You don’t have to be a superhero to accomplish something great. In fact, these amazing adventurers make 5k’s look like a relaxing stroll through the park.
1. Dean Karnazes “The Ultramarathon man”
In 2006, American ultramarathon runner, Dean Karnazes, pulled off the unthinkable by running 50 marathons in 50 states for 50 days – shattering records in the process. Over the course of this extreme endurance test, Karnazes’ body was so well adapted to his running schedule that a 183.4-mile running week caused no more than walking the halls of an office.
2. Alain Robert “The Human Spider”
With a nickname like the ‘human spider’, Alain Robert gives Spiderman a run for his money. Besides ascending rocks, the French climber scales urban buildings without the help of ropes or any climbing equipment for that matter. So far, he’s conquered some pretty incredible buildings – from the Eiffel tower in Paris to the Sears tower in Chicago.
3. Tim Yarrow “The Merman”
Tim Yarrow might just have a secret set of gills. He currently holds the world record for longest time submerged in water after spending a consecutive 10 days in a tank in a South African mall. He was fed through a tube and used a catheter to eliminate waste. If the feat wasn’t mentally draining for Yarrow, it certainly was physically. Just take a look at those pruney hands.
4. Felix Baumgartner “The Fearless Skydiver”
Felix Baumgartner is a daredevil from Austria who also goes by Fearless Felix. He became the first person to break the sound barrier without mechanical vehicular power almost two years ago, on October 14th, 2012. The 24.2-mile skydive saw him plummet to earth at an estimated speed of 850 miles per hour. For those of you who can’t gauge that – it’s faster than the cruising speed of a Boeing 747.
5. Dashrath Manjhi: “The Lifesaver”
Dashrath watched as his wife passed away due to limited medical facilities in Gahlour, India. The nearest doctor, a lengthy 40 miles away, was virtually unreachable for many villagers. Thus, in order to prevent future suffering, Manjhi hand carved a road through a mountain for 22 years to produce a path that cuts the journey from 40 miles to nine. Amazingly, it goes on for 360 feet and is 30 feet wide in some places.
6. Børge Ousland + Mike Horn : “The Polar Adventurers”
After hauling a sled for nine hours a day, Norwegian Børge Ousland and South African Mike Horn became the first duo to travel to the North Pole on a self-propelled journey in the pitch-darkness of the Arctic winter. The incredible adventure is equivalent to walking the distance from London to the northern tip of Scotland – except in -31ºC weather.
7. Wim Hof: “The Iceman”
Wim Hof is a Dutch daredevil best known for his ability to withstand extreme cold. He currently holds 18 world records and broke his own Guinness World Record for the longest ice bath, after staying submerged for 1 hour, 13 minutes and 48 seconds. His secret weapon? Tummo mediation: a form of yoga that supposedly allows the practitioner to gain control over his or her body processes.
