Transcending Limits

In this assignment, students are challenged to push themselves beyond their personal limits in an area of their choosing.  As background, students will read Christopher MacDougall’s Born to Run, which documents the incredible human feats performed by ultramarathon runners.  Students start the assignment by identifying a way in which they’d like to push themselves (run a faster mile, go without sleep, hold their breath, etc.).  From there, they establish a baseline, research training methods to help improve their performance and attempt to transcend their limit.  When they have completed these steps, they will synthesize their research into a personal (narrative) essay in which they discuss the process they underwent and reflect on the outcome.