The Second Sunrise: Born Again

In some of the most extreme ultra-endurance races on earth, athletes go beyond the physical. They are challenged beyond comprehension and the distances are often inconceivable. These people no longer doubt physical impossibilities. They have long surpassed the widely accepted normal limits for human endurance.

Into the darkness, their well trained physical body is no longer able to carry them. They tap into mental strength usually reserved for human survival alone. An internal argument plays out in which the athlete converses with their own subconscious, willing the whole of themselves forward to the finish. Exhaustion, dehydration, and sleep-deprivation overcome the determined competitor. Must they continue? That can only be answered inside their mind. 

So the pain and suffering continues, reaching an insurmountable threshold. Darkness is everywhere. Perhaps this truly is impossible. With one last hesitant step, they step forward and stop. The earth moves. A red line appears on the horizon. Time is not still after all. A light appears. It is the second sunrise. 
They are born again.

Be present and find joy in the gift of life. You feel pain because you are alive. You feel joy because you know suffering. We, as athletes, quest for a deeper understanding of what we are truly capable of. Through this development, you learn the truth. You can do anything... and nothing is impossible. 

 Run long and prosper, Jerry