I don't know, for me, there's something different between the stress of carrying a 20kg (44 pounds) paraglider up 750m (2460ft) over a 5-35% grade mountain to the launch site in a hurry to catch the noon thermals versus the daily worries that you may, or may not, have any control over.

Probably because one is achievable and you know more or less how much you've got to go and the other is pretty abstract.

Maybe also the fact that one ends pretty soon (not to mention you can stop at any time) and the other goes on for way longer (and maybe you can't stop it).

They feel very different, but they both do add Cortisol to your bloodstream... both are similar to your body.

Which is to say... if I wanted to be the #1 code all the time coder in the world, I would not want to be training for an Ironman or something that required 15 hours of fairly high physical stress a week.

Or if I wanted to train for an Ironman, I would not also work for a startup with my hair on fire all the time.

Clearly some people do both. Investment bankers love triathlon in fact. It seems to have negative physical effects after a while though... something has to give..

Sounds like a lot of fun!

I'm not that much of a fan of carrying stuff up a mountain against time, but since we don't have a cable car or any alternatives, you gotta do what you gotta do.

At least I get to fly after that :) ... unless the weather changes