Today marked the end of the Silk Road Ultramarathon. One of the objectives of this run was to commemorate the 25th anniversary of independence for the three countries through which Dean ran; Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Appropriately, Dean ran 25 km on his final day in Central Asia. Unlike his other group runs, this one involved Almaty's elite runners, including the founder of the Almaty Marathon, and several IRONMAN triatheletes.
The final 25 km route took Dean from Almaty's President Park to Medeu, the site of the one of the world's largest outdoor ice rinks. The course was almost entirely uphill and involved a nearly 3000 foot gain in elevation. Those final kilometers left Dean exhausted, but with a smile on his face.
In the end, Dean's most significant accomplishment was not the 525 km run, but the millions of lives that he touched simply by sharing the road and his kindess with the people of Central Asia.
Learn more about the Silk Road Ultra Marathon Run, with Dean Karnazes #Dean525
Day 10 of Silk Ultramarathon with Dean Karnazes
