'the desert sunrise
was a feast to our eyes…
casting shadows,
like dancing sparrows'

— Odessa, “Hummed Low”

We pulled up to our training location just as the sun cut through the clouds. It's a striking combination of cloudy weather and dramatic light of early morning. I stepped out of the car into the sun-drenched otherworldly scene, and let the golden light and cold desert air wash over me. Our shadows stood tall and proud outstretched on the road, the same way the endless cacti stand along the side.

The desert sunrise brought a symbolism to spring training on the roads. Bright light cascading through the clouds, the way spring brings a lightness to winter, the land emerging renewed and saturated. The profound energy and contrast between the warmth of day and the cool of night nearly knocks you off your feet, while simultaneously sharpening your senses to the earth. I kept reflecting on how this strong beautiful light seemed synonymous with workouts on the endless rolling roads. It's vibrant, harsh, and loud; warm and intense, and there's a familiar grind to the day-to-day occurrence of it. Routine and in rhythm, yet each day consisting of its own unique story that we learn, create, and embrace.

Each new season brings forth a routine of training that I love. Spring especially seems to have an energy of growth. The sun is getting higher in the sky, as mileage increases. Plants reemerge along with our fitness. The higher volume and quality miles dictate our days the same way we are influenced by the ebb and flow of weather and seasons. There's a magic to parting with the day with a second run at sundown. Breathing in the last of the light, fueling both mind and body. Tired legs wander forward on the open desert roads, and the mind wanders forward through the vastness of land and thought.  

We allowed our stride to mimic the light, stretching onward, embracing the land beneath. I watched my heavy breath become the air, as the sky lightened with each moment. My body moved forward, a familiar rhythm, now in sync with a new place. We ran towards the mountains in the distance, and they seemed to extend on farther the closer we got, as mountains do. This is exactly where we are, moving forward to our big goals, while fully encompassed by the sunlight of right now.

Words by Sarah Attar, 2012 and 2016 Olympian for Saudi Arabia in the 800m and Marathon. Sarah is an artist who lives and trains in Mammoth Lakes, CA.

For more from our spring training camp in Arizona, view the lookbook.