50/50 by Dean Karnazes Read Free Book Online Page A

flanked by a squadron of police escorts and Secret Service agents.
    As natural as he now seemed gliding along next to me, Governor Huckabee—turned presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee as I write this—hadn’t always been a runner. In fact, he used to be 110 pounds heavier. During his first years in office, simply climbing the steps of the Capitol Building left him out of breath and sweating profusely. He secretly feared that he would be interviewed by the media at the top of the steps, and that he would be unable to respond appropriately due to his lack of breath. In 2003, his physician diagnosed the governor with adult-onset diabetes, informing him that he would not live more than ten years if he did not lose weight.
    That was four marathons ago.
    Mike Huckabee is living proof of the unique power of running to cure the most insidious health conditions afflicting our society today: obesity, heart disease, and a host of other weight-related maladies, including adult-onset diabetes. But while he may be the most prominent example of what I jokingly call “the amazing miracle marathon diet” at work, there are countless more examples among everyday folks. In fact, as I listened to Governor Huckabee recount his experience—not the least bit out of breath despite the fact that he was running nine-minute miles as he talked—I was reminded that I had already met several Endurance 50 participants, most of them men, who had lost large amounts of weight on the amazing miracle marathon diet.
    Ease Into It
    While running is one of the best means to lose weight, it’s important that you ease into it if you’re currently overweight and new to this form of exercise. Running puts a lot of stress on the lower extremities. If you don’t give your bones and joints a chance to adapt, you could get injured. Start by walking. Once a brisk walk has become fairly easy, insert brief segments of slow running into your walks (preferably on dirt or grass). Gradually increase the duration of these running segments until you’re able to comfortably run the full distance of your workout. Here’s a sample four-week progression:

    The Dean’s List
    Here are some of my current favorite quick race fuels that’ll surely give you a lift:
    •Clif Shot Bloks
    •Sports Beans Energizing Jelly Beans
    •Ginger People Ginger Chews
    •Peet’s Coffee Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans
    •Sharkies Organic Energy Fruit Chews
     
    There’s something about the goal of finishing a marathon, or even a half-marathon or 10k, that enables an individual to establish exercise as a daily habit and shed excess weight. Strangely enough, those who start running with no other goal than to lose weight often do not have the same level of success. For whatever reason, people find more motivation in looking months ahead to the dream of completing an event—which, for most, will be the hardest physical challenge they have ever faced—than they find in simply trying to run three or four miles a day to lose some fat.
    Intrigued by the governor, I peppered him with questions as we ran. The other runners—most of them citizens of Arkansas—also seemed content to let Huckabee do most of the talking. I was particularly interested in hearing about his state’s widely celebrated recent initiative aimed at addressing childhood obesity by removing soda and unhealthy snacks from school vending machines, improving the nutritional value of school lunches, and so forth.
    “Is it working?” I asked.
    “The most recent data we have shows that childhood obesity levels in Arkansas have started to level off, after climbing for years,” he said. “It’s a start, but we have a long way to go.”
    “That’s encouraging,” I said. Mike Huckabee and I share a cause. My Karno’s Kids foundation attacks the same problem his administration has chosen as a top priority by promoting physical activity and a good diet. Our mission is to inspire and motivate kids to get outside and become