Good point that mass media feels it must describe ultra endurance sports as horrifying in order to garner clicks. As a person who ran my first ultra distance 56 years ago, it's interesting to point out that is exactly how the media used to portray all running - if you ran one mile you were a sadist. Nowadays running is considered a very healthy, respected, and commonly discussed activity, with the clickbait descriptors reserved for the extreme end of the sport.
I don't think that will change and become normalized. Because to some degree, those descriptors are correct. Barkley IS extreme. Participants will, with justification, describe it in more transcendental terms, yet medically one cannot say that activity is good for your health, which one definitely can say about exercise and running in general.
It‘s really cool how Jasmin Paris moved the needle and everyone took notice.
Excellent information and insight as usual!
Good point that mass media feels it must describe ultra endurance sports as horrifying in order to garner clicks. As a person who ran my first ultra distance 56 years ago, it's interesting to point out that is exactly how the media used to portray all running - if you ran one mile you were a sadist. Nowadays running is considered a very healthy, respected, and commonly discussed activity, with the clickbait descriptors reserved for the extreme end of the sport.
I don't think that will change and become normalized. Because to some degree, those descriptors are correct. Barkley IS extreme. Participants will, with justification, describe it in more transcendental terms, yet medically one cannot say that activity is good for your health, which one definitely can say about exercise and running in general.