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We all have a bit of a marathon athlete in us
Endurance athlete Jasmin Paris has completed a feat that defies belief – but her motivations are familiar.
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People want to challenge themselves, to feel a sense of meaning and enjoy a sense of mastering their craft, says the writer.
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Tim Harford
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Jasmin Paris is not built like ordinary mortals. In March, the British ultrarunner won a moment of fame after completing the Barkley Marathons
It is not Paris’ first brush with greatness. Five years ago, she won the Spine Race: 268 miles, or about 431km, along the Pennine Way in January, when it is dark 16 hours a day, cold enough to be covered in snow but warm enough for the rain to soak through everything, and where every snatched minute of sleep is a minute conceded to one’s rivals.
