I’d like to believe that part of the reason why I run is for the runs when I cry. Not crying out of pain, but out of the pure, overwhelming joy of a cathartic run. The run where my legs are orchestrating their own symphony without any help from my head, the run where you get lost in the miles, the run where you are smiling ear to ear for no apparent reason. These are my favorite types of runs and one that I had on Friday while running 21 miles…on the treadmill.
This past weekend I went out of town for a slew of wedding planning events and I knew the ability to get my long run in would be minimal. Thus, I opted for a Boston simulator run on the treadmill (it’s still too dark at 5 a.m. and I’m not about to run alone. I’ve learned my lesson). After a quick Google search, I found this handy guide that would help me simulate the Boston hills on a treadmill:
With my elevation tips by my side, I plugged in my iPhone and chose to watch “Spirit of the Marathon” on Netflix instant streaming. That’s when everything changed.
At that time I didn’t know what I was getting myself into – I thought that the documentary would be just what it was described as, “…the first film to capture the passion, drama and essence of the famed 26.2-mile Chicago Marathon. Intimate, fascinating portraits of six runners from all walks of life unfold as the film follows seasoned athletes and amateurs alike in their preparation for the big race.”
What I didn’t expect was to be enraptured the way I was and be crying out of pure happiness for 21 miles. Not only does the film chronicle marathon pros like Deena Kastor and Daniel Njenga, but also the marathon journey for the everyday runner. From training, to injury, recovery and beyond, anyone who has ever run feels an intimate connection with the individuals in the film as they each share their personal stories. You find yourself cheering on their accomplishments and feeling the pain of each set-back.
Especially enlightening was the segment on women’s running and Kathrine Switzer’s story (the first woman to ever run the Boston Marathon). I couldn’t properly share the story as movingly as the film did, so ladies – I charge you to check it out.
In the final stretch of the film, the music heats up and you watch Deena and Daniel battle it out for their respective marathon champion titles. I couldn’t help but to shout at my screen, “Go…run…go….push it…” as if the race was happening on live TV. I won’t give anything away, but I will say that I cried at least three times while watching this documentary and “inspired” doesn’t even begin to describe the after-effect. I smiled, I laughed, I shouted, I cried…people at the gym must have wondered what in the hell I was watching.
Two Cent Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! If you’re a runner, or ever thought of runninng, I highly recommend checking out “Spirit of the Marathon.”
Happy Running!
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Day 85: 21 miles
Day 86: Rest
Day 87: 5 miles + hills
I love these runs as well. and I’m totally going to watch this again today. love it.
This is a great film, one that I watch every night before I run a major race. I love the montage during the Chicago Marathon, between the elite runners and the stragglers and everyone in between. This movie gives me chills every. single. time.
Wow – so you watched Spirit of the Marathon while doing a Boston simulation marathon run on the treadmill? I think the kids are calling that “meta”…
Have to check that movie out, though – thanks for the recommendation…
i totally need to check this out!! thanks for sharing 🙂
Love, love, loved Spirit of the Marathon. I watched it multiple times (and cried every time) leading up to my first marathon, the Chicago Marathon. Also, if you really liked the Kathrine Switzer portion of it you should read “Marathon Woman” I just finished it this weekend, it’s her auto-biography and gets in to the story in so much more depth and also how she helped woman’s running grow from that dark day in Boston to getting the marathon distance allowed for woman in the Olympics and beyond. I couldn’t put it down!
How was the Boston run on the treadmill?? That is smart and probably a great way to keep the time moving along on a 21-miler. Hope the wedding planning went well! It will be here before you know it!
Thank you, thank you! I will be looking this up today! Ive been thinking about trying to find something like this on netflix but just havent done it! I am excited! Um btw 20 miles on the treadmill = your amazing! I did 10 and thought I was a rockstar!
Those are the runs that keep us coming back for more – you did great! And very cool you had the Boston simulation route for the TM! Hope you had a productive weekend!
Have a great week!
I love that movie!! Perfect that you got to see it during a long treadmill run, too. You’ll be happy to know they are currently making Spirit of the Marathon II!
I just told my bf about this movie this morning! I’m totally buying it to watch before Boston. I love, love, love it!
sounds awesome i’ll have to check it out! Congrats on getting your training run in
That is really cool that you did a Boston simulator run on the treadmill! I love numbers, and it was great to see the incline % in treadmill terms. The hills during the race really are bizarre, haha
And that is great that you watched Spirit of the Marathon, that movie really is amazing. If I ever need some motivation or to feel what it is like to run a marathon, I watch that movie. It’s weird, its like watching yourself on film because I identity with everything they are going through! When Deena was coming down the final home stretch, I was like, come on!!!
I actually can’t watch the movie right before a race, because I get a little too emotional. I like to watch it right when I start a taper for a race, because that is usually when I need some motivation as to why I’m putting my body through hell, haha
This post is the BEST!! And I feel SO much better knowing that I’m not the only one that cries with overwhelmingness on an awesome run!! 😛
And I am GOING to watch that film!! Sounds amazing!! 🙂
P.S. 21 treadmill miles?!?! You ROCK!! 😀
I will definitely be checking out that movie! And the Boston hill cheat sheet is a pretty cool concept too!
Awesome run! One time at the gym I watched Step Mother on ABC family (that Julia Roberts/Susan Sarandon movie) and I was totally balling my eyes out. I wish I could say I was watching an inspiring running movie at the time…but man, those people were staring at me, and I felt only slightly ridiculous. It’s a real tear jerker! 🙂
Ohh good idea! Im doing my LR on the treadmill this week too now I will watch this movie on my netflix during it!
Recently saw Spirit of the Marathon as well and indeed, it resulted in unabashed tears!! I get dizzy watching TV/movies on a treadmill (wish this wasn’t the case) but that’s probably because I’m terribly inefficient in movement 😉
What a feeling it must be to — happily, no less!!– crank out those 21 miles!
🙂 I have yet to see this one, but pre is awesome too!!! 🙂
Never heard of this movie, thank you for recommending it! Running can be so emotional!
Once again, so jealous of your treadmill set-up. I am also a nut and have been doing 16-22 on the treadmill, but I am stuck with my choice of 2 or 3 fuzzy, horrible channels. borrring.
btw, I’m totally running Oakland with you next year since you deferred — it was a VERY fun course, although extremely windy/turny. lot’s of turns.
such a fantastic film, i watched it before my first marathon and was infinitely inspired. great job rocking out 21 miles on the treadmill!
Spirit of the Marathon is a great movie. I watched it a couple days before I ran my first marathon, which was Chicago, and teared up as well.
I can’t cry when I run. I started crying in the last few miles of a marathon when I realized I was going to finish at my target time. I was so happy. But I don’t cry gracefully, I sob, and I couldn’t breathe! Sobbing is not good while running. 🙂
That’s such a smart move to find the Boston simulator, good work. I can’t imagine doing a 21 mile run on a T-Mill, you are so badass!
I’m so glad you had a motivational movie to help carry you through the run, and don’t worry if I was at the gym I wouldn’t have judged you 🙂
A good friend of mine gave me the Spirit of the Marathon a year and a half ago for my birthday. I was really excited to check it out, but I found myself a little underwhelmed. I think I had beef with the woman who was crying and complaining the majority of the time. I desperately wanted her to have one of those “come to Jesus” running moments where she just bucked up and ran through the pain. I enjoyed the rest of the stories, but for some reason I got really hung up on that one! I need to give it another go, perhaps this weekend to help get me fired up for SF training 🙂
I’ve heard so many great things about that movie. Now I feel like I have to watch it before the marathon!
Awesome job on your run!!
Watching this ASAP! Also kick ass job on the 21 miler on the treadmill! So far I’ve only managed to do 14 on that beast!
Thanks for reviewing this movie Page! I have it on my Netflix Instant que with the intent to watch b4 my May mary.
Look at you go with your simulator run–all treddy??? amazing!!
I *loved* this documentary; definitely the most inspiring thing I’ve seen. I’ve only ran a half marathon but am doing my first full next spring. When I saw this I wished more than anything that I had the time to train for a full right now but it’s just not in the cards 🙁
I love seeing you have that perfect cathartic run–the feeling of happy crying while appreciating the beauty of running while running is the best. Way to kill a 21 miler on the TM!
I love that movie! I saw it in the theater the night before the 2007 Chicago Marathon and it was SO motivating. (And then it was 95 degrees…whatever.) Loved how they captured both the elite story and the runner-next-door story. Definitely need to watch it again soon as it always gets me fired up to run another marathon. Also, if you haven’t seen it, you should watch the relay movie about Hood to Coast…another inspiring running movie. 🙂
I cannot believe you went that far on the” dreadmil”. Crazy. My running buddy told me she follows your blog. So I am not going to be hooked. Good for you not doing the work thing because of Boston. It’s your life and you gotta live it. Can’t sacrifice all the time, but BOSTON is for sure an exception to anything. How long did the 21 tread take you? Most I’ve done on the treadmil was 13 and that was so boring. I am a social runner and would need scenery and people. Great for you! Go Boston Go! Can’t wait to hear what you have to say about the big day.