3.1 miles to 4.1 miles somewhere in the course of reading this book. The reason I think I should mention this is because I think it is arguable that this book isn't just for ultra-athletes. It is for anyone who has a tender heart.
Do You like book Ultramarathon Man: Confessions Of An All-Night Runner (2006)?
Ah, people hate Dean Karnazes... but ask yourself this: would you know who Scott Jurek was if you had never read Dean Karnazes? I wouldn't.Dean's book sometimes sounds like he's spinning a yarn. It's pretty unbelievable at points. On the other hand, he does some unbelievable things. And he does most of what he does for charity. In general, it's a very good read. It made me feel like going out running. And indirectly, I trained for and signed up for my first ultramarathon because I read this book. Love him or hate him, Dean Karnazes put ultramarathoning on the map.Is Dean the best runner in the world? Maybe not. Is he the best ultramarathoner? Probably not, either. He did win Badwater in 2004, and you don't do that by being a mediocre athlete.
—Timothy Allen
It's unfortunate that what could have been a really inspirational story about pushing oneself to the ultimate limit of physical endurance is overshadowed by the douchiness of the author. I wanted to be in awe and instead I was just annoyed. The constant false modesty was tiring and incredibly transparent. And I get that anyone who writes a memoir would want to shine themselves in a flattering light, so I understand Karnazes' decision to focus on races that he finished. But I think it would have been a better book if he had included at least one honest account of one of the races where he made a conscious decision to stop and not finish. He's a great runner and I am in awe of his skill and dedication. The fact that he raises money for sick children also raises his stock in my book. But sending a tampon to a friend after finishing a marathon (especially considering that ultra-marathoning is one of the arenas where women consistently out-perform men) is just a dick move. I feel better now.
—Mary
When I was halfway through this book, I put it down, grabbed my shoes and went for a run. Then I came back and read some more. I can give it no bigger a complement than that!Dean Karnazes is a phenomenon. I can't believe the physical feats of endurance and stamina he has pulled off, not to mention that he resumed running at the age of 29 just as a way out of his mundane corporate life.His life story is inspiring, to say the least. I don't think most of us will achieve the kind of stuff that he could, but most of us will never even try ...
—Sagar Vibhute
