In an unusual arrangement, a full-length feature documentary film on marathon running will be shown in USA theaters, but only for one night: Thursday, January 24.
The film, “Spirit of the Marathon,” presents the stories of six runners who competed in the 2005 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, from from first timers to elite runners like Deena Kastor and Daniel Njenga. The film explores how recreational runners use the marathon as a device to confront other issues in their lives –like divorce– and how elite runners are in it for equal amounts of glory and cash.
“The normal person, they want to make their body slim,” Njenga says over shots of him warming up before the race. “But for us, we want to make money. This is like a job and I love my job.”
Filmed on four continents, the two-hour movie chronicles the training of these athletes, interspersed with interviews from well-known marathon runners and experts, like Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Amby Burfoot, Dick Beardsley, Joe Henderson, Roger Robinson, and Kathrine Switzer. Shot in hi-def video, the footage of the Chicago Marathon is both varied and majestic; the producers had a crew of 62 on the scene and used 15 camera operators. There is also a rousing score.
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“Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don’t so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head.”
- Joe Henderson
“Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don’t so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head.”
- Joe Henderson
With all of the triple-digit thermometer readings all over the country this week, it’s hard to believe that Cross-Country season is right around the corner. If you haven’t been building your base all summer, it might be too late for you to challenge the best runners in your area for the lead in those upcoming early-season races (they’ve been at it all summer long); but – as long as you begin training immediately – it might not be too late for you to be competitive in those end-of-season district races.
If you need some training tips and inspiration, perhaps the best book ever written about high school cross country – not only for coaches, but for runners and fans, too – is Coaching Cross Country Successfully by Joe Newton with Joe Henderson. Newton is a legendary cross country coach from Elmhurst, Illinois, where he led the long green line from York High School to 20 national and 25 state cross country titles. Whether you’re a middle school or high school coach or runner, this book is the blueprint for coaching, and running on, a winning cross country team.
For more information about Coach Newton: [Sports Illustrated]
You can buy the book here: [Amazon]
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