50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days -- and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!

Reviewed by Reina Santana for Reader Views (11/08)

Dean Karnazes will inspire anyone to get out and run. In this book, he shares how he completed fifty marathons in fifty days. His stories made me feel as if I was part of a ¡°running family.¡± Dean¡¯s writing style is friendly and informative; it made me feel confident about my running goals. Running a marathon no longer seems like a far-fetched dream, but a doable goal that I can reach if I don¡¯t give up and I¡¯m willing to work hard.

Dean shares valuable tips on how to become a better runnerþu the practical advice is perfect for anyone. He taught me that it was okay to adapt and change my workout routine to reach optimum performance, because what works for one person may not always work for me. I love the running, nutrition, and apparel tips that are sprinkled throughout the book, and was pleasantly surprised to find a ¡°Beginner¡¯s Marathon-Training Plan¡± and a ¡°Personal-Best Marathon Training Plan¡± at the end of the book. I was also impressed by the overall message to work hard and focus on running as an enjoyable activity. From now on, I will set goals, but will not forget to have fun as I work hard to achieve them.

¡°50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days þu and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!¡± by Dean Karnazes will aid and inspire runners of all abilities.

Likely you saw Dean Karnazes on the news promoting his 50 marathons in 50 days. I remember watching him thinking "is this guy crazy?" For the majority of us, completing even one marathon would be a lifelong goal achieved. Here this guy is looking to do not one or two runs in a season but 50 without even a day of rest. Like many people, I wondered why this person would even trey such a feat. In fact, was it even possible?

So when I got a chance to review 50/50, I jumped at the chance. By some standards, Dean Karnazes is a little abnormal. I say so, mostly because of his ability to endure 50 days of traveling, running a marathon, being interviewed, and then traveling again before getting only a few hours sleep. Just keeping the body going at that pace would be difficult enough. Add in some jet lag, a cold, and a scary fall. It's pretty amazing.

What I liked most about this story is that this man seemed like a real person. He's definitely more athletic and driven than most people but all of us have the ability to make better choices and push ourselves just a bit more than we thought possible. Absolutely inspiring.

How this man is not a dull boring freak I don't know, but he's not. He writes in a light hearted, easy to take in way about an enterprize that is plainly incredibly tough. Like his earlier book about running at night, this is detailed enough if you are after info, but dramatic and enjoyable about his epic journey too. It just never tires-rather like him! He is like a Duracell bunny to those of you who watch adverts on English TV. Good Job, Deano!

I purchased Dean's book, having run #47 in Wilmington DE with Dean, I looked forward to this book and what I assumed would be some interesting detailed description of the 26.2 "events". Instead what you get is often just rambling about life, running etc - from Dean's perspective of course. Nothing new unless you are a novice runner.
The chapter that supposedly starts with the Deleware marathon contains ZERO details of the day - instead you get how busy everyone's life is and how you have to "find time" to exercise - not very enlightening stuff to say the least. Had I known the content/ format of this book I would have definitely passed on it.

Very interesting and entertaining book. Not as enthralling as UltraMarathonMan, but a solid second book from Karnazes.