Steve Prefontaine's said it well: "A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways they’re capable of understanding."
Steve's coach, Bill Bowerman (he had something to do with the founding of Nike as well) said
"Running, one might say, is basically an absurd past-time upon which to be exhausting ourselves. But if you can find meaning, in the kind of running you have to do to stay on this team, chances are you will be able to find meaning in another absurd past-time: Life"
In life too.