Dean Karnazes: Failure Doesn't Hold People Back, It's the Fear of Failure - R4R 243

We’re excited to welcome Dean Karnazes who’s back for his third time on the show. In this episode we explore the hard parts of the past year and how running has served as mental medicine for Dean. He also shares about his background as a surfer and how that influenced his running, about his ethnicity as a Greek, his new book, A Runner's High: My Life in Motion.    Dean Karnazes is truly an ultramarathon athlete.  Among his many feats, he’s run 50 marathons, in all 50 US states, in 50 consecutive days. He’s run across Death Valley in the middle of summer, a marathon in the South Pole, and run 24 hours straight on a treadmill in Times Square. Dean is also a father, husband, and author.    “ I think for a lot of people it's not failure that that holds them back, it's the fear of failure. So I'm not afraid to fail. And I'm not afraid to try new things And I'm always curious about new challenges… I mean, writing a book is every bit as challenging as an ultra marathon if not more so. It's just as grueling. It's just it requires the same sort of commitment and discipline.” —Dean Karnazes    In this episode we cover… Dean’s new book, A Runner's High: My Life in Motion. We learn Dean was a competitive surfer. He explains that to him surfing is very much like running in that it's somewhat of an art form. “You know you can surf without being in competition. You can run without being in a race, so they're very similar in that regard.” You can love competitions but not feel the need to compete with other people running. “I think the biggest competition is myself. When I stand at the finish line, if I feel like I perform to the best of my ability, then I'm pleased with my performance. And, you know, you can't control other people. You can't control the environment. All you can control is yourself.” How running during the past year has served as a medicine and been more essential for our heads than our bodies.  Surrender to whatever is going to happen. Let it happen, you’ll figure this out and find a way through. It’s very much like running an ultra.    Resources + People mentioned (links)   New book: A Runner’s High: My Life in Motion   Dean’s Website   Dean’s Instagram   Dean on episode 081: Is the Fear of Pain Holding You Back?   Dean on episode 150: Running For Good Thank you to Momentous, InsideTracker, and Beam for sponsoring this episode.   Being a tough year with additional stresses on top of an already overwhelming situation means sleep can often be lost...but it is the one thing that we know would help us. Being a former insomniac, I know the frustration going to bed early, yet being unable to switch your brain off can bring. These Momentous Elite Sleep capsules are fantastic and contain Melatonin, Magtein® (Magnesium L-threonate), and Wild Jujube Seed Extract which together will help reduce nighttime anxiety, gently fall asleep and improve circadian rhythm to achieve higher quality sleep.  Go here and use code TINA for 20% off.   Insidetracker has been a sponsor and also a dear friend that has helped me SO much in my past when my body was just not right. I count on Insidetracker to help me decipher the science behind it all. As Running4Real listeners they want to give you all the deal of the year, to take control of your health and wellness. You can get $200 OFF the ultimate plan which is their most comprehensive plan. Go here and use Code: GIFTFROMRUNFORREAL for this amazing deal.   A new product that I have been trying out is Beam. Where they try to help athletes with balance, performance, and recovery. Now I have tried performance and balance and the flavors were great and I felt the hydrating electrolyte energy powder formulated with beetroot, green coffee bean, and citrulline really helped me and I know they will help you too. Go here use code TINA for 15 % off your order.   Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could be listening to, but we are honored you have chosen Running For Real. If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that topic will relate to them. Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are, others are too, and you will help them feel less alone  Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here. Thank you to Dean, we look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.