The Spirit of the Marathon

I happened to watch this movie last week (I know-finally!), and I really enjoyed it! I kept hearing how motivating it was, and I think we can all use a good dose of motivation from time to time.

Spirit of the Marathon came out in 2007. It follows six stores of different runners as they prepare for the Chicago Marathon. The group includes first-time marathoners, a husband and wife team that have completed a bunch of marathons, two elite runners, and even a veteran marathoner in his 70s!

I usually don’t watch non-fiction film or documentaries, but I really like the flow of this film. Although the film would jump back and forth between the different runners’ stories, there was always a sense of cohesiveness in the story. I also liked the variety of runners included in the group. There are so many different types of runners, and I like that the film showcased the diversity of the sport (at least in the recreational sector).

I love that one of the elites profiled was Deena Kastor. I happened to meet Deena when I worked in the Falmouth Road Race office (prior to her unbelievable success in the marathon), and you couldn’t find a sweeter, more modest runner! She is a class act in every sense of the term.

If you didn’t want to run a marathon before watching this movie, you definitely will after! Spirit of the Marathon runs for about an hour and forty-five minutes. It would make a great companion, if you are doing a long run on the treadmill! I am also including a picture one of my favorite motivational running shirts: Run Happy! I hope everyone runs happy this weekend whether you are training or racing.

Have you seen Spirit of the Marathon? What were your impressions of the movie?