Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss

Within the pages of Run! there are 26.2 stories all related to running in one way or another, one for every mile of a marathon. Sometimes a chapter was simply to express the joy of running. Sometimes it allowed Karnazes's wife or friends try to explain what makes him tick. Other times it was just to tell a funny story if only to reiterate Karnazes is human and can fail from time to time. There is a wicked sense of humor threaded through every mile/story.

My favorite element of the book was the idea Karnazes talked into a tape recorder while running; essentially telling the tales while doing what he does best - running for miles and miles and miles. My second favorite element of the Run! was the curiosity it sparked in me. I immediately show more needed to research the Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei and the art of "vanduzzi" or cupping. show less

Patchy but inspiring tales from an ultra-marathon runner (100 miles? No problem.) As a runner myself - albeit of far shorter distances - much of it rings true and the book will push me further I'm sure. Works best when he's talking about how his mental strength pushed him further rather than the "amusing" anecdotes from life on the road.

Dean Karnazes is my running idol. He's also my writer-runner idol. His first two books were a thrill-a-sentence joyride, but somehow he hit the brakes with this one. Much territory is tread upon again here, and nothing really new is told. I'm afraid he kind of mailed it in, and I'm terribly disappointed. I still liked it though, because I love his completely false self-deprecating braggadocio. I'm like that, so I get that. It's just I wanna run like him too. I'll get there.

Dean Karnazes – The Ultramarathon Man – has gone for days without rest, run in some of the most inhospitable places on Earth and even ordered a pizza for delivery on a barren road in the middle of the night and ate it all while running. Now he tells some of his favorite, most unbelievable and hilarious stories from the long and winding road with charm and exquisite detail.

“My suspicion is that, like me, most of you reading these pages are drawn to extremes. Moderation bores you. You seek challenges and adventures that dwell on the outer edges. The path of least resistance is not a route often traveled.”

Dean Karnazes is sort of the pied piper of the long distance running world. Beginning with his hugely successful book show more Ultramarathon Man, Karnazes has accomplished amazing feats of running endurance. Combined with an “everyman” persona and a wry wit, he has captivated people around the world with his achievements and the attitude he has brought to the distance running community. With Run!, Karnazes continues to tell of the adventures he has encountered while running insane distances. While interesting and motivational to many (especially obviously, runners) I didn’t find the stories in Run! quite as captivating as Ultramarathon Man.

Karnazes’s writing is adequate, but he makes up for this with his wit and sense of what is interesting to people. He isn’t the greatest distance runner, but he might be the greatest distance running showman – the PT Barnum of running. Let’s face it, long distance running isn’t exactly a spectator’s sport. Yet somehow Karnazes has managed to strike a nerve with the general public. His stories are nothing if not fascinating. Still, after a while the inspiration wears a bit thin and it comes back to spending a very long time coxing your body to keep going.

Run! will certainly find its place on the shelves of hardcore runners. The stories were good and Karnazes is always an interesting personality who does a lot for charity. If you are big into running or endurance sports, I would say you won’t be disappointed with this offering. If you are not a runner, I would suggest picking up Ultramaration Man for a more interesting and inspirational set of stories. show less

I love a good kick in the pants and this book definitely provided one. I picked up this book several months after reading Ultramarathon Man and promptly engaged in my own marathon...reading it from cover to cover in less than 48 hours. This book is essentially a collection of short stories by Dean, and those closest to him. If you're a runner in need of a kick in the pants (which I am) or just in need of a little inspiration to 'Go For It', this just might be the book for you.

This read was inspirational. More inspirational than Ultramarthon Man. The books covers his life since the book. I admit, after reading Ultramarathon Man I did not want to take up running. I did not think that I was in the same league as him. But afterwards, it really pushed me to fine tune my running. It has helped me kick it up a notch and aim for ultramarathons.
One of the great assests of this book is that when called for, Dean had others like his wife, kids and Topher (who's story parallels Deans) narrate sections. It is a full circle of what Dean is like without meeting him in person.
If you are interested in reading all three of his books, I suggest that you read Ultramarathon Man first, Run! second and 50/50 for kicks.

Dean Karnazes is an amazing ultra runner, and his first book, Ultramarathon Man, was a bestseller. This one is interesting enough and a quick read, but not really memorable. As suggested by the title, the book contains a number of brief vignettes of running experiences. Some readers will enjoy these stories; I would have preferred more background on Karnazes' training, diet, etc.