"ultrarunning society" by LL

> Our responsibility is to make sure the sport stays strong and healthy and attracks the type of person who can fully appreciate the challenges, successes and fun that surrounds ultras.
>

i am not out to pick on the person that wrote this.
it just seemed like a good representative post for a prevalent philosophy in the sport
(another version of the "what makes a REAL ultrarunner" question)
that there is a right way, and a wrong way, to enjoy ultrarunning.

do i need to examine my 30 whatever years of ultrarunning?
did i "fully appreciate" the sport?
am i worthy of being a member of this society
(one i have been a part of for longer than all but a handful of current members)

i dont think i will.

i rather like the egalitarian nature of the sport.
part of that is the fact that there are no "qualifications" to be part of ultrarunning society.
one can be rich, or poor
verbose and gregarious, or taciturn and introverted
one can be motivated by a desire to compete, to impress their friends,
to visit exotic places, or to find a mate.
one can be out to do one ultra in a lifetime
or to run ultras for one lifetime.

none of that matters,
all it takes to be an ultrarunner is to lace up your shoes
and run an ultradistance...

and even the shoes are optional.

no person is any more, or less, worthy of being a part of the sport.

so i figure the 30 miler i did earlier this summer covered my dues
for at least another year.
i dont know how my "appreciation" compares to the desired standard,
but it was good enough that i still want to do it again.

and it wont be easy to kick me out of the sport,
because as long as i have access to a road, track, or trail,
and my legs will carry me
i intend to continue running (or walking) ultra distances,
and considering myself an ultrarunner.

altho i do have to admit to being an ultrarunner of "larger mass" these days.

laz