Why some athletes seek the very limits of human capacity — even in the face of unimaginable risk.
extreme sports
Posted inEditor's Pick
Disaster at 18,200 Feet
The U.S. has seen an increase in National Parks visitors in recent years, as well as an outdoor climbing boom. At Denali National Park, that also means a surge in less experienced climbers: “more summit chasers, fewer wilderness seekers.” In this story for Insider, Kelsey Vlamis recounts the experience of four climbers attempting to summit […]
Posted inHighlight, Quotes, Sports
What should we do this weekend, go to the movies or sail a handmade raft to Polynesia?
Don McIntyre is not a man who shies away from a challenge — an understatement if there ever was one.
Posted inHighlight, Nonfiction, Quotes, Sports
Endurance: It’s All in Your Head, Apparently
“But what if extreme athletes are the worst sources of wisdom, and that is precisely what makes them fascinating?”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Rules of Ascent
For mountaineers, it’s not enough to get to the top – it must be done a certain way. But why is the harder way better?
Posted inNonfiction, Profiles & Interviews, Quotes, Sports
The Man Behind the Punishing Barkley Marathons
At the Bitter Southerner, Sarah Estes visits the creator of Tennessee’s strangest sporting event.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Good Luck, Morons: Lazarus Lake and His Impossible Race
The Barkley Marathons are famous among extreme athletes. The story of the race is great. The story of the man behind it is even better.
Posted inNonfiction, Quotes, Sports
The Barkley Marathons: Toeing the Line Between “Extreme Sports” and “Prank”
The Barkley Marathon is five 20+ mile loops that runners must navigate in under 60 hours. Sarah Barker explores the event and the people who attempt this race-slash-ordeal.
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Brutality of the Barkley Marathons
One hundred-plus miles. No marked route. No GPS. No trails. No sleep. Can you finish in under 60 hours?
Posted inQuotes
24-Hour Competitive Rock Climbing: Finger Tips as Rough as Rhino Skin
Why would anyone want to find out how many rock climbs they can do in a 24-hour period? For fun, of course.