Awakenings are always terrifying, as they force you to realize that your past has been lived in confinement. The most disturbing part is when you realize that the shackles holding you down are largely the ones you have placed upon yourself. The prison is self- constructed.

"We are all living in cages with the door wide open" George Lucas once said.

It is so easy to live a life that has been scripted for you by others, to fall into the more of conformity by following the path that society has laid for you, rather than heeding your own unique calling.

This giant figure seems at war with his greatest adversary- himself. He appears to be struggling with the decision to follow what is in his heart, to buck convention and pursue and alternative course, a road less travelled. The grimace on his face comes from knowing that his past may have been a numb existence, and that it will take great courage and conviction in the future if he is to avoid sinking back into the tomb of conformity.

There will be untold battles waged within himself, wars that will test his every thread of persistence and commitment. Yet there is a slight hint of pride in his contorted face, perhaps because he also knows that if he follows his passion with heartfelt intensity , if he dedicates himself unreservedly to his calling, he will preserve and ultimately find fulfilment, no matter where his life may lead him.

We all have dreams and ambitions, though few of us ever become all that we could be. We fight a silent war over purpose, over reaching our farthest destination. Onlookers watching us marathoners pass by today may have only seen the act of running, but as anyone on the course could tell you, there was a powerful, complex conflict underway.

William James said "War is, in short, a permanent human obligation."

The runner fights this war against the most savage of enemies: himself.

And as with every war, this one comes with misery and suffering. War is hell, it has been said, and this marathon is nothing short of war, a raging battle to keep moving forward, to stay the course in the face of unimaginable pain. The marathoner asks more of themselves than is reasonable. He commands his body and mind to do the unthinkable, to endure inconceivable hardship, all in the name of accomplishing something he deems noble and worthwhile.

Dean Karnazes: 50/50