Dean Karnazes on History

[highland145]

Found another thread discussing this guy but I'm curious about the History show where they are testing his lactic acid every 3 min and increasing the intensity. Appears like he's able to clear out the acid much faster most others which lets him run continuously. Genetics? Perfect running form? Thoughts. Thanks.

http://www.history.com/shows/stan-lees-superhumans/bios/#slide-9

Dean Karnazes was an average beer-guzzling Joe, stuck in a job he hated and sick of the rat race. Then, while celebrating his 30th birthday at a bar, he suddenly decided to walk out the door and go for a 30-mile run. That moment changed his life forever.
As an ultramarathon runner, Dean runs distances far beyond a normal marathon and often in grueling environments--including 146 miles in the 120-degree heat of Death Valley and the 40--below temperatures of the South Pole.
In 2005, Dean ran nonstop for over 80 hours and 44 minutes, and in 2006 he ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. Then, after he’d finished that, he ran the 1,300 miles back to the start.
Dean's life-changing story and incredible endurance have inspired thousands to get off the sofa and hit the open road. He has also been voted one the "Top 100 Most Influential People in the World" by TIME magazine.
Dean's ability to just keep on running defies human biology. Daniel Browning Smith joins him on a 12-hour dawn-to-dusk run through Marin County to find out how Dean's body is able to endure levels of exhaustion and fatigue that would defeat an ordinary person.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Karnazes

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Lactic acid is not the cause of muscle fatigue, but a sign that muscle fatigue is occurring. He is very, very oxidatively trained, which means he can use fat metabolism for a greater duration/at a greater intensity. Because of this, he creates less CO2 and therefore less acid in the blood. Lactic acid is pretty much only an indicator that oxidative processes are failing (since it is a byproduct of anaerobic glycolysis)... So this just proves that this guy has a high lactate threshold, which means he's super slow titch and highly oxidative. He's not clearing the acid faster - he's not producing as much lactic acid because he isn't using anaerobic metabolism.

 

[highland145]

"oxidatively trained" meaning others can achieve similar results or he's genetically "perfect?"

"he's super slow titch" ??


Thanks

 

[bommy261]

that guy is amazing

 

[Capt Caveman]

It's definitely not running form. Got to give him credit though, who the hell can hold and eat a large stuffed pizza while running.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

"oxidatively trained" meaning others can achieve similar results or he's genetically "perfect?"

"he's super slow titch" ??


Thanks

Oxidative capacity is the ability to use oxygen in creation of energy. It is determined both genetically and by training regimen. He likely already has a high ability to use oxidative metabolism, but his extensive training has just improved that. Slow twitch fibers are primarily oxidative in nature. That means they utilize oxygen to create energy effectively.

Also, at an elite level like this, anatomy means everything. He undoubtedly has small, light muscles with advantageous muscle insertion angles to produce the greatest torque without requiring excessive muscular force.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Interesting note: Dean heel strikes. Not something I would expect.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Interesting note: Dean heel strikes. Not something I would expect.

It's something I'd expect in most very long endurance runners (that are raised wearing shoes) since it requires less work from the feet themselves. On top of that, foot development in people who wear shoes have permanently affects foot function to a certain degree. It might be impossible for him to run the sort of mileage he runs now with a forefoot/midfoot strike since it'd put such a strain on the muscles and the arch (since his feet are developmentally abnormal, as most shoe wearer's are).

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

It's something I'd expect in most very long endurance runners (that are raised wearing shoes) since it requires less work from the feet themselves. On top of that, foot development in people who wear shoes have permanently affects foot function to a certain degree. It might be impossible for him to run the sort of mileage he runs now with a forefoot/midfoot strike since it'd put such a strain on the muscles and the arch (since his feet are developmentally abnormal, as most shoe wearer's are).

Yeah, but even so I was expecting due to the efficiency of the forefoot/midfoot strike that he might have naturally ran that way even in a shoe. My expectation just was apparently different than reality.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Yeah, but even so I was expecting due to the efficiency of the forefoot/midfoot strike that he might have naturally ran that way even in a shoe. My expectation just was apparently different than reality.

That's why I said earlier it's definitely not his form that allows him to run like that. If you ever watch a vid of him running, it's not very smooth and the guy is built more like a running back than a long distance runner. He just has amazing endurance and will.

 

[Bateluer]

I've read his book, Dean's definitely one of my personal heroes.