Ryan Hall, who last ran in the Boston Marathon in 2011 when he recorded the fastest time ever by an American at 2 hours, 4 minutes, 58 seconds, has spent a month during this past March and April training in the mountains of Ethiopia at 9,000 feet above sea level. “It was unlike anything I’ve ever done before,” said Hall. And though it’s true that training at 9,000 feet will help any long-distance marathon runner, just as important is Hall’s BELIEF that training in Ethiopia will help him run faster. Watch for Ryan to give the Kenyans and Ethiopians a run for their money. No U.S. man has won the Boston Marathon since 1983 and that could change. In addition, Ryan will be running in memory of those who died or lost limbs at the 2013 race. “It was almost like losing a loved one,” Ryan said. In the training I conduct with athletes and sports teams, I call this “Excelling for a Higher Order,” which enhances an athlete’s feelings of self-worth, thereby enhancing performance.