Just Another wrote:
Any distance is as hard as any if you run fast enough. What's harder--a 4:00 mile or an 8 hour 50k? (Let's assume everything is on a track for comparison's sake). What's harder--jogging a mile or jogging a 50k?
Is "harder" your driving motivation?
I have run a 7:40 50K in the mountains. It had 7K feet of elevation gain, and an equal amount of drop. For me, running a 4-minute mile would clearly be a more impressive accomplishment that would take a different level of training, and I don't think i have the talent to get there. It's not even an argument.
BUT...
I run ultras because it's fun; not because I lack the talent to run road marathons. I'm just spending my time doing what appeals to me.
The argument that one is better than the other is dumb. You race the people who show up. Everything else is just message board nonsense.