Not just a game

Why We Compete (Washington Post)

A fantastic series exploring the question of why sports continue to thrive, despite the huge variety of diversions available in today's world. Post writer Eli Saslow penned all eight pieces, profiling sports ranging from the traditional (golf) to the extreme (BASE jumping) to the ancient (the ba' in northern Scotland). My favorite story in the series examined the Barkley Marathon, a 100-mile race so ridiculously difficult that only six competitors have ever completed it in the 60-hour time limit.

Why do you compete?