Ultras Why ? and how will it all end

Very interesting WIB. 

I assumed that all ultra runners simply had the same dysfunctions as myself. 

I think that its a way of seeing what you can actually achieve.so you have done marathon............and didn't die..can you manage 50 miles in a day..can you climb around the mountains..........

i do love the meeting of others and the fact its an all day picnic..........I will probably go longer again next year................

this year i'm cutting back to see if i can go faster at the shorter distaces...........i want a faster single Ironman time this year

What I have enjoyed most about running is standing on a start line and not knowing if I can finish, from my first 10k onwards; I suspect this will drive me to go longer; I am working on trying to get the same buzz from getting to the finish line under a certain time however as yet its the difficulty, be that distance, terrain, ascent or all three that gives me the butterflys at both ends of the race.

Enjoying the outdoors, meeting new people, being fit and healthy are all very welcome bi-products of me chasing that nervous excitement and finishing euphoria.

You do ultras for the scenery?? Don't think so. You are either head down, in the dark, in the mist or can't see cos your vision has become blurred. If you want scenery - go for a walk.

Obsessive - I'm not obsessive nor single-minded. Anyone that tells me otherwise is warped and better get out of my way!

Ha - the people. Do you really run ultras to meet people? As BD says - we're all dysfunctional anyway.

I've no idea why I enjoy ultras so much, but it certainly is addictive. As several of you say, maybe it is that looking back with rose tinted spectacles and remembering crossing the finish and the huge sense of satisfaction but forgetting most of the bits between the start and the finish.

EKGO wrote (see)

It has to be I feel like I came in at about 1001 in my last ulta

EKGO- that made me laugh and you are absolutely right - a lot of the time it does feel that way indeed...but who cares as long as we enjoyed it.

Hillheader wrote (see)

You do ultras for the scenery?? Don't think so. You are either head down, in the dark, in the mist or can't see cos your vision has become blurred. If you want scenery - go for a walk.

Obsessive - I'm not obsessive nor single-minded. Anyone that tells me otherwise is warped and better get out of my way!

Ha - the people. Do you really run ultras to meet people? As BD says - we're all dysfunctional anyway.

I've no idea why I enjoy ultras so much, but it certainly is addictive. As several of you say, maybe it is that looking back with rose tinted spectacles and remembering crossing the finish and the huge sense of satisfaction but forgetting most of the bits between the start and the finish.

HH, of course lots of us do it for the scenery- it doesnt always have to be head down and see nothing. on training runs half the enjoyment and fun is being with others OR alone and stopping to take in where you are.

i agree its definately addictive , for lots of reasons. for most of us id say its a mixture of getting out and about, meeting others, the feeling of achievment, and the wondering of if you can next time run 'just a few miles more'

Right Lou, who cares, what matters is you enjoy the day, you get to the finish, you survive, you say the usual (Never again etc) and on the way home, you're planning your next one

EKGO wrote (see)

Right Lou, who cares, what matters is you enjoy the day, you get to the finish, you survive, you say the usual (Never again etc) and on the way home, you're planning your next one

so true EKGO!! i remember having a thought like that on that hot weekend in may of the dukeries/northants ultras we did. then on way home in car was thinking ' so glad i did that ' - lets do it again' !

Ok I must fess up . I started this thread cos I was bricking myself just before The Spine.

Why did I enter?     I felt the need  to answer the question "could I"

 I loved every aspect of it.  THE SCENERY

Congratulations. 

  Having read some of the blogs and posts about it I can well imagine why you LOVED it Ian.  As a fan of mountain marathons and expedition style stuff I am seriously considering this one for next year ... but need to get the family to buy into the whole thing first!

Cragchick yes expedition with a wiff of competition . The spine takes all the motivation discussed on this thread but heightens all the emotional elements (perhaps it,s the sleep depravation) 

I am an expert on sleep deprivation - my daughter didn't sleep through the night for about three whole years!!! Now she is nearly six I am finally getting used to it again though ...

That's what appeals to me - the expo side but with competition.  So many more elements than just being able to run fast (I tend on the middle of the pack to sometimes right at the back of the pack side of things!!).  Reading your write-up on the actual thread was fab.  Anyway, need to get past current ankle niggle but am thinking about it hard

When  they open for 2014 I recon most of the 2013 spiners will enter again . They are talking about 75 for the Spine Challenger and 75 for the full spine. The places will go fast.

This race will never get much larger as the logistics of running CP,s 45miles apart with full serious medical backup (they put 3 stitches in one mans leg in a corner  of a pub). Not to mention that they are running an in house mountain rescue team for 7days continually for runners that may be 80+miles apart. Just getting the right drop bag to the right CP is not easy.  It would not surprise me if before long you will have to have done the Challenger before you can enter the full Spine. The vetting of entries will also become more strict as demand increases.