Dean Karnazes

Biography

TIME magazine named him one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World.” Men’s Fitness hailed him as one of the fittest men on the planet. Stan Lee called him, “Super Human.” An acclaimed endurance athlete and NY Times bestselling author, Dean Karnazes has pushed his body and mind to inconceivable limits. His long list of competitive achievements include winning the world’s toughest footrace, the Badwater Ultramarathon, running 135 miles nonstop across Death Valley during the middle of summer.

Dean has raced and competed on all seven continents of the planet, twice over. Among his many accomplishments, he has run 350 continuous miles, foregoing sleep for three nights. He’s run across the Sahara Desert in 120-degree temperatures, and he’s run a marathon to the South Pole in negative 40 degrees. On ten different occasions he’s run a 200-mile relay race solo, racing alongside teams of twelve. Beyond the trails, Dean has swum the San Francisco Bay, scaled mountains, bike raced for 24-hours straight, and surfed the gigantic waves off the coast of Hawaii.

In 2006 he accomplished the seemingly impossible by running 50 marathons, in all 50 US states, in 50 consecutive days, finishing with the NYC Marathon (which he ran in three hours flat!). In 2011 Dean ran 3,000-miles from the coast of California to New York City, averaging 40 to 50-miles per day (one day covering more than 70). Along the way, he influence continued on and off the road/trails, as he stopped at schools to speak to students about the importance of exercise and healthy eating. When passing through Washington DC, he was invited to run through the White House to meet with First Lady Michelle Obama and be honored for his tireless commitment to motivate Americans to prioritize healthy lifestyles through fitness.

Dean and his incredible adventures have been featured on The Today Show, 60 Minutes, The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS News, CNN, ESPN, The Howard Stern Show, NPR’s Morning Edition, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, the BBC, and many others. He has appeared on the cover of Runner’s World, Outside, and Wired magazine’s, and has been featured in TIME, Newsweek, People, GQ, The New York Times, USA TODAY, The Washington Post, Men’s Journal, Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, and the London Telegraph, to mention a few. Dean is the winner of ESPN’s highly coveted ESPY award and a three-time recipient of Competitor magazines “Endurance Athlete of the Year” award.

Yet, it is his unique ability to enthuse athletes of all abilities and backgrounds that truly set Dean apart. Despite his many accomplishments, awards and distinctions, he remains most proud of his ongoing contributions of time and funding to programs aimed at getting children and youth outdoors and active. He has raised millions of dollars for charity and was awarded the prestigious Community Leadership Award by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports.

Beyond being a celebrated endurance athlete, philanthropist, and bestselling author, Dean is an accomplished businessman with a notable professional career working for several Fortune 500 companies and startups alike. A graduate of the USF McLaren School of Business & Management, he is uniquely able to demonstrate how the lessons learned from athletics can be applied to business. He is able to convey, with authenticity, the many insights he has gleaned along the way as a record-setting athlete and professional businessman.

Dean is a sought after speaker who has captivated and inspired audiences across the country with his stories of persistence and perseverance. His dynamic, engaging and rousing presentations focus on going beyond perceived limitations to be the best that you can be. He talks about unlocking an inner strength to achieve extraordinary results. His real-life examples explore the topics of: dealing with adversity, overcoming obstacles, setting and reaching lofty goals, the importance of teamwork, even in solo endeavors, and excelling in a competitive, and often confusing, world. In his presentations, he examines and discusses the essential ingredients necessary for high-achievement and developing the ability to prevail and preserve against staggering odds.

Dean is simply believable because his achievements and accomplishments are real. He delivers his message with the insight and candor that only an individual who has lived through such experiences can. Dean’s stories of endurance and perseverance are often comical, sometimes tear-jerking, and always thought-provoking and entertaining. His roster of clients include: Nike, Google, Sony, PepsiCo, Wells Fargo, Apple, Inc., Merck, Toyota, Starbucks, Accenture, Stanford University, Yale, JP Morgan Chase, Facebook, and a host of others.

For more information, visit: Ultramarathon.com and Facebook.com/Ultramarathon.

Quick Facts

Home: San Francisco Bay Area

Favorite Music: Indie, college & alternative

Favorite Food: Anything Greek (reminds me of home)

Greatest Fear: Taking life too seriously

Proudest Moment: Running a 10K with my daughter on her 10th birthday

Favorite Book: The Endurance - Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition

Ambition: Attempting a global expedition to run a marathon in every country of the planet in one-year.

Weakness: Chocolate covered espresso beans

Greatest Inspiration: My father

Dream Vacation: Surfing in Tavarua, Fiji

Words To Live By: It’s not how many times you fall down that matters, it’s how many times you get back up

Favorite The North Face Product: Sentinel Boa shoes

Cause(s) I’m Passionate About: Anything involving getting kids outdoors and active

How I Relax: I don’t. Relaxing stresses me out…

Three Things People Should Know About Me:”

1. I used to eat junk food, but now I don’t. Hey, people change (for the better in this instance.)
2. My real name is, “Constantine” (“Dean” is just a nickname.)
3. I’ve raced and competed on all 7 Continents of earth, twice now. How cool is that!

Career Highlights

• Ran 3,000-miles Across America from coast of California to New York City
• Winner 4 Deserts Race Challenge
• President’s Council on Fitness & Sports, Community Leadership Award
• Winner Badwater Ultramarathon
• ESPN ESPY Award winner “Best Outdoor Athlete”
• Winner Atacama Crossing
• Ran 50 Marathons, in 50 US States, in 50 Consecutive Days
• Winner Vermont Trail 100
• Competitor magazine “Endurance Athlete of the Year”
• Men’s Health Top 100 Athletes of All Time
• Winner Dead President’s Ultra
• Emmy Award for Best Sports Feature
• Winner Outdoor World Championships
• American Ultrarunning Team member
• Men’s Journal “Adventure Hall of Fame”
• Twelve-time Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run Silver Buckle
• Outside magazine “Ultimate Top 10 Outdoor Athletes”