A manifestation of flight or fight? The drive to protect something very valuable to you, unsurprisingly, can push you beyond your ordinary limits. This is very clearly understandable biologically. If we didn't have tbe biological capability to manifest this, it wouldn't matter if we wanted to do them mentally if we were incapable of doing so physically.
"The reason things will never get better is because people keep electing these rich cocksuckers who don't give a shit about you."
-George Carlin
-George Carlin