I was lucky enough to get a preview copy of the new film Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathon Man (50 Marathons, 50 States, 50 Days) which is set to debut in theatres across the US on July 31st (go here to find a screening near you and buy tickets). This documentary by JB Jenna (also an ultrarunner) gives an insider peek at the 2007 cross-country adventure where Dean, his family, and his support crew take on the epic challenge of running a marathon in each state for 50 days straight, rain or shine.
I found the film entertaining and enjoyed how filmmaker JB Jenna mixed snippets of each marathon with "jogging interviews" with Dean and his family to tell his story. Make no mistake - this movie is about Dean, so you will hear a lot of what is in his book repurposed to get folks up to speed. But once it hits marathon #4, there is enough new material for even the Dean-overdosed to enjoy. At that point the focus is less about Dean, and more about how he interacts with fans, family, and a PR machine firing on all cylinders.
One of the first things that struck me about this film is the significant logistical challenge of running 50 marathons in 50 states, particularly when you are coordinating press in each location and inviting a random number of strangers to come with you. All it takes is a spat of bad weather or a no-show from the police escort, and a casual run becomes a liability nightmare as runners get strewn along the course. The film does not hold back on showing these issues, from runners stopping due to hypothermia (ironically surrounded by runners in North Face spring attire), potentially lost runners, no-show police escorts, physical injuries, and more. It's really quite amazing this went off without a major catastrophe.
What kept the film close to my heart was the stories and faces of the runners who come to join Dean on his marathons. Whether is it the woman from South Dakota who survived cancer and ran 50 marathons in 3 years (this one with Dean was #50, and she just about drove him into the ground with her pace), the Japanese newlyweds who felt inspired enough to reroute their wedding to Hawaii so the groom could join in on the run, or the endless amount of stories of people getting off the couch to run their first marathon, you can't ignore that the power of this film is the real stories behind the story of Dean. I'm not sure if this elevates Dean to the level of "American Hero" like the promotional material states, but you can't ignore that he has positively impacted hundreds with his adventures.
The film concludes with his sub-3 hour finish at the New York Marathon, and his first steps out the door to run back across the US to continue the journey. Did Dean find himself on this adventure, or keep going because he wasn't able to? It's hard to say. But for someone like Dean, perhaps that's the best way to conclude that it is not about the goal, but about how you get there.
If you see it, come back and let me know what you thought!
I was lucky enough to get a preview copy of the new film Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathon Man (50 Marathons, 50 States, 50 Days) which is set to debut in theatres across the US on July 31st (go here to find a screening near you and buy tickets). This documentary by JB Jenna (also an ultrarunner) gives an insider peek at the 2007 cross-country adventure where Dean, his family, and his support crew take on the epic challenge of running a marathon in each state for 50 days straight, rain or shine.
