if you are an endurance athlete, you understand

How much can you jam into a human brain? How far can you push yourself past feelings of exhaustion?
From You Tube. below. 1982 Ironman finisher Julie Moss, staggering, falling then crawling to a finish. Inspired by Radio Lab podcast. Also includes coverage of RAAM - Ride Across America. Dear wife overheard, said "no" ;-(
"I pooped my pants on national TV..." "That voice, I called upon, that said keep moving forward." Your real self, there is no limit. No limit." - Julie Moss
Podcast about limits. Further mentions scientific studies on cyclists where they injected glucose right into muscles using an IV. Several energy drinks worth. Did no better than control group, who got nothing. Hmmm..limits all in your head?
Another study....two groups of cyclists. 40 km on stationary bikes. One group gets a sugar energy drink...no swallow. Swish and spit. The other group gets a fake energy drink. Swish and spit. The group with taste only of sugar energy drink goes farther. Significantly farther.
Theory? The body has a "safety circuit, central governor." A circuit breaker that protects you from hurting yourself. But if you can push through the "circuit breaker," then you have more stores of energy than you realize. The sugar taste allows your mind to tap those reserves.
Like putting the penny in the fuse box. My old German grandfather's trick. Wiring down the safety valve on the steam boiler.
Breaking through the pain, tapping energy you didn't think you had. What a trip. What an addicting trip.



-Larry