The New York Times, 2/15
A Challenge race shakes up the running routine
By Jen A. Miller
Challenge races - those that are designed to almost guarantee you won't set a new personal record, or that stack races up against one other - are becoming increasingly popular among runners who have done it all before and are craving something new.
"People who are high achievers, once they've made this determination that they've mastered some sort of task, it's no longer a challenge and it loses some of its motivational qualities," said Jeffrey Martin, professor of kinesiology, health and sports studies at Wayne State University. Thrill seekers might look for "an element of danger and excitement" in these races, while older athletes who can't realistically hope to chase a new personal record anymore might find renewed motivation from the novelty. Martin, who has run multiple marathons over the past four decades but never one outside of North America, plans to run the Prague Marathon in May as his challenge race.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/15/well/move/a-challenge-race-shakes-up-the-running-routine.html