Dean Karnazes hails from California and is an ultramarathon runner, which means he can run in footraces longer than 26 miles without taking any breaks. The guy is like Forrest Gump on steroids, although he doesn't appear to be using any performance-enhancing drugs.
Karnazes' most impressive feat was when he ran an astonishing 350 miles straight for 80 hours without sleep. I mean, who does that?!
From SciDok:
From a medical standpoint, Karnazes is an anomaly. During exercise, our bodies convert glucose to energy, resulting in the production of lactic acid. As lactic acid levels rise, we eventually reach our lactate threshold, where running becomes unpleasant, muscles fatigue, and cramps set in.
But for Karnazes, his body never sends these signals. He possesses a unique ability to flush out lactic acid while exercising.
“At a certain level of intensity, I feel like I can go a long way without getting tired. No matter how hard I push, my muscles never seize up. It’s quite an advantage when I plan to undertake a long-distance run.”
Dean Karnazes was born on August 23, 1962, in Inglewood, California. His parents, Nick and Fran, had Greek roots, and he had two siblings named Kraig and Pary. His father worked as a field naturalist in the Orange County Department of Education.
Karnazes initially took up running as a form of fun during his kindergarten days when he ran from home to school. As he grew older, he started exploring different routes between his home and school, venturing into uncharted territory. He began participating in and organizing running events. By the age of eleven, he had already climbed Mount Whitney (the highest mountain in the contiguous US) and hiked rim-to-rim across the Grand Canyon. He even cycled 40 miles for the sheer joy of it, without informing his parents.
It's insane amount of stress this man puts his body through, but somehow he still keeps going.
He's like a real-life Energizer Bunny.
