What gives ultras a bad name (IMHO) is that Hobby Joggers use them to make people think that they're really good runners and beasts and rock stars.
The average person has the impression that longer is more difficult.
I have a friend who has been providing us with a dramatic countdown to her ultra this weekend.
The furthest she's run was 7 miles, once. Most runs are 1 or 2 miles.
That, to me, takes away from the serious runners who train and race to their limits at ultras and at shorter distances.
Someone local can post a 15:00 5K in a local race and no one notices. Someone completes a 50K in 7 hours and people think they're a beast.