The Results Are In: How Dean Held Up
By Bryan Bergman, PhD,
University of Colorado Assistant Professor of Medicine
Carmichael Training Systems Pro Coach
Between the beginning and the end of the Endurance 50, Dean was subjected to ten blood draws and urinalysis. These blood samples were preserved and sent to a laboratory for analysis. The results were then sent to Carmichael Training Systems, where I analyzed them to determine the effect of running fifty marathons in fifty states in fifty days on various parameters of Dean’s health, including muscle damage, hydration status, inflammation, and immune function. Below are summaries of our findings with respect to each of these factors.
Muscle Damage
We expected to see fairly dramatic increases in Dean’s blood markers of muscle damage. The principal marker was creatine phosphokinase (CPK), an enzyme found principally inside muscle cells that leaks into the bloodstream when cells are damaged. A typical marathon runner has dramatically elevated CPK after one marathon, and it stays elevated for up to a week. Dean, however, is no typical marathoner. He had some muscle damage associated with the event. However, at his muscle damage high point, near the end of the Endurance 50, his CPK concentration was still one-fourth of what it would be for a typical runner completing only one marathon! This was a surprise, but shows how well Dean’s body has adapted to the demands of ultrarunning.
Hydration Status
Dean’s hydration status was monitored rigorously throughout the Endurance 50. We followed several parameters, including the percentage of red blood cells to total blood volume (hematocrit), red blood cell counts per liter (red cell density), and concentration of hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein in our blood). Despite having a crew supporting him and reminding him to stay hydrated during these events, Dean still showed signs of dehydration several times during the Endurance 50. However, this potential problem was quickly remedied with increased intake of sports drinks. His markers of dehydration status never stayed elevated for two or more consecutive blood draws in a row. These data point to the constant challenge of staying hydrated, even with a support team looking after you.
Inflammation
We also measured blood levels of an inflammatory marker called interleukin-6 (IL-6). IL-6 is a cytokine (a special type of white blood cell) that is receiving a lot of attention in the scientific world right now because of the link between inflammation and heart disease. We were interested in IL-6 for two reasons: (1) It is one marker of inflammation during an event in which we expect to see considerable amounts of inflammation, immune system activity, and stress; and (2) IL-6 appears to be involved in glucose production by the liver, as well as glucose uptake by muscles. Thus, tracking changes in IL-6 along with changes in resting metabolic rate and muscle fuel utilization would provide insight into the role of IL-6 in ultra-endurance events.
Much to our surprise, IL-6 concentrations did not change very much during this event. Dean is an elite ultra-endurance runner, and once again he appeared to be in much less physiological stress than would be expected from such an arduous event.
Immune Function
Many publications have pointed to an increased risk of upper respiratory tract infections and decreased immune system function after one marathon. Therefore, we expected Dean’s immune system to be compromised during the Endurance 50. However, other than a probable viral infection during the first part of the event, we observed no changes in blood markers that would suggest a compromised immune system. We were also on the lookout for possible suppression of bone marrow red blood cell production that also can occur during periods of high stress. Dean’s bone marrow continued to produce red blood cells throughout the event and showed no signs of slowing. Clearly, his body did not perceive this event to be as stressful as we expected!
Summary
Overall, Dean sailed through the Endurance 50, with none of the common ailments that plague the more typical athlete during one marathon, much less fifty. We were very surprised that fifty consecutive marathons were perceived to be so “easy” by his body. This is a testament to Dean’s preparation and training, and shows us all what is possible when a very motivated and talented athlete sets his sights on a lofty goal.
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Dean Karnazes might just be the fittest man on the planet, writes
Men’s Fitness
. His long list of accomplishments is astounding, though perhaps his even greater gift is his ability to help others achieve their fitness goals and become the best that they can be. A past columnist for
Men’s Health
, the world’s largest men’s publication, Dean was recently voted by
Time
magazine as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World.” He is a frequent public speaker and has traveled the world, meeting and running with people of all ages to extol the virtues of physical exercise, good diet, and healthy, active living.
Dean is a member of the California State Senate Task Force on Youth Wellness, and also serves on the board of Girls on the Run, a nationwide non-profit probram that encourages girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. His foundation, KARNO KIDS, whose motto is “No Child Left Inside,” has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for children’s charities and for organizations that focus on environmental preservation and restoration and conservation of urban open-spaces.
When he's not running or chasing his own kids around their backyard—which he insists is he favorite workout routine—you can usually find him surfing, mountain biking, snowboarding, or hiking somewhere in the greater San Francisco Bay area.
Matt Fitzgerald is a runner, coach, and widely published journalist and author. A frequent contributor to
Runner’s World,
he has written several previous books, including
Brain Training for Runners.
Matt is also a certified sports nutritionist and maintains a popular Web site featuring training and nutrition information for endurance athletes (
www.mattfitzgerald.org
). He lives in San Diego with his wife, Nataki.
*
This number represents the accumulated number of calories I burned to this point in the Endurance 50 marathons. My source for the calculations was
www.coolrunning.com
.
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