I swear sometimes you just cannot make this stuff up! I read about this story and had to share it with you guys. An ultramarathoner, Dean Schuster, set out on a mission to raise funds for penguin conservation. Instead of having a silent auction or holding a raffle, he decided to run 50 (yes 50!) miles on a treadmill!
And I thought the 14 I once ran on a treadmill was bad! Schuster hopped on the treadmill at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina for 12 hours, running in front of the penguin exhibit. Apparently, Schuster was not the only person interested in running this far on a treadmill (at the zoo), he had to compete with other applicants to win the privilege of fundraising and a trip to the Antarctic marathon.
Perhaps the quote from his son sums it up best: “He’s not really crazy, but he’s not normal either.” Actually, sometimes I think my sons could probably say the same thing about me!
As I sit here writing, I am really wondering what his iPod playlist looked like for that run or if they gave him a television. I can honestly not imagine running for 12 hours straight on a treadmill. It is sort of akin to the ultramarathon just held in Taipei (in which Scott Jurek competed). Entrants ran for 24 hours around a track. The winner was determined by who logged the most miles in the 24 hour period.
I want to know what’s the longest distance you have run on a treadmill?
Um, WOW!! I guess it would be a little more entertaining if there were people walking by and watching you, and commenting all day… I once did 17 on a treadmill in marathon training that began in the winter, unfortunately I never got to do that marathon, but last winter I was determined to do every single long run outside!
Wow Laura–17 is very impressive. I am sure it was not the most thrilling run of your life! 😉 I am so thankful my YMCA has TVs in the treadmills, because that is pretty much the only thing that keeps me on it!