Why Ultrarunners Are Not Family

The Jessica Simpson Flagon Of Forgetfulness Awaits
Here's a sweet rhetorical question for you: "Are Ultrarunners A Family?"

 I'll be the Ancient Voice Of The Dead here and say that "no, ultrarunners are not family". Any more than pistol-enthusiasts, RV'ers, quilters, or MTB'ers.


These are ALL associations. An association is a group of similarly-minded and focused interest group. You are born into, or marry into, a family—that's it. Families are composed of people you didn't choose.

Finally—the humble runner, is invisible. Does not go out of their way to honk on about being inspirational or set an example. They simply do. Its insanely hard. Sure, if they help somebody, its a natural action. They aren't posing for their Instagram, tweeting their virtue, updating their Faceblurt, and so on.

So when you meet some duck in shorts and they're going on about their good works, they're an egotistical horse's ass. Because its all about them.

Be honest. Nobody here got into ultras to save the world, the seals, raise awareness of sideburns, combat global flatulence, or anything else. We got into it because I, we, you thought it would be pretty damned skippy to see what it was like to run all day in the mountains.

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