The 199 mile Relay from Calistoga to Santa Cruz is run over 36 discrete legs of 5.5 miles by a team of 12 runners. Dean Karnazes decided to run it - by himself. It took him two entire days and nights in 2000.
Here are some lessons he shares:
On sleep-running:
"Being awakened in the middle of the night by a loud noise is unsettling, especially when you're running. In this case, a blasting [car] horn jolted me out of slumber... I'd fallen asleep while running. Now I was about to be run over."
He managed to dodge the vehicle, and decided to sit down to rest. But after 155 miles, "stopping was a foreign state of being. Pain flared up every inch of my body. There was one slight problem, however. I couldn't stand up."
On pain:
"The pain at mile 40 is much worse than back at mile 30, which hurts a lot more than mile 20. Every step hurts worse than the last. How can the human body withstand it? I like to tell people that my "biomechanics" are "genetically favorable" for running long distances. ... I have no idea if it's true."
"Your legs can carry you so far. Running great distances is mostly done with your head."
On the euphoria/meltdown cycle:
"As you progress in a long race, your highs become higher and your lows lower, and the fluctuations come with escalating rapidity. ... the mood swings came unexpectedly, without warning. There was no controlling the onset."
How to deal with low points: "Just take baby steps"
On the body's protective mechanisms:
"The human body is capable of extraordinary feats of endurance, but it has protective mechanisms to prevent total annihilation. Typically the system will shut down before physical destruction occurs. Blacking out is the body's ultimate act of self preservation. When you're teetering on the edge of coherence - which running 185 miles can induce - stepping over the edge becomes a very real threat. One minute you're running, the next you're in the back of an ambulance heading for the ER:
On passion:
"Running has taught me that the pursuit of a passion matters more than the passion itself. Immerse yourself in something deeply and with heartfelt intensity - continually improve, never give up - this is fulfillment, this is success.
"As a running buddy once said to me: Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'Wow! What a ride!'
"Running has as much power over me as I have over running."
On solitude:
"I also like the solitude. Long distance running is a loner's sport, and I've accepted the fact that I enjoy being alone a lot of time. It keeps me fresh, keeps me - oddly enough - from feeling isolated. I guess a lot of people find it in church, but I turn to the open road for renewal. Running great distances is my way of finding peace.
"The solitude experienced while running helps me enjoy people more when I am around them. The simple primitive act of running has nurtured me."
On running for a cause:
Dean ran to raise funds for little Libby Wood, who was critically ill. A week after Dean completed the relay, Libby received an organ transplant.
Dean ran The Relay solo for the next two years, each time again for other needy children. Each received transplants shortly after ... miraculous outcomes!
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