
When I think of athletes who have to endure incomprehensible physical pain to achieve success in their sport, runners don't immediately come to mind.
That's not to say they don't have to overcome grueling obstacles, just that it's hard to think of rail-thin dudes in gym clothes as anything other than, well, rail-thin dudes in gym clothes.
My prejudice would be misguided, however. The NFL and NHL are more controlled car crashes than sports, and MMA or boxing are just as bad. But don't underestimate ultramarathoners. No, seriously. Via the
New York Times: