Oz Pearlman, known as “Oz the Mentalist,” isn’t just a mind-reading magician; he’s also an athlete, especially when it comes to long-distance running.
He has an impressive track record, having won the New Jersey Marathon four times.
In 2015, he completed the Chicago Ultra Marathon, a 50-mile race, in 5 hours, 25 minutes, and 26 seconds, ranking him among the top 30 fastest Americans for that distance.
He’s also tackled some of the toughest ultramarathons in the world, like the Hawaii Ironman World Championship, Western States 100 Mile Run, Spartathlon 153 Mile Run, Leadville 100 Mile Run, and Badwater 135 Mile Run.
One of his standout moments was in April 2022, when he broke the world record for the most miles run in a single day in New York’s Central Park.
He ran over 116 miles, 16 loops in 17 hours, 40 minutes, and 59 seconds, raising money for Ukrainian kids affected by the war.
His wife, Elisa, was there cheering him on at the finish line. Later that year, on August 5, 2022, he took on another crazy challenge: running 130 miles from Montauk to Manhattan in 21 hours, 52 minutes, and 33 seconds.
Oz Pearlman Is Grateful For His Wife, Elisa, And Their Three Kids
Oz is married to Elisa, whom he met on JDate, a Jewish dating site, around 2009.
She grew up in Hampstead and works as his booking agent and publicist, helping him manage his busy career.
She’s also his go-to person for testing new mentalism tricks, so she’s like his first audience for new ideas.
They have three young children together, and Oz has said his family is his greatest achievement.
They live in New York City, where they enjoy exploring restaurants, attending cultural events, and supporting local charities.
Oz Pearlman often shares how grateful he is for his wife and family.
In 2021, on his 39th birthday, he ran 39 miles as part of a personal tradition.
He expressed how lucky he feels to have a supportive wife, three amazing kids, and a career he loves.
He discussed how a chance moment at the age of 13 sparked his passion, which later became his profession, enabling him to travel and bring joy to others.
He also mentioned how much motivation he gets from running, especially from a photo taken at the finish line of the Hartford Marathon.
To him, life is like an ultramarathon, full of highs and lows, but you keep pushing forward no matter what.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- He earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan in 2003.
- By 2009, he was already running the fastest 50-mile race in the world that year.
- In 2011, he accomplished an incredible mental feat by memorizing the names of over 45,000 participants in the New York City Marathon.
