THE first guy who ran 26.2 miles, Pheidippides, dropped dead when he finished. People who paid attention in their world civilizations classes learned this fact in high school. Blanton always willing
to go the distanceBut there are thousands who missed the lesson and enter marathons without proper training. Many run, walk, or crawl to the finish line successfully and take home a T-shirt. But, for their own well-being's sake, they probably shouldn't have been out there at all.
"A 10K is probably the longest most people should do, and almost anyone can do it," says Chet Blanton, who works at a Kapahulu running-shoe store. "Look at the Honolulu Marathon. You've got people out there on the course smoking, and some literally dying. Some of them take 12 hours to finish."
At Honolulu last year, Blanton sprinted at the end when he realized he had a chance to finish in under four hours. He made it in 3:59:59. Then he "couldn't walk for one solid week after that."
But Blanton isn't one of those crazy marathoners who runs without training. He's actually quite a bit loonier. Chet "The Jet" Blanton is an ultra-endurance athlete who had just completed a Deca Ironman -- 24 miles swimming, 1,120 miles biking and 262 miles running -- in Mexico two weeks before the Honolulu Marathon.
IF the distances aren't intimidating enough, consider this: the swimming was done in a 25-meter pool, meaning 765 laps, and the biking and running was completed on a 1.1 mile loop in an enclosed area.
"I felt fine after, because I paced myself," Blanton says. "Every night around midnight, I'd say, 'Oh, it's time to go to bed.' I'd stop what I was doing, sleep for six hours, get up and start again. It took me about 14 days."
Those who went faster paid the price, he says.
"This one guy from England, Bobby Brown, came in fourth place, finishing in eight days and a few hours," says Blanton. "But for five solid weeks he stayed in bed. He'd been done five days when I finished, and he still couldn't wear shoes to the awards ceremony. It was hard, don't get me wrong. But I wasn't completely wiped out. I wish I would've been thrashed, then maybe I'd say enough already."
But it's never enough for Blanton. Distance is his drug, and he is hooked. Big time.
This year, he and nine others will attempt something that has never been done before -- a Double Deca Ironman.
"This is a little scary," Blanton says. "They give you 30 days to complete it."
IT'S part of his plan to break the world record for most triathlons in one year. The mark is 24. He will do his first of the year in California in July, on his 40th birthday.
Blanton says "I don't know" when asked why he does events like these and the 100-hour tennis marathon in which he once completed. But some of his motivation in the past was to raise money for and bring awareness to charities such as the American Cancer Society.
It all started out innocently enough, as Blanton was a typical high school miler in Southern California. His best time of 4:48 was fairly decent, but he never felt fast.
"It always bugged me that the fast guys got the recognition," he says. "It just became a challenge. If you were to bet me $1,000 that I'd run around the island right now, I'd do it. My price went up. It used to be just $100."
He was an ultramarathoner, routinely running 50- and 100-mile races, before taking up swimming and biking five years ago.
"It was like, 'I can't swim dude,' " he says. "And the first time you bike and get off and try to run it's a rude awakening."
Is Blanton insane?
"No, well, yeah. Any ultra person has to be a little crazy. Ultras put themselves through pain."
Blanton's wife, Rie, hopes all this doesn't kill him.
Maybe he should just cut out those dangerous little 26.2 milers.
Dave Reardon is a magazine editor and freelance
writer who has covered Hawaii sports since 1977.
He can be reached via the Star-Bulletin or
by email at dreardon@hmsa.com.
