Dr. Brian Krabak was featured in the May 30 article "Just what are extreme distance runners thinking of?" in the Standard-Examiner.
In the article, he discusses his research into ultramarathoners' strategies and preparation:
[Dr. Krabak's] research indicates that ultra races, including events that are 50, 100 or 150 miles long, aren’t dangerous for runners who have trained appropriately. Medically speaking, their bone, heart and muscle health are fine. Krabak says pretty much everybody will suffer from diarrhea, dehydration or other ailments during a long run. Injuries are relatively minor. Runners can rehydrate relatively quickly, and they recover from muscle fatigue within a week or two.
Participation in the sport has surged over the past five years; the number of those who compete has doubled. An estimated 70,000 people run ultramarathons in North America. “People unreasonably choose to do this,” Krabak said. But can anyone do this? According to him, ultrarunners really are not like you and me. “The reality is, only the people who can push the envelope can do this. It’s a physical toughness and mental toughness weeding-out process.”
Read the article at: http://www.standard.net/stories/2013/05/30/just-what-are-extreme-distance-runners-thinking