Why Endurance Junkies Push the Envelope

The Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile run through the Western
States Trail in Northern California, saw a 20 percent jump in applications last year, twice the steady 10 growth of most years. Wait, there’s more: Ten years ago there were a handful of 100-mile runs; now there are 40. This information comes to us from an LA Times piece on the mainly inexplicable enchantment of ulta athletic events: 50 kilometer runs, 112 mile cycling events, whatever will cause more pain. Why do they do it? Where will it end? The Times looks for answers in Todd Zagurski, a nice man who seems perfectly normal until he learns of the next opportunity to race other normal men through mountains for 24 hours straight. Read more in the LA Times.