Ultra-marathoner Dean Karnazes has wrapped up his quest to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days.
The North Face Endurance 50 kicked off on 17th September at the Lewis and Clark Marathon in St Charles, Missouri, and finished on Sunday 5th November at the New York City Marathon. Throughout the 50 days, thousands of runners from across the country and around the globe took part in the historic event in which The North Face and Karnazes challenged Americans to achieve their personal best, whether running just a few miles, a half marathon, their first full marathon, or their 20th.
While running 50 marathons in 50 states over 50 days, Karnazes and The North Face worked with running clubs, runners and children across the US to raise money for KARNO KIDS, the non-profit organization, founded by Karnazes, that supports, encourages, and motivates youth to get outside and become more physically active.
"Inspiration is a two-way street, and I've been so touched by the many people who joined me along the way," said Karnazes. "Running is often an individual sport, but it has brought us all together.”
Steve Rendle, The North Face president, said, “The marathon is one of the pillars of endurance running, and Dean’s ability to run 50 of them in 50 different states in 50 days is astonishing. We’re proud of his constant passion for adventure and admire the way that he inspires others.”
In its entirety, The North Face Endurance 50 produced some impressive and awe-inspiring totals: Karnazes ran 1,310 miles and burned over 275,000 calories. Karnazes was helped by the company set up by Lance Armstrong’s coach Chris Carmichael - Carmichael Training Systems. Karnazes' personal coaching staff and personal coach Jason Koop, monitored his condition before, after, and during the expedition, occasionally drawing blood to check recovery status as part of a case study. Karnazes' ability to bounce back marathon after marathon was very impressive, according to his coach, Jason Koop.
As part of its commitment to community and conservation, The North Face, in partnership with The Conservation Fund's Go Zero program, will be planting 500 trees in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge to zero out the climate change ‘footprint’ of the 50-day event. The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1960 and sits 26 miles west of New York City's Times Square. The oasis of wilderness, surrounded by urban and suburban areas, provides important habitats to fish and wildlife and a unique opportunity for the public to enjoy wildlife and wilderness within close proximity to urban centers.
Karnazes’ past feats include running 350 continuous miles, mountain biking for 24 hours straight, swimming across the San Francisco Bay, and running a marathon to the South Pole. He is author of the international bestseller, Ultra-marathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner. In addition, Karnazes is a member of The North Face Endurance Team, a lineup of nine of the most talented ultra-runners in the nation.
For more information about The North Face Endurance 50 go to www.endurance50.com.
