This is a great example; these days we need a good butt kicking once in a while to measure where we are, to make us stop and reflect or perhaps "open our eyes".<p>I had a father at my kids school ask me why I run ultramarathons. Its pretty simple, for me, when you go up against nature and fail, which happens to me as I'm not a professional runner, it gives me a perspective I won't get by simply going down to the bar, having a smoke and a beer and watching futbol (I live in Spain).