I was going to post a Race Report for Cali 70.3 but there have been a few and it’s a great course, great volunteers and with the sand back this year I was in agony on the run!
Before I headed out of town though I was excited that I got Running on the sun in the mail from blockbuster (don’t know if netflixers can get it) and figured it would be a good watch to get myself pumped up for the race.
IMO the film would be a great 30 minute special but as a movie I was disappointed.
Watching the elite front of the pack guys fly at 7:00/mi pace for over 50+ miles was impressive especially considering the heat and 136 mile distance. Also watching the challenged athletes rivaled all the stories shown on NBC’s IM specials.
From there though the filmmakers choice of people was odd. It seemed like they took a bunch of middle aged people who had planned on walking most of the race and did just that to the finish. For an event that is ridiculously hard to get into(I have two friends who routinely pound out ultras here in Colorado and have never been accepted) the race came off as an old boys network where if you had done it once or twice you could just get in no problem. Also having the background knowledge that they snubbed David Goggins when he wanted to do it made the movie seem odd too.
If anyone else has seen the movie or done the race am I just off base or did the film miss a point somewhere.
I haven’t done the race but I’ve crewed for runners twice. The first runner was Scott Weber who was doing it for the 13th time. My second runner was a first timer.
Getting in is a bit of a mystery. There are usually a fair number of first-timers but not as many as you’d think. It really is a bit of a club and many ultra-runners have been friends or in the sport for a very long time before being accepted. It also takes doing increasingly difficult races. Persistance is also key. If your friends can get on a crew that is also a big help.
As far as the film, the bulk of the runners are MOP. Walking for them also means 12-15 minute miles, for 135 miles, with no sleep. The buckle is earned if you finish in 48 hours or less. Not as easy as it sounds. It was also filmed in 1999 and Goggins didn’t apply that year.
I think to appreciate the film you need to have a different perspective. It is not for the Type-As that Ironman althetes are. It takes incredible strength inside your head to do this thing. The woman I crewed for was the toughest person I ever met. She finished in 42 hours and NEVER slept. The longest she sat down was 20 minutes and didn’t fall asleep. She never complained, not once. You look at her and you’d never guess what she’s accomplished. 50-something years old, carries a couple extra pounds, and did the Vol State Ultra, literally racing across the entire state of Tennessee. She is one of the few women to ever accomplish this.
What the film may have lacked is giving enough background on the athletes and how incredible they are, even if they don’t look it. My absolute favorite quote comes from that film:
“I always start these events with very lofty goals, like I’m doing to do something special, and after a point of body deterioration and the goals get evaluated down, which is basically where I am at now, where the best I can hope for is to avoid throwing up on my shoes.” - Ephrain Romesberg, 65 miles into the Badwater Ultramarathon
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A film that you might find more appealing about Badwater is “The Distance of Truth.” It follows Ferg Hawke as he prepares for the 2006 (?) race. I’ve met him and he is another one of those quiet, incredible athletes.
Ultrarunners aren’t much for bragging, which is unusual around here
It’s put on by Adventure Corps and Chris Kostman who is a great guy and Adventure Corps puts on the Furnace Creek 508.
If it’s anything like the FC508, due to high non-completion rates, below 50% for solo riders: they want you to have a good resume, with lots of experience. Last year, the 25th Anniversary of the race, - the completion rate was really high due to stricter entry rules. When you’re out there in the middle of the desert, many miles from the nearest anything, in extreme conditions: the EVAC helicopter ride can be quite costly.
Does anyone know where I can buy a copy of this dvd? I’ve searched about everywhere and can’t find anything. Seems like a good documentary to pass the time on the trainer…thanks
