Lazarus Lake on Endurance, Uncertainty, and Reaching One’s Potential | Conversations with Tyler

Lazarus Lake is a renowned ultramarathon runner and designer. His most famous creation (along with his friend Raw Dog) is the Barkley Marathons, an absurdly difficult 100-mile race through the Tennessee wilderness that only 17 people have ever finished in its nearly 30-year existence.
Tyler and Laz discuss what running 100 miles tells you about yourself that running 26 miles does not, why so many STEM professionals do ultramarathons, which skill holds people back the most, why his entrance fee is no more or less than $1.60, the importance of the Barkley’s opaque application process, how much each race costs to mount, whether he sees a decline in stoicism and inner strength in America, what accounting taught him about running, which books influenced him the most, who's going to win the NBA title next year, how he’s coping with increasing fame, the competition he’s most focused on now, and more.
Recorded June 29th, 2023.
Transcript and links: conversationswithtyler.com/ep...
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[@raverwater1]

This is one of my favorite interviews, ever. Excellent, pertinent, researched, thoughtful questions, with frank, honest answers. Love both of you! With a new era, I hope that the solo, isolated, and uniquely non-public nature of the Barkley does not change in the future.

[@alanmansfield664]

I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing. I think Mr Cantrell and his co conspirators are exemplars of the people I have meet at Scouts, field hockey, orienteering and many other activities. Good on you Mr Cantrell.

[@theashars9534]

Amazing interview. Thank you Tyler. I have run many marathons and some Ultras but Barkley marathon is so difficult, it defies the ability to describe it in words. This is a great interview. Interesting that many successful runners are STEM graduates. This is not surprising. I believe that every human being, unless they have bio mechanical issues have the ability to train for and finish a regular marathon. Barkley is sui generis. It defies categorization or the ability to describe the difficulty. The fact that in some years there are no finishers is mind boggling. Humans need difficult challenges. Our life is much easier than a 100 years ago. We have lost something. There is a book called - “comfort crisis” which describes our decline …. And the rise in obesity. There are many old videos of America captured in the 1940s and 1950s, 60s. You will be hard pressed to find a single obese person among a crowd of hundreds of people. Thank you Tyler.

[@dino.dobosic]

I did not know I needed this ❤

[@dmkrusch]

Super interview to start my day! Thanks, Tyler....

[@marcanonime8078]

Very interesting interview with a very thoughtful guest! Thanks very much for sharing.

[@jdavidrhea]

Laz is the Boss. 💪🏻

[@ashurany]

Love that he couldn't even finish his own race. Dude is a boss

[@laurafasc6926]

Last question, best answer haha I laughed thank you

[@dmonroerobison]

I'm not even sure I belive Tyler Cowen was on this call. An intern did the interview and tyler did his part in post.

[@Liface]

Conversations...? This was Tyler reading a bunch of questions off the page. Very little dialog or discourse. Might as well have called it "Quick Hits With Lazarus Lake".

[@stereozo]

Geezer 👍

[@samwho1731]

Laz is aging too quickly. I hope he survives a long long time. Laz, any succession planning?

[@JD..........]

30:22

[@merovech7]

Hmmm, quite an awkward conversation - Laz should go on JRE

[@beeclimbing9954]

Poor interview; Tyler seems to have not bothered to watch either of the 2 films about the Barkley Marathons nor watched any previous footage of Gary Cantrell, nor had his staff, so we're left with this stilted (on Tyler's side) interview. I think a high school student could've produced a better interview...