[at-l] Why "Ultras?" -- why throughhike?

Three weeks ago, I wrote of my first experience in running a 50 mile race.
Well, someone new to the "ultra" list recently asked "Why do we run these
things?"
There were many responses, but I've here forwarded my three favorites. The
first echoes (tremendously) the thought I had reflected upon, about the
ultra being so much like a "throughhike-in-a-day". The second quotes
Joseph Campbell, one of my favorite minds of the twentieth century. The
third is simply poetic. Enjoy!

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 > Date:    Sun, 19 Nov 2000 22:29:19 -0500
 From:    Rich Schick <richruns@ATL.MEDIAONE.NET>
 Subject: Re: why ultras?
 
It's like living a lifetime condensed into a matter of hours. There is
joy and suffering, optimism and fear, elation and sadness and when you
cross the finish line the satisfaction of accomplishing what you set
out to do without the obligation of dieing when it comes to an end.
 
Rich Schick
richruns@atl.mediaone.net
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> > > Date:    Mon, 20 Nov 2000 06:55:57 -0800