Movie Review: “Showdown”
Five Elite Distance Runners, One Dream
Posted August 22nd, 2007 at 2:35 PM by Lara Johnson
Section: Motivation, Movies, Special Features, TFS Reviews
I have long been intrigued and inspired by those runners who compose the elite category. What is it they possess? What is their training like? What is their motivation? And what happens when these top athletes compete in one grueling race?
In his new film, “Showdown: Five Elite Distance Runners, One Dream,” creator Peter Han uncovers some of these mysteries as he takes viewers on a journey from the living rooms and training runs of 5 elite distance runners to the finish line of the 2007 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Boulder, Colorado.
“Showdown” is a documentary-style film with cinematic appeal. Through personal interviews, race clips, photos, and commentaries, it narrates the preparations of 5 elite men of differing backgrounds: 2-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, 2-time Olympian Alan Culpepper, Olympic silver-medalist Meb Keflezighi, high school and university level champion Dathan Ritzenhein, and 10,000 meter champion Jorge Torres.
One by one, we are taken into the lives of each athlete as he reveals how he entered the sport, his philosophies on running, personal triumphs, and challenges overcome. Motivating quotes segue one segment to the next. Then, the film culminates with the athletes starting on the same muddy line to compete on the challenging 12k cross country course in Boulder. But only one will win.
As a former collegiate cross country runner (and Colorado native), I truly enjoyed this film. For me, the interviews with these 5 elite athletes made each of them relatable and inspiring. Each athlete’s personality was conveyed through honesty, humor, love for family, passion for running, and sheer determination. Having an inside perspective of each person made watching the final race at the end all the more exciting.
Although only one person won the race, the larger victory goes to the sport. In bringing elite runners of various specialties off the road and onto one tough cross country course, this championship race also brings the excitement of distance running to center stage. As the fall cross country season approaches, I highly recommend “Showdown” to runners and athletes of any level.
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Tags: 12k, Abdi Abdirahman, Alan Culpepper, American distance running, american running, cross country, Dathan Ritzehein, documentary, dvd review, film, film review, Jorge Torres, Meb Keflezighi, motivation, movie review, review, running documentary, running film, running movie, showdown, showdown race, showdownrace.com, sports documentary, sports film, sports movie, TFS review, us cross country championships, USA cross country championships, XC
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The Final Sprint