Is This Really What Others See?

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The other day I pulled up a story from the San Francisco Chronicle on ultra athletes -- runners, cyclists, swimmers -- on what motivates them to go to extreme lengths.

The ultra athletes: What keeps them going?

I never got to the article because I was shocked, outraged, enthralled and perplexed by the comments left by others who presumably had read it. Here's a small sampling:

"I like to run too but this is extreme these people either hate their wife/husband and can’t stand their job."

"Beats the time/cost of therapy I suppose. They are too busy with themselves to be depressed."

" Most of this is all OCD behavior manifested in a seemingly healthy manner. The payback comes with the inevitable breakup of relationships and mental breakdown that leads to stopping completely or giving up the madness of the training regimens."


There were some positive remarks, and I'm well aware that commentary, particularly when anonymous, on any article leans toward critical. Yet the more I read, the more I wondered: is this really how people see ultra-athletes -- as a bit more deranged than driven?!

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