Comments on: Do we get a fair depiction of Dean Karnazes, or is he overrated?

By: Frog

Frog — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 06:20:28 +0000

I would also like to add that Dean did not bad mouth Scott.

By: Frog

Frog — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 05:53:41 +0000

Dean gets the credit he deserves. This elite stuff is just BS. He’s putting the sport on the map and he never claimed to be anything more than he is, plain and simple. If Scott Jurek wants coverage then get in front of a camera. If Scott doesn’t, then don’t blame Karnazes. Any of you run as far as Karnazes?

By: Kent

Kent — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 03:06:43 +0000

The truth of the matter is, as Stephen says, Dean got the award for the best outdoor athlete. Simply put, although Dean accomplished the E50, he is an elite windsurfer, an accomplished rock climber, mountain biker, and swimmer, and his bulky body says enough about that (oh yeah, he’s also in his mid 40’s, nearly double Jurek’s age). Now sure, Scott Jurek is one of the most successful runners, if not number one, but he is not the most accomplished athlete. Dean may be, or at least he is up there with the best of them, because he is well rounded. I credit Stephen, Dean is taking advantage of the best way to promote healthy living: the media. If they want to cover his every move, it would be a complete waste for Dean to turn down any opportunity. We know he is not number one or by himself in the ultra endurance population, and he knows this as well. But he is damn good at expressing our sport and his experiences to get us “5k-ers” or “26-milers” to push our limits further.

By: Stephen Wells

Stephen Wells — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 14:55:14 +0000

Aaarrgghh…I love you Jamie, buddy, but I have to disagree with you and all the other Dean skeptics, especially at it pertains to him “accepting awards blatant acceptance of awards that paint him as the number one guy in the sport, when he’s far from it.” The ESPY is for “Best Outdoor Athlete” and not for best runner, best ultramarathoner, or quickest of either. No doubt there are tons of more talented runners, and Scott Jurek stands heads and shoulders above them all. Dean is working the system less than it is working him, and he is just taking advantage of it. Give him credit for it. We would all do the same and if offered any award, I bet none of us would refuse. That would just be rude. Namaste.

By: crossn81

crossn81 — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:30:14 +0000

I agree its such a weird thing that someone can garner so much attention for himself (and the sport) but not be number 1. I know some sports writers who do everything they can to NOT talk about DK. Unfortunately, the MSM and sports media find it easier to do a story on someone who is self-promoting and willing to step in front of the camera. I bet if Scott started writing press releases and creating media kits and doing random stunts he’d be the Outdoor Athlete of the Year.

By: Straight to the Bar

Straight to the Bar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:19:51 +0000

Do we get a fair depiction of Dean Karnazes?…

Run to Win’s Blaine Moore opens this month’s article series on training and the media with a look at runner Dean Karnazes. Karnazes is a great example of an athlete who understands the many ways to attract media attention; managing……

By: Jamie

Jamie — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 03:15:36 +0000

I credit DK for helping me get into ultramarathoning. His book was a big influence on me and I found it incredibly inspirational. It’s obvious he’s a decent guy overall and I admire his philanthropic efforts. But as I got more into the sport, I learned that there were others who were accomplishing more on several fronts, and couldn’t help but wonder why are these folks only getting a fraction (at best) of the media attention? I really liked what Jurek had to say in his interview on DK. Thought he laid it out nicely, especially on DK’s blatant acceptance of awards that paint him as the number one guy in the sport, when he’s far from it. He’s in the upper echelon, but comparing his accomplishments to Jurek’s, it’s obvious who has more talent. I think it’d be more appropriate for him to not bow to the dollar and instead give props to those who deserve them more.

There are also a significant number of folks in the ultra community who prefer the sport stay underground, and DK is the antithesis of the philosophy while cashing in on it.

And there are those who are probably just jealous that someone can make a living at doing what they love most. I admit I’d be a fool to say I wouldn’t want that gig. But I also know I’d never accept some of the awards and titles based on my morale principals. If I thought money was important, I’d never have left my lucrative other job to become a teacher.