Many people think of extreme sports as base jumping, mountain climbing, BMX racing, skydiving, etc. What many people don't realize is that extreme sports include just about anything that can push you to the limits. May people to not think of marathoners and ironman competitors as extreme athletes, but they too should be included.
Many extreme sport competitors don't see themselves as being in an extreme support from the beginning. They set a goal, and once they accomplish it they enjoy the gratification of success and set their goals for bigger and better things. The same is true for "adrenaline junkies." The article explains how the adrenal gland produces excess amount of hormones (especially epinephrine and adrenaline) when the body is put under excess amounts of stress. Athletes state that reaching the same goal over and over doesn't provide the same excitement, and that is what motivates them to work for bigger and better things.
As for extreme athletes, the motivation to finish a race is almost entirely intrinsically motivated. My oldest brother has always been a competitive runner, and in college he ran his first marathon. Although he swore he would never go through that kind of pain again, he continued running after college and has run in several other marathons. His ultimate goal was to compete in the one the most prestigious marathons in the world, the Boston Marathon. I lived with him a year ago when he qualified for Boston, and I watched him train outside all of last winter from the comfort of my own couch. What I viewed as pure Hell and completely undesirable, he viewed as pure hell, yet completely thrill seeking and self gratifying. People who compete in these events question why they are doing it until they reach the finish line and feel like they are on top of the world.
Some will argue that certain people are born with this desire to seek extreme thrills. What do you think motivates people to push the limits, and risk their own lives? Is it just for fun or is it a way of life?
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/extreme-sports-whats-appeal
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