Dean Karnazes
Due to his miraculous resistance to muscle degradation and the ability to recover while on the move, Dean Karnazes is theoretically capable of running forever if he is supplied with adequate food and fluid. This makes Karnazes a real life superhuman, and "Ultramarathon Man" serves as his origin story, describing his transformation form mortal runner to running machine.
As Karnazes has risen to the top of his game, becoming the poster child for extreme endurance, he has become an intensely polarizing figure; he's one of those guys who you either love or you hate. "Ultramarathon Man" perfectly exemplifies this fact, and whether you enjoy reading it or not is entirely dependent on your mindset going in. If you want to hate on it you can certainly find your reasons, most people in this camp arguing that Karnazes is overbearingly egotistical, but if you approach it looking to read a case study on what the human body can actually be capable of, you won't be at all disappointed.
Following some expository information on how he began running and excluding a few minor chapters that help summarize the passage of time, "Ultramarathon Man" provides detailed accounts of Karnazes's participation in four major races: The Western States 100, The Badwater Ultramarathon, The First South Pole Marathon, and The Relay. While readers with a keen eye for detail may notice that Karnazes's South Pole run actually took place two years prior to his solo completion of The Relay, the switch in chronological order is a smart editorial decision, as it means the reader gets to experience greater spectacle with each new challenge, each feat of endurance being grander than the one that precedes it.
The most compelling aspect of "Ultramarathon Man" is getting to follow along with Karnazes's evolution as a runner. As he starts out, everything is a learning experience, from initially discovering the existence of ultrarunning to the importance of running the white line along the shoulder in Badwater so that the soles of his shoes do not melt. With each race he gains new knowledge and insights, and by the time he is running The Relay as a solo participant, a 199 mile relay event generally completed in teams consisting of 12 members, he has more than a handful of tips and mental tricks up his sleeve.
Like Karnazes himself, "Ultramarathon Man" never slows down; it starts strong, and it finishes stronger. While Karnazes's achievements are far beyond the capabilities of most, readers will definitely be able to relate to the idea of steady persistence and determination paying off, as well as to the highs and lows one can experience when truly pushing oneself to their limit.
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