
The Spiritual Life of the Long-Distance Runner - pmcpinto
http://www.newyorker.com/news/sporting-scene/spiritual-life-long-distance-runner
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michael_h
I'm envious of people who get the 'runners high'. I've run for hours to no
effect except rubbery legs and boredom. I like riding a bike because going
fast is fun, but the _work_ of it gives me nothing.

~~~
leonroy
Where do you run? I found it took regularity and running in the woods (rather
than the city) before I was able to get that feeling of calming and mild
euphoria. Not sure if it's runner's high but it sure felt good!

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michael_h
Woods, city, suburbs - doesn't seem to matter.

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ck2
18 minute miles for 40 days. It boggles the mind.

Keep in mind the average walker does 20 minute miles so it is barely faster
than walking but still, 40 days. I've done marathons and I wouldn't walk for
40 days unless my life depended on it.

This story reminds me of that one guy with an actual "superpower". He has the
genetics where his muscles can actually burn lactic acid as fuel. So he has
impossible endurance. Dean Karnazes - has run 350 miles in 80 hours (13 minute
miles). He's done 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days.

~~~
MaybiusStrip
Not to diminish Dean Karnazes' feat, but you might be interested to find out
someone recently did 50 Ironman races in 50 days
([http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/50-ironmans-
in-...](http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/50-ironmans-in-50-days-
in-50-states)). An Ironman includes a 2.4 mile swim and a 100 mile bike ride
in addition to a full-length marathon.

~~~
ck2
That actually does diminish his feat.

An ironman each day as a workout. Just imagine that. Wow.

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whatusername
If you haven't heard the story before -- I'm a big fan of Cliff Young:
[http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/10/a-61-year-
ol...](http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/10/a-61-year-old-potato-
farmer-once-won-one-of-the-worlds-most-grueling-athletic-competitions/)

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dahart
Long distance running has some interesting similarities with startup life,
IMO, that relate directly to the author's premise. Not the same, of course,
but you can still ask the same questions: What makes the entrepreneur keep
going when it's hard work, and they're tired, nearly out of money, low on
sleep, hitting the extremes of mood and ability, month after month? What
motivation is there to just keep going when it's not clear there's an end?

I'm no ultra marathoner, but I've recently done some marathon length trail
runs just for fun, it was liberating and fun to be able to cover long
distances on foot without a vehicle, and I automatically started thinking
about longer runs. The article seems to suggest there's a special brand of
weird, that ultra marathoners are very different. I rather think it's human
nature to see how far you can go, no matter what you're doing, and always
curious and interesting to think about and/or experience what kind of mental
states people go through when doing some activity to the exclusion of other
things.

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alisson
Reminded me of this couple on their 60s that ran everyday for 366 days
covering 10,000 miles, and they live on raw fruits and vegetables:
[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/couple-run-
marathons-r...](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/couple-run-marathons-
record-366-days-row-article-1.1563451)

~~~
ck2
That's mind blowing. I wonder how many pairs of sneakers they went through.

Also wonder if they chat while they run or just like running together.

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cafard
I can't really claim to have been an ultramarathoner--I ran four or five
36-mile races and one 50, all long ago. I don't remember the ultramarathoners
I met (at my own races and a couple of 100-mile races where I handled for a
friend) as being particularly spiritual.

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padobson
I love running and I love praying. I can confirm that there is some overlap in
the benefits of each.

