FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ULTRA-MARATHONER KARNAZES
FINISHES 100-MILE RUN TO CHEERS AT
LOS ANGELES MARATHON EXPO
LOS ANGELES, California, May 24, 2009 – Ultra-marathoner Dean Karnazes
loves to run and he had a cheering crowd waiting for him as he finished his
trip – on foot – from Santa Barbara to the Los Angeles Convention Center
at the Los Angeles Marathon Exposition, Run/Ex/09.
"It's a supreme honor to be standing here and to have so many people
waiting me," he told the crowd just after his entry at 2:15 p.m. Sunday.
He was almost immediately mobbed by well-wishers, a group which swelled to
several hundred as he entered the expo hall.
"It took me a little over 24 hours, about 24 hours and fifteen minutes," he
said. "I started about 2 o'clock [Saturday] and I was supposed to be on
the stage at 2 o'clock, so I'm late. Sleep? My friend has a great quote,
"Sleep is for wimps."
Karnazes spoke for about 16 minutes on the Whole Foods Market stage,
telling the audience, "People ask me why do I do this and the real reason
is I don't have a car, so I had no choice. I wanted to run the L.A.
Marathon, so I figured the easiest way to get here is to run. I love to run
long distances, so I spent about 24 hours out there. For an
ultramarathoner to run at that pace is not that hard, given that it was
pretty flat and temperatures were cool. So I just kind of cruised and
really enjoyed it.
"It's what I love to do." He joked with the audience that "I run these
100-mile races because of all the free food I get at the aid stations."
He told the expo attendees, many of whom were picking up their shirts and
numbers for Monday's race, that "I'll probably run pretty slowly, probably
about 3:10 or 3:15. The human body is remarkably resilient and our powers
to rejuvenate actually grow stronger when we put a training load on it."
He also advised runners on after-the-race procedures, saying "My guidance
is to run Tuesday, after the Marathon, just go out and actually run. I know
it sounds counter-intuitive; hobble if you have to, just two or three
miles, to get the legs moving again, and I find that really helps with
recovery.
"If you work up the nerve, when you finish the Marathon tomorrow, fill a
tub full of water and then dump a bunch of ice in there and soak your legs
in it."
"I would just say, enjoy the experience."
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