Why an ultra marathon?

(Thanks to madhu.)

Let it be acknowledged that all life is purpose struggle. Now let us see why an endurance athlete is adapted to this:

• She sets a goal usually aggressive but realistic and mostly achievable. (All life is usually milestones set and hopefully passed.)
• She trains very hard for this.
• There is considerable pain and struggle in the effort. This pain is however good pain in that it is self-imposed for a purposive goal and the pain transforms into pleasure along the way.
• The goal is achieved mostly but some times not.
• If not achieved she tries without giving up again and again till success.
• If achieved she sets new more aggressive goals to further enhance the abilities. She does not know what the limit is.
• As an essential byproduct she builds in an intense tolerance threshold for pain and this helps enormously in real life.
• During an endurance event and the training, the progress is never even. There are highs and lows, ups and downs and all these she will learn to deal with as they come and in an equanimous manner. What more can the Bhagavad Gita teach such a yogini?
• The byproduct of good health though enormous is here made light due to the larger good effects of a strong spirit.
• and so on...

Clearly, since life is the ultimate endurance "sport" if you will, this is how the endurance athlete equips herself .

Go do it. Whatever.