Brothers to attempt Reno-Tahoe Odyssey as two-man team
by Paul Flies
Reno Gazette-Journal
June 5, 2008

In 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright displayed that when two brothers work together, anything is possible.

Now, 105 years later, Dan and Charlie Anderson hope to prove the sentiment stills holds true. On Friday, the siblings will participate as a two-man team in the grueling 178-mile Reno-Tahoe Odyssey endurance race.

"We've been told we're crazy," Charlie said. "Some more runner friends are afraid that we'll get injured."

The Andersons have established an impressive resume over the years by pushing their bodies to the extreme.

Dan first used long-distance running as a way to stay in shape while in college. As time progressed, the 25-year-old San Diego resident gained a better understanding of the sport and began running competitively.

Beginning with marathons, Dan broadened his running repertoire by competing in ultra marathons and triathlons. As the physical toll of the events increased, so did the level of success Dan enjoyed.

For Charlie, running has long been a vital part of his life. After first being attracted to the sport in junior high, Charlie's infatuation grew in high school as he competed in track on a year-long basis.

Now at age 27, his primary emphasis is on marathons. The Berkeley, Calif., resident has run in five competitive marathons, including the world-famous Boston Marathon. Each time, he has completed the course in less than 3 hours, 10 minutes (his personal best is 2:45:20).

The individual accomplishments of the duo pale in comparison to their collaborative efforts. Over the years, the brothers have participated in a variety of activities together.

They have served as ocean lifeguards and have hiked the 225-mile John Muir Trail through the Sierra Nevada Mountains in less than 10 days.

They are also Reno-Taho Odyssey veterans. In 2005, the Anderson brothers and their 12-person team called the National Association of Competitive Lunatics (NaCl) won the inaugural race.

Despite the team's finish, the group decided not to run in the race's next two installments. When registration for this year's version came around, the brothers decided they wanted to compete in the event once again. But they encountered an unforeseen problem.

"We found it too difficult organizing a team of 10-to-12 members," Dan said. "I talked to my brother about just the two of us running and he liked the idea. We will use this as a good bonding experience and this way we'll be able to see more of the course."

After deciding to run, the brothers' next task was deciding on a creative name for their team. After using their shared major, cell biology, to choose their 2005 team name, the brothers decided to take a different approach this year. Rather than focusing on science again, they selected their latest name from a familiar 1990's video game.

"We chose to name our team Super Ultra Marathon Brothers as a way to honor Mario," Charlie said. "We didn't have the game growing up, but it was a large part of our generation. Even today, everyone knows about the game."

Just as Mario and Luigi encountered many problems trying to save the princess, Dan and Charlie will face their own difficulties in trying to complete the Odyssey. Contrary to the video game, the Andersons head into their difficult journey with a well-designed plan.

Each of the brothers have tweaked their training regimen to prepare for their roles. Charlie, designated the uphill specialist, has spent 40 to 50 hours a week training by running hills near his home in Berkeley.

Dan, who will run the remaining sections, has been running in multiple one-hour increments over the course of a day. The pair has also decided to base the length of time they run on how difficult of terrain they face. To ensure this happens, Charlie will run 84 miles compared to Dan's total of 94.

The brothers have conjured up solutions for any circumstance they may face on the race. From sleep — taking a quick nap while the other runs, to loading-up on carbohydrates during the race — the brothers hope to be successful in their quest of finishing the race. Despite their training, the Andersons are realistic about what to expect for a finishing time.

"If we can finish in 32 hours, we would be proud of that," Dan said. "That time would allow us to run 10-minute miles which would mean we could finish around 4:30 p.m. Saturday."

Whenever the brothers arrive at the finish line at Idlewild Park, there is no doubt they will be the overwhelming crowd favorite. Although he is supposed to remain unbiased toward any one team, event founder and organizer Eric Lerude admits he will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of the two-man team.

"It will be a great accomplishment if they can complete this event within the allotted time limit," Lerude said. "When they cross that finish line, I will be there with everyone else giving them the big round of applause that they deserve."