Covering some 50 miles and more than 10,000 feet of elevation gain, the R2R2R2 (rim-to-rim-to-rim) challenge – running from the south of the Grand Canyon to the north, and back again – is demanding, even in the world of endurance athletes. In The Middle of the World, the US artist and endurance runner Aaron Garcia explains why the considerable pain and black toenails are worth it, for moments of pure elation and even transcendence on the trail. Following his friend Garcia on his run, the US filmmaker Andrew Q Holzschuh directs a sparse, stylish meditation on the mental rewards of pushing your body to its limits.

Via Beyond the Short