TED Radio Hour show

Summary: From Little League to the Olympics, athletic mastery plays a major role in our sense of achievement. But how do elite athletes push the limits of speed, strength and endurance? In this hour, TED speakers explore the minds and bodies of champions who achieve extraordinary physical feats, over and over again. Long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad takes us on the journey of her historic swim from Cuba to Florida at age 64. Sports journalist David Epstein explores the technology, genetics, and willpower that allow champions to break new records each year. Paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy talks about how losing her legs at age 19 enabled her to achieve more than she ever dreamed. Historian Sarah Lewis explains why the near-win motivates us to keep going.