White Salmon, WA
You may remember that last November I was due to run a marathon in New Jersey with Dean Karnazes – the 49th of his 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. Then a stress fracture prevented me from training and I had to miss the opportunity.
It seems I was fated to meet Dean anyway – he’s an old friend of Eric’s through windsurfing. So while I was in San Francisco, Dean’s home town, we met up for a coffee (well, I had a coffee – Dean arrived in running gear and didn’t partake – he probably doesn’t sully his system with such toxins. I would have had a muffin as well, but after reading in his book that he had given up sugar, I was way too intimidated).
Looking remarkably fresh for someone who ran 1,310 miles in under two months late last year, he graciously signed my copy of his book and chatted for a while before running off to an appointment somewhere else. He did confess to being biomechanically blessed, but there is still something seriously intimidating about meeting an endurance athlete of his calibre. A true inspiration.