Charity, cross country.

May 9, 2006 1:59 AM

Running nearly a marathon every single day(24 miles) might seem a little crazy. Keep perspective, though: it's all in preparation for running 40 miles a day for three months straight, across the country. What's more, the guy is 6'5", and will go through roughly 8000 calories a day -- as many in the jaunt as most people eat in an entire year. And then you realize that the whole thing is being done for charity. Now that takes balls (of your feet).
posted by ajshankar (50 comments total)

That's definitely cool. See also Terry Fox, who did the same kind of thing (in Canada) with one leg.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:38 AM on May 9, 2006

Yes, Terry Fox (wiki) was the first thing that came to mind.
Then there are crazies like local boy David Horton, who ran the 2,666 mile Pacific Crest Trail in a bit over 66 days.
posted by Wolfdog at 3:13 AM on May 9, 2006

Brings to mind Pam Reed, who became the first person (not woman, person) to run 300 miles without stopping for sleep last year. Good writeup of her Badwater run.
posted by Ryvar at 3:24 AM on May 9, 2006

what is he running from?
posted by Hat Maui at 3:24 AM on May 9, 2006

A similar attempt will be undertaken by Richard Bottram across Europe. Over 15000K in a year to commemorate his wife, who died of cancer last year.
posted by swordfishtrombones at 3:43 AM on May 9, 2006

What are his split times?
posted by psmealey at 3:51 AM on May 9, 2006

This also brings to mind the Zen "Marathon Monks" of Japan, who undertake a seven-year purification ordeal.

One or two marathons a day for 100 consecutive days; then again for 200 consecutive days; a nine-day chant without food or water in front of a roaring fire; then three more blocks of 100-day marathons (some of which can be walked).

By the time they are finished, they will have walked enough steps to circle the equator...
posted by solipse at 5:02 AM on May 9, 2006

Run Forrest run!
posted by bap98189 at 5:05 AM on May 9, 2006

Solipse, I thought what you said was mental enough, but from your link I found this:

Tendai Buddhist tradition dictates that if Kakudo does not complete his prescribed marathon runs and walks, and all the accompanying tasks, he must take his own life by either hanging or disemboweling himself.

Not one for half-measures, are they? Most impressive.
posted by slimepuppy at 5:42 AM on May 9, 2006

This sort of extreme marathoning is probably incredibly bad for you.
posted by mert at 5:49 AM on May 9, 2006

Richard Bottram is doing the same. 365 Marathons in 365 days for the cancer foundation. His site: Marathon365
posted by kudzu at 5:49 AM on May 9, 2006

Excellent.

Pam Reed is also awesome, and a two time outright winner of Badwater, but she is not at all the first person to run 300 miles without stopping for sleep. I love that she trumped media creation Dean Karnazes with her run, but there are a lot of people in multi-day runs who've done similar things without the media attention (and as part of a larger effort).
posted by OmieWise at 5:55 AM on May 9, 2006

I think you meant: "During his 3,000-mile journey, he'll run through 10 pairs of shoes and consume more than 700,000 calories — as much as some people eat in a year." (emphasis mine)

8,000 calories is as much as some people eat in a day.


And that guy is pretty crazy!

Me, I go through 10 pairs of shoes in a day.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 6:06 AM on May 9, 2006

wait, wait, wait

I screwed up that figure, too. Anyways, there was a mistake in the way it was portrayed, or something.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 6:07 AM on May 9, 2006

Oh, that's right, it was that 8,000 calories was the daily figure, not the yearly one.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 6:08 AM on May 9, 2006

That's an impressive undertaking.

Continuing the theme of unbelievable running endurance, I have to mention Yiannis Kouros from Greece who holds almost every ultramarathon record over 100 miles. He's run 188 miles in 24 hours (that's over seven marathons in one day), 294 miles in 48 hours, and 635 miles in 6 days.
posted by justkevin at 6:08 AM on May 9, 2006

On Saturday I walked 40 miles for charity, and that was hard enough. He must be insane.
posted by Acey at 6:09 AM on May 9, 2006

On Saturday I walked 40 miles for charity

Walking 40 miles in a day is pretty impressive... I think roman legions were only expected to march 15 in a day, but I guess on the other hand they had to wear armor and carry a pilum and shield (or whatever) while they did it.

Still, it takes me forever or so to walk 5 miles, so my hat's off to you. Is there a "I'll play World of Warcraft all Saturday for charity?"

Maybe I could get folks to pledge a dollar for every level I gain.
posted by illovich at 6:13 AM on May 9, 2006

I'm up for that illovich. $2 if it is a multiple of 10.
posted by The Castle at 6:17 AM on May 9, 2006

Pam Reed is also awesome, and a two time outright winner of Badwater, but she is not at all the first person to run 300 miles without stopping for sleep. I love that she trumped media creation Dean Karnazes with her run, but there are a lot of people in multi-day runs who've done similar things without the media attention (and as part of a larger effort).

Can you provide some more info on this? Google and the US Track & Field website aren't turning up jack.
posted by Ryvar at 6:31 AM on May 9, 2006

On a sidenote, regarding his size and caloric intake: If it was say a much shorter person, wouldn't it still take the same amount of calories to cross the country? The littler person consumes less calories per day, yes, due to the fact that their stride is shorter and they will cover less distance in a day.

But ultimately in covering the same cumulative distance, won't they both use the same amount of calories?
posted by poppo at 6:37 AM on May 9, 2006

media creation Dean Karnazes

OK, dude may get more than his fair share of press, but he walks the walk (as it were). Why the hate?
posted by GuyZero at 6:38 AM on May 9, 2006

Dean Karnazes IS a bit of a media creation... but his accomplishments aren't to be scoffed at. 'Course, if we're talking ultramarathons, one has to give it up for Scott Jurek, seven-time defending champion of the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. (Ouch!) His blog is pretty interesting as well.
posted by ph00dz at 6:40 AM on May 9, 2006

By the way... that's interesting about Pam Reed. Didn't know that she was the race director of the Tucson marathon, which I'll probably do in December.

Now... for some of us, one marathon is enough....
posted by ph00dz at 6:44 AM on May 9, 2006

what is he running from?
posted by Hat Maui at 6:24 AM EST on May 9

Humans Were Born to Run

Humans started to jog around two million years ago, according to fossil evidence of some distinctive features of the modern human body.

A new study suggests humans may have left their tree-swinging ancestors behind because they developed into endurance runners. This ability, the researchers say, may explain why humans look the way they do today.

We are very confident that strong selection for running—which came at the expense of the historical ability to live in trees—was instrumental in the origin of the modern human body form," said Dennis Bramble, a biology professor at the University of Utah.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 6:57 AM on May 9, 2006

Ryvar writes "Can you provide some more info on this? Google and the US Track & Field website aren't turning up jack."

See above for Yiannis Kouros. The problem with Googling records like this is that this isn't a record. It's an arbitrary distance that Dean Karnazes came up with when he started touting his book Ultramarathon Man. He decided it was a feat that he was going to be the "first" to accomplish. then he talked about it on 60 minutes or 20/20 while he and Pam Reed were being interviewed, and she went out and made him shut up by just doing it. For that she gets mad props. Also for not talking about it like it was more than it was, which was impressive, but outside the recognized distance and time constraints of ultra racing.

I'm trying to think of a good analogy, because it isn't that Reed didn't do the deed (just as Karnazes has also done some impressive things), but the whole point of Reed's doing it was to give a fig to Karnazes who was talking about this thing that he made up, just plucked out of the air, as if it were something that other people have been trying to accomplish. On the way to 72 hour records and 6 day records people have been doing exactly the kind of things that Karnazes claims he's the only person to do, but they've been doing it 1) in competition, 2) in the hunt for a recognized ultra goal.

(I recognize this is a bit arcane, but as an ultrarunner, I have a kind of particular perspective on this. My dig was more at Karnazes, the man who invented a false record, then at Reed who did run the 300 miles, but who didn't set a record as there is no record there to be set and other people had already done it anyway.)
posted by OmieWise at 6:58 AM on May 9, 2006

BTW, her Badwater outright wins are a much more impressive part of her resume than the 300 mile run she did. Running through Death Valley and against competition like that is truly impressive.
posted by OmieWise at 7:01 AM on May 9, 2006

Cool. Googling off Yiannis did it. I am fucking impressed. Thanks a heap.
posted by Ryvar at 7:09 AM on May 9, 2006

In related news, the Fat Man Walking arrives in NYC this afternoon.
posted by staggernation at 7:21 AM on May 9, 2006

Run Forrest run!

Tee hee hee!! That was my first thought too.

I'm very impressed with these people. If I could burn 8000 calories a day, I wouldn't be so "fluffy". Guess I should get off my butt, and out from in front of this box, huh? :-) Great post. Thanks!
posted by AmyMay at 7:42 AM on May 9, 2006

Impressive post, and really interesting.... I personally am a total failure at any kind of distance running (or sprinting, for that matter), even though I have stamina when it comes to just about all other physical activity, so this is like peeking into another world for me. Another world where people run for a crazy long way.

The day there's a "katas for charity" event, I'm there, but for now, I'll just marvel.
posted by WidgetAlley at 7:59 AM on May 9, 2006

I've seen this on TV, by the end of the race they aren't really running, it's kind of a shuffle. And they don't look healthy. They look malnourished and obsessive-compulsive.
posted by airguitar at 8:19 AM on May 9, 2006

I've never run much, don't have the knees for it, but I've swum 1/ 2 marathons as part of regular workouts. IE something >20km with intervals, sprints, drills and a lot of other stuff that doesn't exactly contribute to racking up the mileage. It's hard to compare the mileage but I'd note that the upper body wasn't designed for such extended duress like the lower and that average velocity for the track & field mile world record is roughly 4 times that for the one in the pool.

As a sprinter. One who has _nothing_ on the milers let alone the open water swimmers.

I say this not as one who has something to offer in the way of feats (though a 10hour 30km training camp workout with a fractured hand will forever scar my soul) but as a first step in proclaiming just how crazy this stuff is.

I spent a large portion of my life learning how to hurt more and push harder despite it. How to love the pain like a sadistic kidnapper. In the end, though, all that gave me was the smallest inkling of just how much I probably wouldn't want to even attempt preparing for any of those ultras and feats.
posted by mce at 8:39 AM on May 9, 2006

poppo writes "On a sidenote, regarding his size and caloric intake: If it was say a much shorter person, wouldn't it still take the same amount of calories to cross the country? The littler person consumes less calories per day, yes, due to the fact that their stride is shorter and they will cover less distance in a day.

"But ultimately in covering the same cumulative distance, won't they both use the same amount of calories?"

No. At least not if you make the reasonable assumption that the taller person is also more massive. It takes greater energy to move a greater mass through the linear miles as well as through the bounce of every step. Now if the taller and shorter runners happen to be the same weight then I really have no idea.
posted by Songdog at 9:20 AM on May 9, 2006

must... keeeeeeeep..... runnnnninnnnnnggg.... g....... g . <blork!>
posted by blue_beetle at 9:40 AM on May 9, 2006

“the smallest inkling of just how much I probably wouldn't want to even attempt preparing for any of those ultras and feats.” -posted by mce

I’m with you mce - pain = motivation, though open water swimmers have much larger environmental motivators, I mean marathon runners can just... stop.

As a (now low gear) runner and swimmer - lifting the iron really ruined me for serious distance running.
My knees are is much better shape thanks to the weights, but I’ve got an old injury that really slows me down and carrying extra upper body weight doesn’t help. (Not that less-bulk oriented strength training can’t help you run)
I have been in very fine shape, and very sad shape. Fine shape is better. But even at my best, these dudes would just blow me away. Not that I wouldn’t have liked to try it...

...I probably bench more and I bet I could beat the crap out of Steve Bethune...if I could catch him....and y’know, punching a middle school teacher....training to raise money for charity....to help fight heart disease....yeah, that’d be really satisfying.
*eats donut*

...well...I bet I make more money then him....

But seriously - I think the Nat’l Geographic link from Mean Mr. Bucket illustrates an excellent point - apart from the hunting, humans can pick and choose where to fight if they can outdistance anything within a reasonable speed.
Add that to the fact we’re tall and can see distance, we can get a decent lead on whatever’s hunting us.
Mobility is the key to offense, but defense as well.
posted by Smedleyman at 10:07 AM on May 9, 2006

poppo, and Songdog - mass isn't the only factor. We're talking about kinetic energy expenditure here which goes as the square of velocity, so the taller, faster guy, even if he is the same mass as the shorter slower guy, will still burn significantly more calories. Going 25% faster requires 66% extra energy.

Now if they were travelling purely in the vertical, it'd be a whole different matter...
posted by leakymem at 10:19 AM on May 9, 2006

Mr. Bean Bucket: cool link. This quote from the article:

"We think running is one of the most transforming events in human history"

Made me remember a discovery channel doc which put forth the same idea, only with swimming. They made a strong case, considering we're the only primate that is mostly hairless and able to float/swim.
posted by Potsy at 10:47 AM on May 9, 2006

See, this is why I love competitive swimming. I've had some tough workouts, but racing? My longest race is about 2 and a half mins. In conclusion, endurance athletes are nuts.
posted by dame at 10:56 AM on May 9, 2006

airguitar writes "And they don't look healthy. They look malnourished and obsessive-compulsive."

Funny, that's how most people look when watching TV.
posted by OmieWise at 11:18 AM on May 9, 2006

They look malnourished and obsessive-compulsive

So, having recently read Karnazes' latest book, they're not all malnourished. But he sure does sound like he has OCD. he even kind of alludes to it himself - he'd go for long runs to nowhere in particular and then call his wife to come and pick him up, a few dozen miles away. He runs a marathon every morning before work. He's in shape, but no one runs that much because they want to - they run it because they HAVE to.
posted by GuyZero at 12:10 PM on May 9, 2006

I don't buy that. I know plenty of people who run all the time because they love to run. Olympic marathon runners run ~120-200 mile weeks. They do it for various and diverse reasons that may, sometimes, have an OCD component but certainly need not. I've always loved the shirts that say: "My sport is your sport's punishment," because they seem to capture so much of the "I hate to run" feeling that a lot of people level at runners.
posted by OmieWise at 12:39 PM on May 9, 2006

Wow. I feel physsically exhaused reading these stories. I'm too tired to typ.....ffffsd
posted by lalochezia at 12:39 PM on May 9, 2006

In related news, the Fat Man Walking arrives in NYC this afternoon.

Whoa. Dude has been walking for a year. And still weighs 305 pounds.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:30 PM on May 9, 2006

quote:"He's in shape, but no one runs that much because they want to - they run it because they HAVE to"

I'll be the second to refute this. There are some runners out there who are completely compulsive, but it's rare that you find OCD style mileage training at the elite level in this sport, and certainly not at the marathon and below distances. (OmieWise, very few Olympic runners, marathon or otherwise, approach 200 miles per week. The high end seems to top out around ~160 at peak levels. One exception might have been Gerry Lindgren but he probably qualified as OCD. The recovery days and variety in training needed to rebuild muscles that are constantly being torn down doesn't sit well with most obligatory exercisers.

As for the runner in the article, more power to him. I'm really not sure how he'll be able to do this without developing a stress fracture in no time flat, but I hope he manages to reach his goal.
posted by stagewhisper at 5:37 PM on May 9, 2006

Mean Mr. Bucket: Humans Were Born to Run

The study notes that athletic humans can outrun horses and antelopes over extremely long distances. In parts of Africa this technique is still used today by hunters to exhaust their prey.

That is just freakin' cool. "Just try to run from me, you tasty gazelle. I'll catch you and eat you in about 20 miles." (Well - sucks for the gazelle. Apologies to vegetarians.)
posted by Nquire at 9:42 PM on May 9, 2006

No apologies needed, Nquire. (These days I'm lucky if I can run down a head of cabbage).
posted by stagewhisper at 8:55 AM on May 10, 2006

So, 8000 calories in a day... when and how does he eat? 8000 is a lot of food to intake. But if he's running all the time, he's bound to cramp up or something.

I'm just jealous. I'm trying to find a way I can eat 8000 calories worth of pizza a day.
posted by mildweed at 8:19 PM on May 10, 2006

when and how does he eat?

So, I'm no ultra-marathoner, but I read Karnazes' book, thus I am an expert on the topic.

Karnazes eats while he runs and he basically always loses weight on a run. He literally can't eat enough to maintain his body weight. There was an article in Runner's World about him getting IV fluid replacement duing a run, again, because he just couldn't get enough water in the old-fashioned way on some ultra-long run.

I think eating 8000 calories a day would be one of those things that turns a pleasure into a chore.
posted by GuyZero at 12:26 PM on May 11, 2006

> "Just try to run from me, you tasty gazelle. I'll catch you and eat you in about 20 miles."

It's called cursorial hunting.

Humans, of course, don't have to practise pure cursorial hunting. Ideally, your spear kills the antelope outright and you just stroll over and drag the corpse back to the village.

Second best: The spear only wounds the target, and you start jogging after your victim waiting for it to bleed to death. Considerably less jogging should be required than if you decided to do the pure-cursorial thing.

As all well-educated people know, though, in a short race you should bet on the Kzin.
posted by dansdata at 12:53 AM on May 13, 2006