On the Run
Pushing limits in business and life keeps the ultramarathon man going.
When Dean Karnazes, 42, hits the ground running, there's
always a possibility he may not stop. Known as the
"Ultramarathon Man," Karnazes counts his longest race at
350 miles, which took him 80 hours and 44 minutes nonstop to run.
During the countless hours on his feet, he learned some lessons
that helped him rise to what he considers an even greater
challenge: starting a business. In 1995, Karnazes co-founded
EnergyWell Natural Foods, a San Francisco-based manufacturer of
all-natural and organic snack foods. It has since been acquired,
but Karnazes remains president of the company, now Good Health
Natural Foods. We caught up with him to get his advice for
entrepreneurs competing in "marathons" of their own.
Entrepreneur: What did you learn as a runner that
helped you as an entrepreneur?
Dean Karnazes: The idea of never giving up, of being able
to persist through very low times. When you run a marathon or
farther, you experience some deep lows, and you start questioning
your ability to succeed. It becomes a mental battle as well as a
physical battle. It's the same thing in business. Every day,
there are battles to be waged.
Content Continues Below
What keeps you going?
Karnazes: You have to dedicate yourself wholeheartedly to
your goal. There's no faking your way through it. You have to
pay your dues, and it isn't easy. The other factor that is
important is passion. If you're not passionate about what
you're doing-if you don't love it-then it becomes work, and
it's very hard to accomplish your goal.
What advice can you offer to entrepreneurs who are struggling
to cross the finish line?
Karnazes: Success, a lot of times, requires breaking a
big goal into baby steps. The last time I ran 200 miles nonstop, I
couldn't stand up at mile 165. I still had 35 miles to go.
Instead of sitting there, saying, "I can't even stand up.
How am I going to run 35 miles?" I just set a goal of standing
up. I took a bigger goal and broke it into smaller pieces, and lo
and behold, eight hours later, I was at the finish line.
A lot of times, you're better than you think. Until you put
yourself in those situations, you really don't know what your
limits are. Continually test your edge. Push as hard as you can
every day.