It stands to reason that if a little exercise is good, then a ton of exercise must be REALLY good for you, right? Of course that's only true up to a point, and, after a while, working out obsessively does your body more harm than good. But ultramarathoners must not hav gotten that memo. Or they're too fanatical about their pursuits to care. 

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For those that aren't familiar, ultramarathons are road or trail foot races that are generally 50 km or longer, making regular ole 26.2-mile marathons look like a really, really long walk in the park. Needless to say, the people who engage in this activity aren't looking to just get some fresh air and stay healthy. You run three miles for that. Or six. But not fifty. 

Ultramarathoners are taking their bodies to their breaking point, then doing it over, and over, and over again, as it seems the races are more like an addiction than an activity. Generally, the participants want to run farther and farther over time, which stands to reason as they get better and faster, but still doesn't sound too healthy. 

And it's not. 

A study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that ultramarathoners are putting themselves at risk for not only long-term heart disease, but also heart attacks and strokes. Beyond that, the more obvious consequences are skeletal and muscle damage from running sometimes as far as three marathons in a day. 

Not that most people are looking for an excuse not to run these races, but in the odd event that you are, here's your golden ticket out. If anyone isn't satisfied with a 10k, a half-marathon, or even a full marathon, you can make fun of THEM for being unhealthy. 

Just try not to do it with Cheetoh dust on your hands.