You can't compare ultra running to any other type of running. For most ultra running is all about personal achievement and life experiences, not speed. Out on tne trails you're not competing with anybody else other than yourself. For my son it was all about setting a goal, laying out a plan that would get him there then following it as best as possible. And he did just that.
There's many things I love about ultra running but, my favorite is the time I get to spend with my kid. Let's face it, at 13yrs old how many parents can say that they spent 6hrs straight just chatting with their kid? Like I said before, there's a right way to train for an ultra and a wrong way and the same goes for 5k's. Oh yeah, I also know what my kid was doing all day Saturday. Where was your kid? Who was he/she with?
I didn't comment on this post to brag about my child (but, I will and I'm damn proud of him). What caught my attention was all the negativity associated with "young adults" and ultra running. Not to mention the overall negative attitude that most people seem to have these days. Life's too damn short. Instead of trying so hard to be negative we should all just try to be a little more positive in life and maybe... just maybe our kids will catch on.
I'm sure we could go on and debate this but, I don't have the time. I'm off to tuck my kid in bed and listen to him tell me stories of his glorious adventure and discuss what he'd like to do next. I just hope it's not to Prestige to level 15 on Call of Duty.
-Sam