Podcast 83: DEAN KARNAZES on the ESPY, 24-hr record, and criticisms from Scott Jurek
Posted September 26th, 2007 at 6:17 PM by Adam Jacobs
Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts, Trail / Ultra
Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years BR Sportswear is closing out their line of high -quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!
Episode 83 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with “Ultramarathon Man” DEAN KARNAZES: the recipient of the 2007 ESPY for “Best Outdoor Athlete”.
In the interview Dean talks about the ESPY award, raising money for charity and his attempt to break the 24-hr. running record in Times Square, and the North Face Ultra-Trail du Tour du Mont-Blanc.
Dean also responds to the critical comments made by Scott Jurek in a recent Endurance Planet interview. Jurek’s comments included: “I’m not winning races and performing, I shouldn’t be gracing the cover of magazines, getting a title, or even being okay with accepting a title such as Outside Magazine’s “America’s Best Outdoor Athlete”. I would feel ashamed to have that title.”
Download the podcast to hear Dean discusses these topics, as well as his continued to efforts to inspire others and hopefully increase exposure and available sponsorship money for trail and ultra running, the conflict between his desire to train/compete and a multitude of marketing and promotional obligations.
Listen In
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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Dean Karnazes
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File Size: 12.5 MB | Length: 18:13 MIN
Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years Bill Rodgers Sportswear is closing out their line of high-quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!
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Tags: 24 hour running record, accelerade, Best Outdoor Athlete, charity, critisms, Dean Karnazes, ESPN, ESPY, honors, inspiration, interview, magazine covers, marketing, money, mont blanc, motivation, N LOCK, north face, outdoor athlete, outdoor athlete of the year, Outdoor Magazine, podcast, Scott Jurek, sponsorships, trail running, trailrunning, ultramarathon man, ultramarathons
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The Final Sprint
[…] Stacy Forster wrote an interesting post today!.Here’s a quick excerptDownload the podcast to hear Dean discusses these topics, as well as his continued to efforts to inspire others and hopefully increase exposure and available sponsorship money for trail and ultra running, the conflict between his desire … […]
September 26th, 2007 at 4:52 pmDean Karnazes seems like an all-round great person. His book is very influential and he has the drive that many runners constantly search for. He is definitely someone to take some notes from…
September 26th, 2007 at 8:20 pm[…] Dean Karnazes the Ultra Marathon Man has just done done a podcast interview on The Final Sprint. He responds to the critical comments made by Scott Jurek in a recent Endurance Planet interview. Some of Jurek’s comments include “I’m not winning races and performing, I shouldn’t be gracing the cover of magazines, getting a title, or even being okay with accepting a title such as Outside Magazine’s America’s Best Distance Runner. I would feel ashamed to have that title.” […]
September 26th, 2007 at 10:51 pmIn 2005, I completed 318.25 miles without sleep partly in response to all the hoopla surrounding both Pam Reed and Dean Karnazes. Dean then broke that “record” in 10/2005 with a 350 mile run. I received some accolades for my efforts, but made no effort to pursue the media frenzy that has since erupted. In 2006, I trained for a 400 mile attempt but fell short. I realized that my family and my teaching job just did not allow me the time afforded to other runners at the elite ultra level. I also learned that I was just not as marketable as Dean and others even when all I was asking for was water. I am nowhere near the caliber of runner that Scott and other ultrarunners are; I have never claimed to be. I am just a runner who can run a long way, sometimes fast, sometimes not so fast. Dean has certainly created a media circus/phenom. However, as an active member of my local running community I have discovered that they have a biased view towards ultrarunning. They believe that Dean is the only “real” ultrarunner. They have never heard of Howard Nippert, Jenn Shelton, Anne Lundbland, Eric Grossman, etc. etc. etc. When they talk about Dean’s 50/50 event, they think he is the only one who could have done that. Maybe, he is one of the few who had the financial backing to pull of the travel logistics, but there are hundreds of runners in America who could get up everyday and run 26.2 miles for 50 straight days and beyond.
Sooner or later, runners will figure out that Dean is about marketing and promotions and is just using ultrarunning as his gig. Sooner or later, Dean’s glow will fade and the spirit of ultrarunning will live on the thousands of miles run by runners who run ultras just to enjoy the challenge, etc. Now, don’t get me wrong, Dean is not a bad ultrarunner, but is he as good as Scott Jurek, Karl Meltzer, Dave Mackey, Eric Grossman, Leigh Schmitt, Sean Andrish, etc. Not to mention the 100 mile speedsters - Pacheco and others. One last comment, I would love someone to pay me to try to break the treadmill record - what a great way to earn some extra money for my family, etc.? I would have been embarassed to have been paid and then performed in such a matter. I agree with Scott - In 2005, I was almost awarded one of the Arete awards for courage in sports. However, at the last minute, my segment was cut. In retrospect, I am glad that that occurred. In comparision, my achievements were really not that spectacular. Also, in 2005, Runners World got information for me to be featured in their print version for an issue in 2006. At the last minute, I was put in the online version and replaced my an article on Dean. I just had to laugh. He certainly looks better than I do; my wife says I look like Mr. Magoo in shape - can’t do much marketing magic with that look.
Christopher Calfee
September 27th, 2007 at 10:18 am[…] Over at The Final Sprint I stumbled upon a really interesting podcast with Dean Karnazes. He is an avid runner that has authored The Ultra-Marathon Man. His words of inspiration speak to everyone, not just the runners out there! […]
September 27th, 2007 at 2:44 pmDean Karnazes has done more to put ultra-running on the map and to inspire fitness in the American public than any other person out there. He may not be the fastest or even the fittest but he is the most selfless when it comes to giving of his time to his legions of fans and supporters. He also has grace, courage and class; something his detracters are sorely missing.
September 27th, 2007 at 9:17 pmSHAME ON SCOTT JUREK FOR HIS JEALOUS AND TACTLESS COMMENTS!! I used to be a fan of his as well, but after his comments - no more!
[…] DUBLIN, IRELAND (Geared Up Blog) - In July on enduranceplanet.com Scott Jurek made some comments about Dean Karnazes and his recent awards such as the ESPY and gracing the cover of Outside magazine and claiming he is “America’s Best Outdoor Athlete”. Dean replied to his comments in an interview with thefinalsprint.com by saying the he isn’t as competitive as he thinks he is deserving on the ESPY award as it isn’t titled America’s best runner or ultra runner. He also goes onto say the he believes Jurek is probably the best Ultra runner in the states at the moment, something that not many people are likely to argue. I wonder will the debate continue or has Dean put it to rest?? […]
October 1st, 2007 at 9:32 am[…] Dean Karnazes the Ultra Marathon Man has just done a podcast interview on The Final Sprint. He responds to the critical comments made by Scott Jurek in a recent Endurance Planet interview. Some of Jurek’s comments include “I’m not winning races and performing, I shouldn’t be gracing the cover of magazines, getting a title, or even being okay with accepting a title such as Outside Magazine’s America’s Best Distance Runner. I would feel ashamed to have that title.” […]
January 9th, 2008 at 11:33 pmI can understand both sides of the debate about truly great runners versus very marketable runners. To consider this a “war” detracts from the sport as a whole. Everyone is in this together, and unless someone is making ultra running look bad, then I believe we are all pushing the sport in the same direction, which is forward. Sure, your average person will likely recognize Dean Karnaze’s name over Jurek’s. However, Scott should feel comfort in knowing that many running purists respect his achievements and look up to him as a spokesperson for ultra running. Dean is a much different type of spokesperson. Christopher Calfee is a unique spokesperson as well. However, as long as running continues to grow through everyone’s efforts, then we should all be please that a special thing in ultra running, is being introduced to the rest of the world. Running has its “celebrity” personalities, it’s true legends like Yiannis Kouros and David Horton(among many others). Another overlooked aspect about running is that it can transform the common man/woman into something extraordinary. On a personal level, it becomes less about publicity, and finish times. The reward is the experience and the journey. Maybe that is what we can often forget. I could write a list of hundreds of runner names that motivate me to go out and compete in a 100 miler, or step out the door for a 3 mile jog in the sun. Would it surprise you that the list of names would include elite runners, as well as people from my neighborhood or gym that you will never get a chance to know? I’m thankful for the doors that ultra running has opened, and the very existence of this debate proves how the importance of the sport has grown.
Take care and keep runnin’
January 23rd, 2008 at 12:13 pm-Mike Bailey
Don’t you grasp that most of the above are guided by Karnazes who asked them to write good words about him: the self-promoter? He is informed for the time each story will be on, so he asks his mates to right compliments about him! Everything under control of self-promotion!!! We are not so naïve…
I must admit that I am one of Karnazes’ victim: He is using peoples naïve tendency to accept whatever it’s advertised. He also uses our lack of knowledge about ultra-running. Now I realize how naïve we were when we believed his lies, before we search that he was never qualified to represent US, plus that he was unable even to win the Western States 100, where no world class runners are taking part, just Americans, and he never get to the top 3! His positions were 4th, 7th, 15th, 24th etc, and some females have finished a good distance in front of him, something that says a lot about his mediocrity.
March 8th, 2008 at 10:19 amNow it is clear that some media mechanism were paid to transform a mascara and misleader to… a fake champ!!!
Elina.H
Think about it…anyone who is so obsessed and and spends so much time and energy on themselves needs help…..I’ll bet his children wish he would run less, and be with them more.
Jack
July 15th, 2008 at 11:15 pmWow.
Some of you guys are amazing. Elina H is the best.
So he is mediocre because he didn’t finished better than fourth at the Western State 100? How can *anybody* being able to finish the WS100 be considered mediocre?
Lots of you are so way out of the track here, you have completely lost focus. Dean Karnazes has changed the face of ultrarunning the way no other athlete has done before.
No, he is not the best out there, and he never claimed to be. Have you guys really listened or read the man? He is all about inspiration with his stories.
This guy has run harder than 99% of the population think is *possible*, so of course lots of them will think he is the top dog, but that is not what he is saying. What do you expect exactly? That he begins each interview or article mentionning the name of Jurek or some other better runners? Make sure he mentions he never finished better than 4th at the WS100 and won ONLY ONCE (shame!) Badwater? in the first paragraph every time?
Not as tough as Jurek? He never said the opposite, but don’t anybody deny the fact that he has inspired and motivated FAR MORE people then Jurek ever will.
Which is nothing negative about Jurek either, come one, grow up a bit!
August 25th, 2008 at 7:03 pmQuite simply, there is only one argument. Dean has done more than any other Ultrarunner for the average Joe. You almost if not never hear someone say I read or heard Jurek speak and was so inspired that I got off my fat butt and satrted running. Forget the hype, of whos the best, the fastest, strongest. Look at two things, who has done more for ultra running and health and charity work. Dean Wins Hands Down over Jurek. There is no dobut Jurek is a great runner, but a great person, not. Just a selfish jealous one.
February 14th, 2009 at 6:14 am