Running the Sahara

Spirit of the Marathon

This movie was suggest for me to watch by my friend and fellow Marathon Maniac Angie. Since I was trying to ramp up my running "spirit" to believe I could run 3 marathons in 7 days I decided to watch this.

The movie web site says: "Are you familiar with our movie? The film is a must see for anyone thinking about running a marathon and anyone who has run one or more. It's also a must see for anyone wondering why thousands of people spend many months training for such an event. It celebrates the history and heroes of the sport and examines the personalities and training methods of the participants.

It is the first film to capture the story, drama and ultimate essence of the legendary 26.2 mile running event. Filmed globally in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, the movie brings together a diverse cast of amateur athletes and marathon luminaries.

As six unique stories unfold, each runner prepares for and ultimately faces the challenge of the Chicago Marathon. More than a sports movie, Spirit of the Marathon is an inspirational journey of perseverance and personal triumph; a spectacle that will be embraced by runners and non-runners alike."

What an interesting, fun movie, and very motivational. I enjoyed the approach of showing the preparation of the different runners. What is so cool is that the marathon is a race for everyone, not just the elite runners. The accomplishment can be felt by anyone who has the desire to train for one. And yes, you will never be quite the same once you have run one.

Movie web site: http://www.marathonmovie.com/film.html

Steve Prefontaine

"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into an exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more." Steve Prefontaine

"I don't just go out there and run. I like to give people watching something exciting."  S. P.

I had read and watched a movie about the life of this famous runner months ago, Steve Prefontaine. I've been slowly getting to know some of the legends in running and have found a lot of joy and fascination learning about the great talents in the sport I am enjoying for recreation. This is a must movie, it is good, but it also teaches you about someone with amazing drive to be the best.

A bit about Steve from the website:

Steve Prefontaine grew up in Coos Bay, OR and graduated from Marshfield High School in 1969. He was a two-time State Cross County Champion, two-time State 2-Mile Champion and also won the State Championship in the mile his senior season. Also during his senior season, Steve established a new National 2-mile record with a time of 8:41.5 at a meet in Corvallis and that record stood for many years. He capped his high school career by placing 4^th in the 3-mile at the AAU National Championships, where he was chosen to compete internationally on the USA team.

Steve went on to the University of Oregon to run under the legendary Bill Bowerman. During his years at Oregon he won three National Collegiate Cross County Championships and four 3-mile/5,000-meter Collegiate Outdoor titles. In 1972, Steve won the Olympic Trials 5,000-meters race in front of a standing room only crowd of adoring fans at Hayward Field in Eugene. Later that fall, Steve represented the United States at the Summer Olympic Games of Munich, Germany where he finished 4^th in one the most stirring 5,000-meter races in Olympic history. At the time of his tragic death in May of 1975, he held every American distance record from 2,000-meters to 10,000-meters.

Run Fat Boy Run

Movie Review: Thought I'd check out a movie that came up when I was searching the word "marathon" in the library catalog for books. I had never seen a Simon Pegg movie. This was funny. I thought it also had several good messages.The importance of friends who believe in you and support (however twisted :-) that they give to you. Who can forget the spatula!

Never give up. How using "inner strength" and finishing the race for the right reason built confidence. Run for your right reason. I enjoyed the "hitting the wall" scenario and how it was resolved. I just don't recommend 3 weeks to train for a marathon....ya need a little more time.