THE ENDURANCE 50 - New England 6-Pack 

By Joe Poliquin 

It was moments before the Greater Hartford Marathon … The announcer enthusiastically informed the 
crowd that local runner, Bekkie Wright, was, with this marathon, about to begin a 6 day marathon streak. 
If this was news to those at the Starting Line, they must have missed the articles in the local newspapers. 
Bekkie actually received more publicity than Dean Karnazes, the author of this adventure. He was 
running 50 Marathons in 50 States in 50 Days. We would be joining him for the 6 New England states 
starting with Hartford. The announcer did finally mention Mr. Karnazes, but merely to put Bekkie’s run 
into context. It was the “local legend” who had captured his interest. Of course, now everybody knew 
about the plan. The running of 157.2 miles in 6 states over the next days was the detail that remained to 
be accomplished. 

It was in mid-summer that we discovered the Endurance 50 (E50) website and a scheme that even to an 
ultrarunner appeared to verge on the outlandish. Still, Mr. Karnazes would be in New England in October 
and it might be fun to join him and run one of these marathons. Perhaps we would even run the Boston 
Marathon a second time this year. 

Just talking about running another marathon in October was a little preposterous. We were already 
registered for marathons and a Half Ironman every month right through the JFK 50 Miler in November. 
Still, somewhere in the midst of this conversation about adding an E50 marathon, Bekkie suggested a 
wildly outrageous idea, something that was well beyond anything that either of us had done. Yet we both 
knew that no sooner had the idea been uttered, that ultimately we would be unable to pass up such a 
unique challenge. Sitting comfortably at the kitchen table, it’s easier to conceptualize doing what might 
really be impossible. We were signing up for all of New England, 6 marathons in 6 states in 6 days. 
Even as an idea it was a little hard to grasp, let alone figure out how to actually accomplish it. 
Fortunately, early on we received a little inside help from The Squires Group the E50 management team 
to get us started. 

As part of the race committee for the Greater Hartford Marathon, Bekkie registered us for Connecticut. 
That left MA, RI, ME, NH, and VT. A problem in completing the online registrations for all of these 
events (apparently the site was not geared to multi-day registrations), led us to Jim Anderson and The 
Squires Group. Jim was really excited when he learned of our New England “6-pack” plans and helped 
with both event registration and hotel reservations. Everyone we dealt with throughout this event was 
terrific. 

How do you run 157.2 miles in less than a week? In this case, one marathon at a time. You simply have 
to get to the State-of-the-Day ready to run by 8:00 AM each morning. While Hartford was #28 for Dean, 
it was our first. The weather was perfect, sunny and cool. After a hectic week of HMF Technical and 
Registration activities, Bekkie took her place at the Start Line as the 4:15 Pace Leader in the Greater 
Hartford Marathon on Saturday, October 14, 2006 just as the Star Spangled Banner began. She was easy 
to follow in her orange pace top and skirt. Over the first 18 - 19 miles, she kept about a dozen runners, at 
least one of whom was a first time marathoner, together and on pace. Around the 20 Mile mark the group 
began to disintegrate with most drifting off the back. A couple ladies who had run wisely managed to 
move ahead. We passed Dean on a few of the out & backs. He was running at a fast pace alone and 
anonymously. He finished in 3:29 and told us later in the week that he could probably run 3:30 to 3:40 
pace comfortably every day. 

At the completion of Hartford as we sat on the lawn enjoying the post marathon feed, tired and a little 
stiff and sore, I think we both, without speaking it, were more than a little daunted by what we had signed 
on for. What made us think months before, sitting in the comfort of the kitchen, that we’d be able to pull 
this off? It was no time to second guess though. A Boston Marathon beckoned. We had a tight schedule 
to follow. It was home to shower, nap, pack, and drive to Boston. 



Hartford Marathon 4:15 Pace Group in South Windsor 

By 7:00 AM the next morning, we were at the Hopkinton Town Green. With a couple dozen other 
runners about, we were only about 24,000 bodies short for a typical Boston Marathon day. Even though 
we were at the Start Line, it was barely recognizable as the beginning of the Boston Marathon. There 
were a few North Face vehicles and a tent emblazoned with “Endurance 50” logos. These vehicles would 
become our lifeline over the miles and days ahead. The North Face crew that emceed each day’s events, 
initiated what would become our daily routine. Robin checked us in and gave each our race numbers. 
We all were #29, a little perplexing until I remembered that it was Day 29 for Dean. These numbers were 
the source or few jokes like “who won (and who was last)?” … “ Number 29”. Garrett, the Race 
Director, made his announcements about the course, the police escorts, about how Dean wanted to keep 
the group together, the support they would provide, and about the group photo when Dean arrived. The 
weather was crisp, clear, and cold, and we all stood around shivering, waiting for “the man”. Bekkie, as 
usual, was dressed for the occasion and was striking in her little black dress & stockings with her new 
Terry bolero jacket for warmth. 

Since we’d be attempting to tag along with one of the ultra running gods, I think we may have expected a 
rather grand entrance. Yet, Dean arrived on schedule in an RV with his father and kids. He was upbeat, 
warm, and friendly and introduced himself personally to almost everyone. It was easy to tell he was 
genuinely excited about what he was doing and really wanted people to enjoy the challenges and benefits 
of running. Garrett wired him with a heart rate monitor (he averages about 105 beats per minute), the 
group photo was taken, his kids said the “Ready, Set, Go”, and we were off. 

Boston is not an easy course, even when it’s not the 2nd marathon in two days. Bekkie & I, Dean and the 
crowd of about 50, made the typical Boston mistake. We all ran too fast down the hills out of Hopkinton. 
We didn’t want to lose the group on this first outing even though we knew we’d be paying for it later. 
As we ran, Dean worked his way back and forth through the whole pack speaking with and learning who 
everyone was. There were a number of 1st time marathoners and some who had run with Dean 
previously. Garrett and the North Face crew and Jason Koop of Carmichael Training offered us constant 
food and drinks from the window of their vehicle. JB videoed the event as he biked along with us. 

With uncharted territory ahead, i.e., 4 more marathons to go, after about 9 miles, we began to drift slowly 
off the pack. We just couldn’t risk leaving too much on the road on any one day. For us this event was 
not about time, but about getting to the finish line in Stowe, Vermont on Thursday. We were going to run 
“ultra” rather than “marathon” pace. 

Even though we lost our police escort, the crew still periodically dropped back and supported us. We 
were never left to fend entirely for ourselves throughout the whole week. The North Face guys were 
awesome in how they took care of us and always made an extra effort to be sure we had whatever we 
needed. Losing the police escort in Boston though, took us mostly off the road. We had to run miles of 
concrete sidewalk, great for pulverizing muscle and tenderizing feet. This wasn’t the best way to prepare 
for the next 4 days. Though we missed the excitement when the Wellesley track team joined Dean and 
the pack, we periodically bumped into a few of the others runners. Another runner’s support crew tossed 
us a bottle of caffeinated Vitamin Water at a critical moment. One of Dean’s former classmates and 
another runner who had only trained up to 6 miles passed in the back of the Sag Wagon. We did hear the 
story from Dean’s pacer, when Dean had run and won the Vermont 100, of how even though he was 
supposed to be pacing Dean, he was dropped because he couldn’t keep up Dean’s 6:40 pace. 
Koop, Dean’s Coach from Carmichael training was waiting for us when we finally came down Boylston 
Street and reached the finish line. I got a picture of Bekkie cartwheeling to her second Boston finish of 
the year. Koop took a picture of us at the end of 2 in 2 days. All we had to do now was find our way back 
to the truck in Hopkinton. Nobody at Dean’s book signing at Spots City seemed to be going back that 
way. Another runner also needed a ride, but he didn’t seem interested in sharing a taxi. We thought 
about the commuter trains, but that seemed like too much time and effort. So after fuel stop at Wendy’s, 
we grabbed a cab back to Hopkinton.
 
 

             Finishing Boston II                    Happy runners at the end of Day 2 

With the ritual dose of caffeine for the drive, we headed off to RI our Day 3 State. It wasn’t until late 
afternoon that we arrived at our hotel in RI in preparation for the Breakers Marathon the next morning. 
We got to the hotel the same time as some of Dean’s entourage, in this case, his parents and kids. So as I 
checked us in, Bekkie was out in the parking lot throwing a football around with Dean’s son, Nicholas, 
and joking with his Dad (also Nicholas). Dean’s Dad must be one of his greatest fans, and both his 
parents were making the trip to take care of and home school the kids. The elder Karnazes was also a big 
fan of our 6-pack plans. 

The Breakers Marathon course is pretty challenging too … with about 3 miles of steady climbing that you 
get to repeat on each of your 3 laps of the roughly 8 mile course. Weather-wise it was another perfect 
running day, even though the mile long stretch by the ocean did get a little warm. Along the way, I had a 
conversation with a lamb that would respond every time I’d bleat at it. 



“Snickers girl” waiting to start RI’s Breaker’s Marathon. 

Even though we were prepared to be self-supporting the North Face crew checked on us frequently. By 
Day 3 everyone knew of our plans to run 6, but they were still a little unsure that we’d be successful and 
able to continue to finish. It wasn’t until the next day in Portland, when the crew had a conversation with 
Dean, that we could tell they were no longer concerned about us. Apparently Dean told them, don’t 
worry about the “Maniacs”, they’ll finish. It was at the book signing after the run in RI, that Dean 
recognized us and figured out what we were up to. He hadn’t yet caught onto Bekkie’s cartwheeling 
finishes, but that would come later. It was also at the RI book signing that I “won” a Timex Ironman 
watch decorated with the Endurance 50 logos and “50 Marathons in 50 States in 50 Days”. Bekkie would 
“win” hers a few days later in NH. 

 

          The Day 3 Finish                              The E50 Celebrities! 

By day 4 in Portland, ME we had the routine down. We managed to get a late check-out from the hotel 
each day. So, after the run and the book signing, (we ended up with 10 copies of Ultra Marathon Man 
between us), we took showers, had brunch, and drove to the next State and hotel. Except for the ride 
home, the drive to Maine was our longest, a little over 3 hours. 

The course for the Portland marathon was slightly altered because there would be no police escort or road 
closures. We got to take a bridge and run around the bay before the standard, long out and back. It was 
the easiest course of the entire 6-Day adventure. It is a mostly flat and fast. The local race director for 
the Maine Marathon ran with us and led the group. He also gave us each a finisher’s medal at the 
conclusion of the run. It was here in Maine that Bekkie and I began to be announced to the group each 
morning and mentioned in Dean’s daily blog as the “Connecticut couple” who was running all New 
England. 

Dean arrived late this Tuesday morning for the start. We learned that he gotten lost getting to the “new” 
Start Line, just as we had. Fortunately, we had Garrett’s cell number and were able to call for directions 
when the information we had didn’t get us to the Start. We later learned from Dean’s “blog” that because 
he wasn’t feeling well and because he had had blood drawn that morning, that Maine was his toughest 
day so far. You couldn’t tell from how he ran. We were dropped, as usual, about a third of the way into 
the run. A couple of the other runners were on multiple days with Dean. Zane and his friend from NH 
and Bruce who lived right up the road and was running to raise money for the family of local victim of a 
rare violent crime. Bruce also tried to solicit us as pacers when he plans to run the Vermont 100 next 
year. 

By the Maine Marathon, after so many days of running, we seemed to have entered a sort of time warp. 
All that was real was running, traveling, eating, sleeping, and running again. You almost lose your 
frame of reference with the rest of the world, which in many ways makes for a great “vacation”. The 
consecutive days did take a toll though. We seemed to each be alternating our “good and bad” moments, 
so neither us were up or down at the same moment. When I was “zoned out” in Portland wishing 
desperately for a Red Bull, ironically moments before a Red Bull emblazoned truck past us, Bekkie was 
ready to cartwheel. It was here, since the finishing arches were set up right next to the book signing, that 
Dean finally witnessed the cartwheel. From that moment on we heard him frequently telling people to 
watch for Bekkie’s finishes. 

We managed to get a few pictures along the road in Portland like “Dean’s Way”, which contrary to the 
proclamation on the sign we didn’t run. 



        Mile 19 of the Maine Marathon 

Jim Anderson of the Squires Group had tipped us off about New Hampshire when he learned we planned 
on running all the New England states. He said NH would be a small, intimate group and to be sure we 
signed up for our Day 5 right away. If we hadn’t taken his advice, the 6 pack would never have 
happened. The field in NH was limited to 5 runners. The town of Bristol wouldn’t grant a permit to 
accommodate the up to 50 planned runners. Since one of the other registered runner didn’t show, Bekkie 
and I made up half the pack that day. Two of the North Face crew, Garrett and Robin, ran half marathons 
that day. We later learned they were inspired to do so by our efforts. 



              The entire NH running “crowd” 

It had started raining the evening before when we arrived at quaint old motel in the hills above Bristol. 
The motel owner said the kitchen was closed, but she offered to cook us some dinner as she was prepared 
to do for Dean and the rest of the entourage. At that point we still felt it might be a little presumptuous 
for us to join in, only to learn the next day that they would have been happy for us to have crashed their 
party. The rain continued through the night. Though it appeared that our string of great weather would 
be broken, the rain stopped just minutes before we took off for Day 5’s marathon. 

The beginning of the New Hampshire Marathon is comprised of a couple miles of climbing. Dean as 
usual started with a strong pace, even on the hills. Though it made the final miles of the day’s run 
tougher, we stayed with him for the first five miles or so and as the course flattened enjoyed a couple of 
extended conversations with him. He told us that there were others that had run 3 or 4 days with him, but 
no one had done 6 in a row. 

The loop around Newfound Lake included some of the prettiest miles we ran. Since the group was so 
small that day, JB spent a lot of time filming the autumn colors in abundance around the lake. It was 
from the filming that day that we found ourselves in one of the YouTube video clips on the Carmichael 
Training website. And at the conclusion, as we approached the finish, we were surprised to see Dean’s 
bus parked along side. Even though he had finished an hour ahead of us, he had waited for our arrival. 
He was quick to point out that we weren’t getting slower and was genuinely filled with an appreciation 
for what we were doing. He was pleased to point out that he had already signed our finisher certificates 
with “5 of 6”, even before he had arrived. 

The Stowe Marathon, Day 6, was a day we approached with mixed emotions. We were certainly ready to 
be finished and for a rest. Still, as the crew continually told us, we were part of the “family”, and they 
were going to miss us. It wasn’t quite over yet, we still had a monster of a hill to get up. One final time, 
we ran at an 8-9 minute mile pace with the crowd for the first 8 miles and then were off on our own. 
Stowe is complicated course, but Bekkie had it mapped in her head, which as she had throughout, kept us 
from getting lost. Even though we were past the 150 mile mark on our 6-day adventure, we picked up the 
pace on the last 5 miles of bike trail from the town of Stowe to the finish. And quite a finish it was. They 
saw us coming from a distance. Dean had the loud speaker, announced our arrival, the completion of the 
6 in 6 days, and told everybody to watch for Bekkie’s now famous cartwheel. It was no longer necessary 
for me to get the photograph. All the photographers and the video camera were ready for the final E50 
cartwheel. JB had talked to us on camera a number of times and videoed a final interview. It will be 
interesting to see what gets into the DVD that will debut this spring on the entire event. Most certainly, it 
will include one of Bekkie’s cartwheels. 

 


         The Big Finish                              Does that stand for 33 or 6? 

Running 6 marathons in 6 states in 6 days as part of Dean Karnazes’ Endurance 50 adventure was a one 
of those once in a lifetime opportunities that you just can’t miss. Even though it was a real stretch and 
test of our physical endurance, there was never any real doubt that we would accomplish it. It was 
particularly special because we took up the challenge and ran those 157.2 miles together. And there is no 
better partner for an adventure, or for life, than Bekkie! 

Postscript. We planned to attend the celebration on Sunday, November 5 in New York City at the 
completion of that Marathon and Dean’s E50. Then we discovered that Day 49 was the New Jersey 
Marathon, a double loop course for which the New Jersey Road Runners were offering options of 5, 8, 
13.1, or 26.2 with a further choice of first 1/2 or second 1/2. Bekkie suggested that since we could run 
just the second “half” of this day’s event, that now we had an opportunity to “finish” a race with Dean. 

It was like a family reunion rejoining the E50 crowd in NJ. The North 
Face crowd were all happy to see us. Bekkie gave them each a Treble Clef 
pin as the “unsung heroes” of the event and to show our appreciation of the 
support they had given us. She also made a “Finisher’s Certificate” similar 
to one that Dean had given us, and congratulated him on his “50 of 50” as 
he had us our “6 of 6”. It included the lyrics of her “59th Street Bridge 
Song” parody commemorating the NYC Marathon which we learned Dean 
had been singing off-key to everyone’s annoyance since he first heard 
Bekkie sing it back in New Hampshire. 



     Bekkie & Dean’s Dad in NJ 

Finally, we went to New York City to cheer Dean on at Mile 20. He looked great and finished in 3 hours 
… his fastest marathon of the 50. At the last post-race party at the North Face store on Broadway we 
noticed that Dean’s family & crew had signed his #50 race shirt for that day … and so we added our 
names for posterity. Quite an adventure. Wonder what’s next?