Spirit of the Marathon

Last updated
Spirit of the Marathon
Spiritoffthemarathon cover.jpg
DVD Cover
Directed byJon Dunham
Produced byMark Jonathan Harris
Gwendolen Twist
Jon Dunham
Starring Deena Kastor
Daniel Njenga
Jerry Meyers
Leah Caille
Lori O'Connor
Ryan Bradley
CinematographySarah Levy
Edited by Christo Brock
Music by Jeff Beal
Distributed by Image Entertainment (US)
Release dates
  • October 5, 2007 (2007-10-05)(Chicago International Film Festival)
  • January 24, 2008 (2008-01-24)(United States)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Spirit of the Marathon is a 2007 documentary film directed by Jon Dunham. The film chronicles the journey six marathon runners experience while training and competing in the 2005 Chicago Marathon. It was screened at the Chicago International Film Festival on October 5, 2007 and received a limited release in the United States on January 24, 2008.

Contents

Synopsis

In the beginning of the film, a brief overview of the history of the marathon is shown, with footage of dramatic races involving Dorando Pietri, Abebe Bikila and Rod Dixon. Notable marathoners such as Frank Shorter, Dick Beardsley, Alberto Salazar, Grete Waitz, Paula Radcliffe, Joan Benoit-Samuelson, and Kathrine Switzer provide commentary about the sport.

The focus is then on the six featured runners and their training for the 2005 Chicago Marathon. American Deena Kastor and Kenyan Daniel Njenga are both elite runners, and are determined to win the race. Kastor was the bronze medalist at the 2004 Olympic Marathon, but has yet to win a marathon. Njenga had finished second multiple times in previous Chicago Marathons. Kastor is shown training and recovering from an injury in Mammoth Lakes, California, while Njenga's life as a sponsored runner in Tokyo is profiled.

The rest of the runners featured live in Chicago. Ryan Bradley and Lori O'Connor are both married young professionals; Bradley is a veteran marathoner who hopes to earn a qualifying time for the Boston Marathon, and O'Connor is running her first marathon. She finds it humorous when colleagues ask if she expects to win. Jerry Meyers is a jovial 70-year-old who claims to run marathons for the T-shirt. Leah Caille is a new runner that took up the sport to help recover from an emotional divorce.

While preparing for the race, Bradley suffers a knee injury and is unable to compete. He is clearly upset by this, and takes out his frustration by going for a long bike ride. O'Connor and Caille go through the new experience of the long training sessions necessary for a marathoner. Meyers lends his veteran knowledge while leading slower training runs with his daughter, who is running her first marathon.

All of the long and dedicated training culminates on the day of the marathon. There are panoramic shots of the city that display the mass numbers of race participants and spectators. Njenga runs with the lead pack, but once again falls short in third place. Kastor has a lead for most of the race, but is challenged by Romanian Constantina Diţă-Tomescu at the very end of the race. In a dramatic finish, Kastor is able to fend off Diţă-Tomescu for the victory.

Bradley cheers his wife, Colleen, as she races to a 3:51:54 finish, while O'Connor seems to have a smooth race, and enjoys seeing friends in the crowd. Caille struggles with IT Band Syndrome, but eventually has a successful finish, crossing the line in 5:01:15. Meyers wears his favorite "Kansas" shirt and enjoys his race, finishing in 5:59:39.

Production

Jon Dunham, the director of the film, was inspired to make a documentary about the marathon because of the impact running marathons had on his life. [1] He said that running a marathon was the most difficult thing he had done in his life, until he started to make a documentary about it. Following storylines of runners training all over the world, and filming the subjects in the crowded Chicago Marathon are some of the challenges Dunham encountered when making the film. [1]

Initially, Dunham filmed Kastor while financing the production himself. Eventually, the Chicago Marathon provided Dunham some financial resources to help him film the event. In post-production, Dunham and co-producer Gwendolen Twist raised money from investors to fund the completion of the film. [2]

To film the subjects running the marathon, the camera crews rode in pedicabs. They directed the amateur runners to go on a side of the road at specific areas in the course to help with filming. In addition, the amateur runners had other runners alongside them holding up signs to help the crew identify them in the crowd. [2]

Dunham originally thought that the film should focus on the amateurs more than Kastor, but said he found her enthusiasm, talent, and determination "irresistible". In an explanation to why Dunham choose to follow the six runners he selected, he says he finds the marathon to be an "incredible mixing of elite runners with the amateur runners from all across the globe and all ranges of human experience". [3] He said that he wants the film "to offer inspiration for anyone who sets out to achieve a goal that takes the determination, effort and attitude of running a marathon". [4]

On being filmed, Kastor said that she "went about her normal routine and training", and commented it that was not distracting, but "motivating". Kastor also revealed that the six runners did not meet until a brunch after the marathon, and felt an "immediate bond of friendship". [5]

The film was edited by Christo Brock over a 12-month time period.

Film score

Jeff Beal, an Emmy award-winner film composer, wrote the score for the film. The music was performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Active.com's review compliments the score, noting that it "beautifully blends the emotion, strain and exhilaration of the marathon". [5]

Release

The film premiered to sellout crowds at the 2007 Chicago International Film Festival, right before the running of the 2007 Chicago Marathon. Daniel Njenga, one of the subjects of the film, was in attendance. [6] National CineMedia distributed the film by satellite to over 500 theatres as a special one-night only viewing, with an encore a month later. The release grossed over $1 million for the film. [1]

Critical reception

The Los Angeles Times gave the film a favorable review, calling it an "efficient yet comprehensive study". The footage of Chicago is praised, as is the capture of the "inspiring journey of physical endurance and personal achievement". [7] The New York Times compliments the film's enthusiasm toward the marathon, and the commentary provided by former marathoners. [8] Australia's The Age offers a mixed review, writing that "In its more tranquil stretches, Spirit of the Marathon might be mistaken for a feature-length sneaker advertisement, but if you're looking for inspiration, you could do worse." [9]

Awards and nominations

Awards
AwardCategoryResults
Chicago Independent Film Festival [10] Audience ChoiceWon
Mammoth Film Festival [11] Best PictureWon

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joan Benoit</span> American distance runner

Joan Benoit Samuelson is an American marathon runner who was the first women's Olympic Games marathon champion, winning the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. She held the fastest time for an American woman at the Chicago Marathon for 32 years after winning the race in 1985. Her time at the Boston Marathon was the fastest time by an American woman at that race for 28 years. She was inducted into the Maine Women's Hall of Fame in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evans Rutto</span> Kenyan long-distance runner

Evans Rutto is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who specialises in road running events. He made the fastest-ever marathon debut by winning the 2003 Chicago Marathon in a time of 2:05:50. He won the London Marathon and a second title in Chicago the following year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaouad Gharib</span> Moroccan long-distance runner

Jaouad Gharib is a Moroccan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon. Winner of the 2003 World Championships and 2005 World Championships over the distance, he is also notable because he only began running seriously at the age of twenty-two. His 2005 retention made him the second successive world championship marathon champion, after Abel Antón. He was the silver medallist in the marathon at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deena Kastor</span> American long-distance runner

Deena Michelle Kastor is an American long-distance runner. She was a holder of American records in the marathon (2006-2022) and numerous road distances. She won the bronze medal in the women's marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. She is also an eight-time national champion in cross country.

Suprabha Beckjord is an ultramarathon runner from Washington, D.C. She is an owner of a gift shop and a disciple of Sri Chinmoy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Hall (runner)</span> American long-distance runner

Ryan Hall is a retired American long-distance runner who holds the U.S. record in the half marathon. With his half marathon record time (59:43), he became the first U.S. runner to break the one-hour barrier in the event. He is also the only American to run a sub-2:05 marathon. However, this time is not eligible to be a record due to the course being point-to-point and a net-downhill course. Hall won the marathon at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials and placed tenth in the Olympic marathon in Beijing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot</span> Kenyan long-distance runner

Robert "Mwafrika" Kipkoech Cheruiyot, sometimes known as Omar Ahmed, is a Kenyan marathon runner and is the former record holder and four-time winner of the Boston Marathon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Njenga</span> Kenyan long-distance runner

Daniel Njenga Muturi is a Kenyan long-distance runner, who specializes in the marathon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shalane Flanagan</span> American long-distance runner

Shalane Grace Flanagan is an American long-distance runner, Olympic medalist and New York City Marathon champion. She was the first American woman to win the New York City Marathon since 1977. She holds the NACAC area records in both the 10k and 15k road races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adriana Nelson</span>

Adriana Nelson, née Pirtea is a Romanian American long-distance runner who competes in distances up to the marathon. She competed at the 2005 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and 2006 IAAF World Road Running Championships for Romania, then at the 2012 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships for the United States. At national level, she won six long-distance track titles at the Romanian Athletics Championships and was the 2013 winner at the USA Half Marathon Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tsegaye Kebede</span> Ethiopian long-distance runner

Tsegaye Kebede Wordofa is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competes in road running events, including marathons. He quickly rose to become a prominent distance runner after his international debut at the Amsterdam Marathon in 2007. In his second year of professional running, he won the Paris Marathon, the Fukuoka Marathon and won the marathon bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abel Kirui</span> Kenyan long-distance runner

Abel Kirui is a long-distance runner from Kenya who competes in marathons. He had back-to-back wins in the World Championship marathon in 2009 and 2011. Kirui won in 2009 with a time of 2:06:54, then defended his title with a winning margin of two minutes and 28 seconds – the largest ever margin at the World Championship event. He earned the silver medal in the 2012 London Olympic marathon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constantina Diță</span> Romanian long-distance runner

Constantina Diță, is a Romanian long-distance runner, who specializes mainly in the half marathon and marathon. She was the marathon gold medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, having previously won a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics. She also represented her country at the Olympics in 2000 and 2004.

Terrence Mahon is an American distance running coach. Mahon coaches many notable long distance and middle distance runners, including Olympians Deena Kastor, Anna Pierce, and Jen Rhines. Mahon also coached Ryan Hall for five years. In 2011 he coached Morgan Uceny to the number one world ranking in the 1500 meters, coached ultra runner Josh Cox to the second fastest 50k time in history, and guided Irishman Alistair Cragg to a new National Record in the 5,000 meters, and in 2012 coached Alistair to European and Irish records in the road 5k at the Carlsbad 5000.

Bekana Daba is an Ethiopian long distance runner who specialises in the 5000 metres and marathon distances.

The Women's marathon at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held starting and finishing at Gukchae – bosang Memorial Park on 27 August. A total of 54 runners began the race and twenty three nations were represented.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Chicago Marathon</span>

The 2011 Chicago Marathon was the 34th edition of the annual marathon race in Chicago, Illinois which was held on Sunday, October 9. The men's race was won by Kenya's Moses Mosop in a time of 2:05:38 hours – a course record. Ejegayehu Dibaba, making her marathon distance debut, was the women's winner in 2:22:09. Some 37,400 runners started the event and the final total of 35,670 finishers was the second highest in its history.

Spirit of the Marathon II is a 2013 American documentary film directed by Jon Dunham. The film is the sequel to the 2007 film Spirit of the Marathon, and chronicles the journey seven marathon runners experience leading up to competing in the 2012 Rome Marathon. It received a one-night limited release on over 600 screens in the United States on June 12, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10-mile run</span> Distance running event

The 10-mile run is a long-distance running event over a distance of ten miles (16.1 kilometres). It can be held on a road course or on a running track. Also referred to as a 10-miler or 10 miles run, it is a relatively common distance in countries that use the mile as a unit of measure. Ten miles is roughly an intermediate distance between the 10K run and the half marathon (21.1 km). The level of endurance required to run the distance means it attracts more seasoned runners than shorter events and usually requires a period of preparation for first-time attempts.

The 2004 London Marathon was the 24th running of the annual marathon race in London, United Kingdom, which took place on Sunday 18 April. The race was the coldest London Marathon in history, and the wettest race in history until it was surpassed in 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 3 White, Thomas. "Meet the Filmmakers: Jon Dunham and Mark Jonathan Harris--'Spirit of the Marathon'". documentary.org. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  2. 1 2 Grove, Martin (August 12, 2008). "Harder to film 'Marathon' than run one". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
  3. Burfoot, Amby (2005). "A Brief Chat with Jon Dunham". Runner's World. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
  4. McBain, Roger (January 13, 2008). "Documentary makers were in it for the long run". Evansville Courier and Press. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  5. 1 2 Cleaver, Skip. "Spirit of the Marathon". active.com. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
  6. Ferstle, Jim (October 6, 2007). "DANIEL NJENGA BACK IN CHICAGO". Runner's World. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
  7. Goldstein, Gary (January 24, 2008). "'Spirit of the Marathon'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  8. Catsoulis, Jeannette; Nathan Lee (August 8, 2008). "Spirit of the Marathon". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-16.
  9. Wilson, Jake (November 1, 2008). "Spirit of the Marathon". The Age. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  10. "2007 Winners". Chicago International Film Festival. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  11. "Mammoth Film Festival » Festival Archive » Past Winners". Mammoth Film Festival. Retrieved 2009-04-15.