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Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss
In his follow-up to the bestselling Ultramarathon Man, Dean Karnazes is back with more mind-blowing tales of how he pushes his mind and body to limits which are inconceivable to most of us.In Run! Dean shares the pleasure - and considerable pain - of some of his most memorable adventures, a gentle 350-mile canter through the surprisingly hilly Australian Outback;- his annual attempts at the Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley, California (typical 45 degrees); and- the notorious 4 Deserts races, a masochist's delight encompassing four separate 155-mile runs across the Atacama Crossing, the Gobi, the Sahara and Antarctica...with rationed water.Dean's entertaining and endearing stories are sure to inspire both dedicated and vicarious runners alike.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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1882 people want to read
About the author
Dean Karnazes
21 books315 followersDean Karnazes (b. Constantine Karnazes) is an American ultramarathon runner and author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
May 28, 2013
In a lot of ways, this book is terrible. Dean Karnazes never met a running cliche he didn't want to use to believe in his dreams so he could enjoy the journey and fly on the wings of an eagle that is 99% perspiration so he could land among the stars. He's kind of an annoying bro who's sexist and not very funny and is so falsely modest it's embarrassing. The book is a lazy collection of blog posts and guest writers that hasn't even been edited carefully for continuity. But, BUT, then you'll get to a story about Karnazes awkwardly fist-bumping Barack Obama while running on a treadmill on live TV for 48 hours straight because he's realized his hand is covered in body lube from having just greased up his undercarriage, and you realize that it was all worth it. Yes, you have to suffer through chapters in which Karnazes unironically talks about how his greatest ultra is being a dad (seriously, that is a real chapter) or reproduces a bunch of letters from fans telling him how he is the most important person ever to exist, but then you you get to read about him running on an inflatable ice rescue raft through shark-infested waters. Definitely worth it.
May 14, 2011
In early May, Dean Karnazes finished his triumphant run across America live on national television. “Seventy-five days ago I dreamed of standing right here,” he said inside the television studio of the show that had sponsored his trek. By any account, his was an amazing run. He traveled more than 3000 miles on foot on the official route, not counting multiple fundraising 5Ks and a visit to the White House. His journey was well documented by the folks at the Regis and Kelly show, blogged and Facebooked and tracked by millions of Americans. It also coincided with the release of Dean’s third book, “Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss.” The book delivers exactly what the title says: stories of running. Specifically, stories of Dean running. From his early days running with his friend Topher to the “Best Race of My Life”—running a 10K with his daughter, Dean recounts some of his biggest successes, and some of his most daunting failures. One of the most spectacular ones came when he ran the Leadville 100 "Race Across the Sky." Somewhere around mile 61, the altitude finally got the better of him and he collapsed on the course with potential high altitude edema. He was rushed to a lower altitude and was unable to finish the race. "Failure rocks!" he writes. "You cannot grow and expand your capabilities to their limits without running the risk of failure." Which is what Dean does. He tests the limits of his own power, of his own body, of his own will. He pushes himself beyond what most of us think is even possible, and then he pushes further. As an ultrarunner he's had tremendous success. As a person, he's at a place in his life many of us only dream of being. He does exactly what he loves to do, he gets paid to do it, and he's quite successful at it. Run! is not as good as Confessions, in my opinion. It's more disjointed, and he writes a lot about his friend and protege, Topher. While Topher's story is compelling, it's not enough to drive the book. For those of you who are or want to be ultrarunners, there's a great chapter written by Dean's wife, Julie. It's required reading for the non-running spouse of a runner. Still, there is something missing in this book that I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe it's the idea that the book just seems like more publicity for the man, which means publicity for the America run, which means publicity for the book. I'm a big fan of Dean, not only for his running but also for the message he seeks to share that has nothing to do with running. His message is simple: pursue your dream. Find what you love and do it, give it everything you've got. You can be successful at anything you do, as long as you work hard and train hard to do it.
Marshall Ulrich's book is not as uplifting as Dean's. Ulrich is a legend in the ultrarunning and adventure race community. He famously ran the Badwater Ultramarathon four times at once (he refers to it as his Badwater Quad). Ulrich has run across the Sahara and been capsized in a boat on the first day of an adventure race. Plagued all his running life by toenail problems (common for runners), he had them surgically removed. Problem solved. Sometimes referred to as "the tank," Marshall is a machine when it comes to running. And this book shows just how much of a determined machine he is. Ulrich's book is not so much about the run as it is about why Marshall Ulrich runs.
Contrasting these two books is easy. Within the first ten pages of Ulrich's book, I was in tears. This is not an uplifting tale of man overcoming obstacles to achieve greatness. This is a cautionary tale about a man running to escape his demons, running to escape himself. When tragedy strikes Marshall Ulrich, he does the only thing he's known how to do for years: he runs. It's an out that served him well, until he decided to run across America. Unlike Dean, who performed his run with the full support of a well financed crew of at least 15 people, Ulrich operated on a shoestring budget. He rented his RV himself, and though his run was sponsored by sports companies and therapeutic device manufacturers, the fact is that Ulrich ran across the country on a tight budget. He had a small and unpaid crew working for him, led by his wife, Heather, without whom Ulrich states throughout the book he would not have been able to finish the run. Early on, he intimates at the interpersonal difficulties that arise towards the end of the run. However, when that climactic scene finally takes place, when the two runners confront each other, the details are decidedly lacking. At that point, Ulrich had run nearly 3/4 of the way from San Francisco to New York and his brain probably wasn't functioning at a level that would have allowed him to remember word-for-word the conversation that transpired. (Ulrich states that since the run was being filmed for a documentary, the conversation can be seen there and there's no need to rehash it here. I disagree.) Once Ulrich makes the decision and starts planning the run, he talks about a lot of drama that takes place, but he doesn't show any of it.
What the book lacks in drama, though, it certainly makes up for in the compelling tale of Marshall Ulrich the man, his body and his record-breaking run across America. Where Dean ran 40-50 miles per day, Ulrich tackled upwards of 60 miles per day. Unlike Karnazes, Ulrich pays a hefty price. He suffers from plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, sore back, sore knees, sore quads, sore hamstrings. After stepping wrong off a curb, Ulrich's leg is manipulated by the doctor on his crew, Dr. Paul, who adjusts something and then much later informs him that he had dislocated his fibula and that Dr. Paul had "relocated" it. For Ulrich, running across America meant pain so bad that at one point he simply decided to disown his own foot, to ignore the pain. It was the only way to go on.
Ultimately, Ulrich learns that he can't run away forever, that running only prolongs the agony. His realization of all that he's been running from, and the amazing love and support he received from his wife, Heather, during the course of his journey, help him to stop running--at least emotionally.
If Karnazes's book is about chasing your dreams, Ulrich's book is the warning the government makes companies apply to those dreams. It's the tale of Icarus who flew too high. "Yet how else would he feel the warmth of the sun?" Ulrich writes. "Half the fun [of life] is venturing into the unknown, taking on the difficult task that yields new knowlede, doing more and testing your limits."
Therein lies the similarity in these books. Both men want their readers to push themselves and to see how far they can take their bodies and their spirits. That's what living is all about.
Marshall Ulrich's book is not as uplifting as Dean's. Ulrich is a legend in the ultrarunning and adventure race community. He famously ran the Badwater Ultramarathon four times at once (he refers to it as his Badwater Quad). Ulrich has run across the Sahara and been capsized in a boat on the first day of an adventure race. Plagued all his running life by toenail problems (common for runners), he had them surgically removed. Problem solved. Sometimes referred to as "the tank," Marshall is a machine when it comes to running. And this book shows just how much of a determined machine he is. Ulrich's book is not so much about the run as it is about why Marshall Ulrich runs.
Contrasting these two books is easy. Within the first ten pages of Ulrich's book, I was in tears. This is not an uplifting tale of man overcoming obstacles to achieve greatness. This is a cautionary tale about a man running to escape his demons, running to escape himself. When tragedy strikes Marshall Ulrich, he does the only thing he's known how to do for years: he runs. It's an out that served him well, until he decided to run across America. Unlike Dean, who performed his run with the full support of a well financed crew of at least 15 people, Ulrich operated on a shoestring budget. He rented his RV himself, and though his run was sponsored by sports companies and therapeutic device manufacturers, the fact is that Ulrich ran across the country on a tight budget. He had a small and unpaid crew working for him, led by his wife, Heather, without whom Ulrich states throughout the book he would not have been able to finish the run. Early on, he intimates at the interpersonal difficulties that arise towards the end of the run. However, when that climactic scene finally takes place, when the two runners confront each other, the details are decidedly lacking. At that point, Ulrich had run nearly 3/4 of the way from San Francisco to New York and his brain probably wasn't functioning at a level that would have allowed him to remember word-for-word the conversation that transpired. (Ulrich states that since the run was being filmed for a documentary, the conversation can be seen there and there's no need to rehash it here. I disagree.) Once Ulrich makes the decision and starts planning the run, he talks about a lot of drama that takes place, but he doesn't show any of it.
What the book lacks in drama, though, it certainly makes up for in the compelling tale of Marshall Ulrich the man, his body and his record-breaking run across America. Where Dean ran 40-50 miles per day, Ulrich tackled upwards of 60 miles per day. Unlike Karnazes, Ulrich pays a hefty price. He suffers from plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, sore back, sore knees, sore quads, sore hamstrings. After stepping wrong off a curb, Ulrich's leg is manipulated by the doctor on his crew, Dr. Paul, who adjusts something and then much later informs him that he had dislocated his fibula and that Dr. Paul had "relocated" it. For Ulrich, running across America meant pain so bad that at one point he simply decided to disown his own foot, to ignore the pain. It was the only way to go on.
Ultimately, Ulrich learns that he can't run away forever, that running only prolongs the agony. His realization of all that he's been running from, and the amazing love and support he received from his wife, Heather, during the course of his journey, help him to stop running--at least emotionally.
If Karnazes's book is about chasing your dreams, Ulrich's book is the warning the government makes companies apply to those dreams. It's the tale of Icarus who flew too high. "Yet how else would he feel the warmth of the sun?" Ulrich writes. "Half the fun [of life] is venturing into the unknown, taking on the difficult task that yields new knowlede, doing more and testing your limits."
Therein lies the similarity in these books. Both men want their readers to push themselves and to see how far they can take their bodies and their spirits. That's what living is all about.
July 15, 2022
If you liked Ultramarathon Man, Karnazes' first book, or have watched any of his documentaries this is the book for you. Karnazes is humble and funny. He throws himself 100% into every crazy task that he takes on and gives us mortals inspiration to tackle the tasks that seem insurmountable to us. Always a good read.
February 27, 2011
3.5 Stars.
This started off a little slow. Some of the early stories which were supposed to be humorous anecdotes didn't connect with me for some reason. As the book moved on, however, I found the stories more and more interesting. It may have been the fact that as the book moved on, you got more into Dean's struggles in various ultras, which is similar to his first book, "Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner", which I gave 5 stars to.
It's not great literature, and the copy I read was pre-released so it may have been cleaned up a little for general release. But it's really not supposed to be great literature. Dean portrays himself as a "normal" guy who is doing what he loves and fell into a level of cult-celebrity, so it's fitting that this book be written in a more casual manner.
There are a number of humorous stories, the one with the carpet samples had me laughing out loud. That story, and the one with the glass and Topher's butt (you'll see) offered a glimpse into Dean the regular guy, and not Dean the quasi-celebrity who is, by his own admission, uncomfortable in the role.
The book is separated into 26.2 chapters and as it went on, I found myself wanting to go out for long runs again. I did an ultra in Summer 2010 and the New York Marathon in Fall 2010, but have taken the last few months off to give my body some rest. This book sparked that running nerve again and I've already started planning out my next big race. That may be the best endorsement I can offer for this book. It's certainly worth the read for anyone interested in Dean and ultras in general.
This started off a little slow. Some of the early stories which were supposed to be humorous anecdotes didn't connect with me for some reason. As the book moved on, however, I found the stories more and more interesting. It may have been the fact that as the book moved on, you got more into Dean's struggles in various ultras, which is similar to his first book, "Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner", which I gave 5 stars to.
It's not great literature, and the copy I read was pre-released so it may have been cleaned up a little for general release. But it's really not supposed to be great literature. Dean portrays himself as a "normal" guy who is doing what he loves and fell into a level of cult-celebrity, so it's fitting that this book be written in a more casual manner.
There are a number of humorous stories, the one with the carpet samples had me laughing out loud. That story, and the one with the glass and Topher's butt (you'll see) offered a glimpse into Dean the regular guy, and not Dean the quasi-celebrity who is, by his own admission, uncomfortable in the role.
The book is separated into 26.2 chapters and as it went on, I found myself wanting to go out for long runs again. I did an ultra in Summer 2010 and the New York Marathon in Fall 2010, but have taken the last few months off to give my body some rest. This book sparked that running nerve again and I've already started planning out my next big race. That may be the best endorsement I can offer for this book. It's certainly worth the read for anyone interested in Dean and ultras in general.
April 18, 2018
Karno is crazy, and by crazy I mean absolutely batshit insane. The kind of insane that makes for a wonderful read. Similar to his 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days -- And How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!50/50 book about a marathon a day for fifty days, these chapters could either be read from 1-26.2 or as separate standalones. Exactly the palate cleanser I was in search of. There are definitely some themes that cross the stories: his friendship with Topher Gaylord, his relationship with his father and his endless Leadville/Badwater quests. I love that this book is a little bit travel to go with the running memoirs: 4 Deserts sounds amazing even if I have zero interest in audio hallucinations in the Sahara. Running 200 miles in 48 hours and not setting a record? Preposterous. For Karno, it's just a warmup to a marathon in Portugal. A wonderful read.
October 11, 2024
A fun book! It makes me itch to get out and run...darn tendinitis. But it's getting better! Anyway, I love his thoughts, and it was nice to hear some different voices in this book...his wife, his friend who he talk/coerced into ultramarathoning, and fans.
September 20, 2013
Dean Karnazes – The Ultramarathon Man – has gone for days without rest, run in some of the most inhospitable places on Earth and even ordered a pizza for delivery on a barren road in the middle of the night and ate it all while running. Now he tells some of his favorite, most unbelievable and hilarious stories from the long and winding road with charm and exquisite detail.
Dean Karnazes is sort of the pied piper of the long distance running world. Beginning with his hugely successful book Ultramarathon Man, Karnazes has accomplished amazing feats of running endurance. Combined with an “everyman” persona and a wry wit, he has captivated people around the world with his achievements and the attitude he has brought to the distance running community. With Run!, Karnazes continues to tell of the adventures he has encountered while running insane distances. While interesting and motivational to many (especially obviously, runners) I didn’t find the stories in Run! quite as captivating as Ultramarathon Man.
Karnazes’s writing is adequate, but he makes up for this with his wit and sense of what is interesting to people. He isn’t the greatest distance runner, but he might be the greatest distance running showman – the PT Barnum of running. Let’s face it, long distance running isn’t exactly a spectator’s sport. Yet somehow Karnazes has managed to strike a nerve with the general public. His stories are nothing if not fascinating. Still, after a while the inspiration wears a bit thin and it comes back to spending a very long time coxing your body to keep going.
Run! will certainly find its place on the shelves of hardcore runners. The stories were good and Karnazes is always an interesting personality who does a lot for charity. If you are big into running or endurance sports, I would say you won’t be disappointed with this offering. If you are not a runner, I would suggest picking up Ultramaration Man for a more interesting and inspirational set of stories.
“My suspicion is that, like me, most of you reading these pages are drawn to extremes. Moderation bores you. You seek challenges and adventures that dwell on the outer edges. The path of least resistance is not a route often traveled.”
Dean Karnazes is sort of the pied piper of the long distance running world. Beginning with his hugely successful book Ultramarathon Man, Karnazes has accomplished amazing feats of running endurance. Combined with an “everyman” persona and a wry wit, he has captivated people around the world with his achievements and the attitude he has brought to the distance running community. With Run!, Karnazes continues to tell of the adventures he has encountered while running insane distances. While interesting and motivational to many (especially obviously, runners) I didn’t find the stories in Run! quite as captivating as Ultramarathon Man.
Karnazes’s writing is adequate, but he makes up for this with his wit and sense of what is interesting to people. He isn’t the greatest distance runner, but he might be the greatest distance running showman – the PT Barnum of running. Let’s face it, long distance running isn’t exactly a spectator’s sport. Yet somehow Karnazes has managed to strike a nerve with the general public. His stories are nothing if not fascinating. Still, after a while the inspiration wears a bit thin and it comes back to spending a very long time coxing your body to keep going.
Run! will certainly find its place on the shelves of hardcore runners. The stories were good and Karnazes is always an interesting personality who does a lot for charity. If you are big into running or endurance sports, I would say you won’t be disappointed with this offering. If you are not a runner, I would suggest picking up Ultramaration Man for a more interesting and inspirational set of stories.
March 1, 2012
It's difficult to keep pace with the Ultramarathon Man. Figuratively and literally. Run!: 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, however, does a pretty good job of winning a Badwater belt buckle.
For someone who runs ultras (runs longer than the 26.2 miles of a marathon), Dean Karnazes also has a gift of relation. His existential tales of inhuman accomplishments are not only inspirational, but they also feel attainable. Making it sound easy, perhaps even enticing, while relaying the difficulties of such endeavors is the reason why most get into long distance running. We want to achieve what we have previously thought unachievable. Do what we have not done. Start crossing off the bucket list. Reading through Dean's bucket list (more like bathtub list) which includes the insanity of running four famous desert races in one year - each one has a ridiculously low completion percentage and turns most endurance athletes into chewed bubble gum - makes me want to lace up shoes and get lost on purpose.
While the chapters may not coalesce into a driving goal or insightful catchphrase, they inspire, which is kind of the entire point. Highly recommended for the couch potato about to waste money on a get fit quick "solution."
For someone who runs ultras (runs longer than the 26.2 miles of a marathon), Dean Karnazes also has a gift of relation. His existential tales of inhuman accomplishments are not only inspirational, but they also feel attainable. Making it sound easy, perhaps even enticing, while relaying the difficulties of such endeavors is the reason why most get into long distance running. We want to achieve what we have previously thought unachievable. Do what we have not done. Start crossing off the bucket list. Reading through Dean's bucket list (more like bathtub list) which includes the insanity of running four famous desert races in one year - each one has a ridiculously low completion percentage and turns most endurance athletes into chewed bubble gum - makes me want to lace up shoes and get lost on purpose.
While the chapters may not coalesce into a driving goal or insightful catchphrase, they inspire, which is kind of the entire point. Highly recommended for the couch potato about to waste money on a get fit quick "solution."
March 10, 2011
I am a HUGE fan of the ultra-marathoning stories. I love that stuff. I love how dramatic, tragic, and operatic it all seems to be. The injuries, the vomit, the blisters, the food! So I enjoyed the chapters on the desert ultras that he competed in, but essentially I felt that they were underdeveloped.
For the record, I am a runner, so perhaps that is why I felt such a lukewarm reaction to this book. Perhaps this book is meant to inspire non-runners to RUN! I found a lot of it reminiscent of stuff that may be cross-stitched on a pillow. Simply not my thing.
People in the running community either love him or hate him. I honestly don't have that strong of a reaction, I must admit that the man has excellent taste in pizza.
So, bottomline: Are you thinking of starting to run? This will probably inspire you because when you get tired at the 4K mark of a 5K you can dig deep and think about Karnazes running the desert or running 48 hours on a treadmill.
Are you already a runner? Skip it. Go to a runner's online forum.
For the record, I am a runner, so perhaps that is why I felt such a lukewarm reaction to this book. Perhaps this book is meant to inspire non-runners to RUN! I found a lot of it reminiscent of stuff that may be cross-stitched on a pillow. Simply not my thing.
People in the running community either love him or hate him. I honestly don't have that strong of a reaction, I must admit that the man has excellent taste in pizza.
So, bottomline: Are you thinking of starting to run? This will probably inspire you because when you get tired at the 4K mark of a 5K you can dig deep and think about Karnazes running the desert or running 48 hours on a treadmill.
Are you already a runner? Skip it. Go to a runner's online forum.
July 10, 2011
Super motivational and fast read. Makes you re-evaluate your definition of "possible". It's premise can be applied to life even if you are not a runner. Chock full of great quotes.
page 104: "Over the years, I've come to not only embrace failure, but to welcome it and celebrate the occurrence. You cannot grow and expand your capabilities to their limits without running the risk of failure. And failure can provide invaluable lessons.
page 111: "We often think people who achieve great things never fail, that success comes naturally to them. This, of course, is a mistake. Truth is that risk-taking breeds failure and failure breeds success. Michael Jordan said it perfectly: "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost more than 300 games. Twenty-six times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
page 104: "Over the years, I've come to not only embrace failure, but to welcome it and celebrate the occurrence. You cannot grow and expand your capabilities to their limits without running the risk of failure. And failure can provide invaluable lessons.
page 111: "We often think people who achieve great things never fail, that success comes naturally to them. This, of course, is a mistake. Truth is that risk-taking breeds failure and failure breeds success. Michael Jordan said it perfectly: "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost more than 300 games. Twenty-six times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
August 11, 2011
This is a 3.5 star book for me - I liked his first book better, but some sections of this book were interesting. Could have done without the interview with his wife and kids - didn't ring all that true to me - would you really say otherwise re: your dad/husband for his book? Loved the letters from readers. Liked hearing more about Topher and Kimmy, and laughed out loud a few times. Mostly this book is interesting when you want to read about people who do things outside the norm. Will I run ultramarathons? Highly doubt it. Do I find it absolutely fascinating to read about those who do run ultras? Heck yeah. If you're the same then pick this up at the library....
July 7, 2014
When I started this book, I figured this would be a 2 or 3 star read. However, as the book progressed, I was surprised and impressed at the stories capturing the conditions that a runner will put himself through to meet a goal. The best part? I did not find him condescending, cocky, or arrogant- a true extreme athlete whose passion is to run. He chose to make a living off his running and did well. Not only did he explain his successes, but also described the runs that did not go as planned. I love stories highlighting extreme sports and athletes, and would recommend this to others who enjoy running and/or reading about adventure sports.
December 9, 2014
I have always admired Dean for his sheer drive to go farther and do more crazy things. I enjoy his writing because writing about running can be hard to make exciting. But he does it in a fun way that keeps me interested. He is an inspiration, but spoiler, he likes to lay low in the public eye. So read his book, but be courteous and down to earth if you ever meet him in real life. Unlike me, sorry Dean, I went all fan girl on you.
May 10, 2015
What I expected - Dean is a machine! everyday is a moving experience.
April 14, 2019
Was a slow start to get into the book until 5 or 6 chapters in, but generally enjoyed reading it. Because of the structure of the book being 26.2 'chapters', some sections feel a bit disjointed and 'filler', like one with a q&a from his kids, and another with printed email correspondence.
Interspersed in there though are some nice stories about running some of the hardest foot-races on the planet in all manner of conditions. Particularly liked the anecdote about running through the Australian Outbook on a desolate road in the middle of nowhere, while holding a plate and eating dinner, and then the looks from the sole vehicle to drive by in hours!
Enjoyed reading about the 48 hour treadmill challenge (and the inspired kid sat on the street watching him the whole time, then leaving a message saying 'you are my hero... I am going to run again'. Also enjoyed hearing about running Badwater, Western States, and following the 'journey' or his friend Toph from non-runner to ultrarunner. Inspiring to think of the resilience of the human body to be able to run so long and so far, something that doesn't seem like it would be possible until you start reading about it in books like these.
Overall an inspiring read, but feel like his earlier book Ultramarathon Man might be more interesting. I didn't know of Dean before picking up this book, so might pick up that one at some point.
Interspersed in there though are some nice stories about running some of the hardest foot-races on the planet in all manner of conditions. Particularly liked the anecdote about running through the Australian Outbook on a desolate road in the middle of nowhere, while holding a plate and eating dinner, and then the looks from the sole vehicle to drive by in hours!
Enjoyed reading about the 48 hour treadmill challenge (and the inspired kid sat on the street watching him the whole time, then leaving a message saying 'you are my hero... I am going to run again'. Also enjoyed hearing about running Badwater, Western States, and following the 'journey' or his friend Toph from non-runner to ultrarunner. Inspiring to think of the resilience of the human body to be able to run so long and so far, something that doesn't seem like it would be possible until you start reading about it in books like these.
Overall an inspiring read, but feel like his earlier book Ultramarathon Man might be more interesting. I didn't know of Dean before picking up this book, so might pick up that one at some point.
November 10, 2017
As I begin to train for my first Boston Marathon, I was looking for some inspirational reads. I enjoyed the format of this book as it is 26.2 stories. Karno is questionably human with what his body is able to endure. I found it fascinating to read his stories, but because he is so extreme, it was almost too hard to relate to him. It is similar to being inspired by superman, no matter how hard I try, I will never fly.
I still found this to be a fun read about running, but it is not as inspirational as I hoped. I was inspired to run more places though and not just in my area, although I am not sure I want to run 100 miles. . .
I still found this to be a fun read about running, but it is not as inspirational as I hoped. I was inspired to run more places though and not just in my area, although I am not sure I want to run 100 miles. . .
November 13, 2017
Very interesting and quick read for anyone interested in endurance running. It gives an excellent insight into how Dean's mind works, and makes great strides to illustrate not just the successes, but also the failures along his journey. While very well known for his 50 marathons in 50 days, this pulls back the curtain and shows more of what his day to day life is, and shows that his thoughts and emotions during a race aren't much different from that which the rest of us feel.. I highly recommend it
January 14, 2024
It's an easy going, inspirational, humorous and enjoyable, book covering a variety of running stories written by someone who's hardcore and passionate about running. What's not to like ?
Whilst progressing through the book I was left to wonder how close I could get to achieving this level of fitness and perseverance - but also questioning if I'd want to. This is a step closer to acceptance (or is it submission) from when I read Ultramarathon Man, my wife is still trying to work out if that's a good thing.
Whilst progressing through the book I was left to wonder how close I could get to achieving this level of fitness and perseverance - but also questioning if I'd want to. This is a step closer to acceptance (or is it submission) from when I read Ultramarathon Man, my wife is still trying to work out if that's a good thing.
June 27, 2017
Dean Karnazes continues to amaze me with his book “Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss” I have also read his book “Ultramarathon Man” to channel some inspo to run my first Ultra (totally worked) his books comes across as very braggy but c’mon, he deserves to brag! Dean is such an amazing story teller, the best part of this book is him re-telling stories about his races. He definitely lives life to the fullest and has a near crazy level of determination.
October 5, 2020
I felt that this was kind of a "meh" book. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't thinking about the stories when I wasn't reading it. It was one of those books that I would see laying around and be like "oh, I should read more of that," but if I didn't see it, I wasn't thinking about it. Overall, it was well written and the stories were interesting, it just wasn't as engaging as I would have liked for it to be.
July 24, 2019
I think he’s a bit nuts but am honestly also inspired by his dedication to pursuing his passion. I love his reminders that our failures teach us and make us stronger. You certainly don’t have to be or even want to be an ultra marathoner to have some valuable take aways. Friends for the record I have no ultras on my horizon😜
July 28, 2019
Inspirational and informal. Karno is not a traditionally trained writer, and much of the book reads like a conversation over drinks.. yet the massive accomplishment and capability of this man are maddeningly motivational. As an amateur middle distance runner I stopped a few times in reading this to ask myself, “should I be running 100 miles instead of my typical 5?”
February 2, 2018
I was surprised at how enjoyable this book was. It was broken up into 26.2 little snippets of stories that included both great achievements while running and great failures. And I didn’t mind looking at that cover every time I picked it up.
September 23, 2018
Not a patch on ultrmarathon man.
An amazing man with almost superhuman abilities but this book really didn’t hit the mark.
If you haven’t already read ultra marathonman, I’d unreservedly recommend it.
An amazing man with almost superhuman abilities but this book really didn’t hit the mark.
If you haven’t already read ultra marathonman, I’d unreservedly recommend it.
September 22, 2020
As many people have said he’s so arrogant, can’t write and generally loves himself waaaay too much but it’s an easy read and if you’re a runner you can understand the running stuff. Not really worth reading but short and easy so quickly over with.
October 7, 2021
The 'Ultramarathon Man' writes a short addendum to his other more famous work: 26.2 anecdotes and reflections which together make easy reading and have made me interested enough that I will at some point try to read his better known main book.
February 19, 2022
recomendado no solo para corredores
Un libro que inspira de principio a fin, mas que un libro sobre un ultra maratonista es un libro que muestra el crecimiento personal desde un ejemplo de vida
Un libro que inspira de principio a fin, mas que un libro sobre un ultra maratonista es un libro que muestra el crecimiento personal desde un ejemplo de vida
March 26, 2024
oh man.. you know when you read something and.. and you can feel a subtle sinking in deep down in your bones that maybe this is something you can work up to? This is insane... this is going to hurt so bad... oh but wouldn't it be an exciting adventure....
March 1, 2017
This was a cute idea. Some of these weren't that interesting, some really were. I was decent. I read to the end so that says something.
October 5, 2017
This is a great book when needing to read in snippets. Though there is some chronology, each of the 26 (or so) stories can stand on its own. They are fun to read.
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