A marathon is widely regarded as the ultimate test of one’s physical and mental strength, but for ultra-running sensation Ian Sharman, 26.2 miles is just a warm up.

Currently the fastest 100 mile runner in the United States, Sharman began his running career in 2005. A few short years and 100 marathons later, including the Marathon Des Sables, a multi-day race covering 153 miles of the Sahara Desert, Sharman entered his first 100 mile single day event, the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile race in Huntsville, Texas. With dozens of wins and course records under his belt, Sharman felt unprepared due to an injury. Not one to give up easily, Sharman started the race, but had to quit after 80 miles. But Sharman’s failure only pushed him further. The next year Sharman returned to Rocky Raccoon to prove something to himself, but ended up proving himself to the world, breaking the American 100 mile trail record in an astonishing 12 hours and 44 minutes. To break down the math, that’s running 7:38 minute miles, for 100 miles non-stop! Many publications and TV Channels have had stories about Sharman, including this article about his 100-mile record: http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=23059

Sharman’s hard work ethic continues to pay off. He’s broken nine marathon Guinness World Records (including as Elvis and Spiderman), runs for The North Face, coaches (he's a NASM Certified Personal Trainer) and inspires ultra runners across the globe. Also, he's a popular personality as co-host of Talk Ultra, one of the most downloaded sports’ podcasts on iTunes globally. In addition, his races have taken him all over the world to 30 countries across five continents.

These successes can in part be attributed to Sharman making the risky decision to leave a lucrative career in corporate finance at the height of a recession to pursue his true passion. Sharman’s inspiring story continues to captivate crowds around the Northwest, and now he is hoping to reach greater audiences to share how his tales of triumph can motivate them to push their own boundaries.

The lessons learned from preparing for and running some of the hardest events in the world are directly translatable to everyone's lives. Examples include:

• Pushing on after several days of 120 degree desert heat with blistered feet in the desert • Leading his exhausted team to the win as they climbed up Mt. Kinabalu, the highest peak in the jungle of Borneo • Running across the European Alps from Germany to Italy, continually motivating his teammate through the 150-mile trek, illustrating the true value of teamwork

His next talk is a motivational speech to the Canadian military near Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Inspirational, Sports Motivation, Adventure, Peak Performance, Health, Extreme Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Experts