How to tell the story of struggle and triumph

How do you tell a story of struggle and triumph? How do you show how truly and astonishingly difficult an endeavor is ... and how do you do that in a way that expresses the power and triumph experienced in overcoming that challenge?  We used to depend on the narrative arc of a movie or a book, but we no longer tell or consume stories in a linear fashion.  Today each image needs to stand on its own, and at the same time be part of a narrative expressed via multiple channels, sometimes simultaneously.  

This weekend I photographed a 60 hour endurance event called the Spartan Agoge.  Here are some of my favorite photos from the weekend.  Ones that I hope show the strength, joy, suffering and transcendent determination the participants experienced.