Top 6 Favourite Running Films
Spoiler alert: Chariots of Fire did not make the cut.
I like to run about four times per week, with an indulgent long run on the weekend when family time permits. However, this is sometimes not enough to slake my thirst for all things running, so I frequently turn to podcasts, books, and films for my fix.
I have many running books to recommend, and I will give you details of these in a separate post. For now, I will share with you a list of my favourite running films.
Many are perfect for a Saturday night in front of the big screen, and some are the perfect spark for running motivation when the rain is pounding against the windows.*
In no particular order, here are six running films to try.
Totally FKT (Trailer)
This film features ultra-runners Damien Hall and American John Kelly, who are both based in Bristol. It recounts attempts by each runner to set a new fastest known time (FKT), running the Pennine Way. The 268-mile trail runs from Edale in Yorkshire to Kirk Yetholm on the Scottish Borders. The route is long, mentally punishing, and wild.
The two attempts were made within a week of each other, and the stories are woven together to compare how the two athletes approach the adventure.
The incumbent holder of the 31-year-old FKT, Mark Hartley, wishes the challengers luck in true fell-running spirit and offers insights from his experience.
The physical toll inflicted during the attempts is borderline masochistic. The psychological strength exhibited by both men is remarkable as they battle against the clock, the terrain, and their own physical limitations. Stoic American spirit meets humble British outdoorsmanship.
I’ll leave it to you to watch and find out the result.
Unbreakable: The Western States 100 (watch here)
In what is probably the ultra-running equivalent of the Bulls VS. Lakers, this film follows the top four male participants in the 2010 Western States 100 race.
The field is a who’s who of all-star trail running greats from the US and Canada competing to win perhaps the most well-known trail ultra in the Western world. If the names Anton Krupicka, Geoff Roes, Killian Jornet, and Hal Koerner mean nothing to you yet, then stop reading and watch this movie. You’ll enjoy the battle between these endurance specialists. If you follow these runners already, then you’ll know the talent and personality they exude, seen here running in their prime.
The charm of this movie is that the runners are in love with their sport and their community, but there’s also a real hunger to prove themselves in a deeply packed field of athletes.
When it was first screened, we were all riding a wave of interest in the sport of ultrarunning, following the release of Born To Run and the natural running movement. The spirit of the film is in keeping with the honest and human side of this long-distance running culture.
The Corris Round (watch here)
Very different from others in this list, but with bags of charm and Welsh heritage, The Corris Round is an amusing and exciting tale from a former mining village in Snowdonia, Wales.
This is the heart-warming story of a father and son who create the lockdown project to end all lockdown projects. They design a route (or round) around their hometown of Corris.
The quaint and humble style of the film does not diminish the effort that this father/son team put into planning and attempting the run. The mental strength of the son, in particular, is inspiring to watch.
The relationship between the father and son is clearly one of love and mutual respect. And they demonstrate this throughout the adventure, putting their little hometown of Corris on the map in the process.
Run Forever: The Film of Nicky Spinks and the Double Bob Graham Round (watch here)
There are many iconic ‘rounds’ in the UK, but perhaps the most well-known is the Bob Graham Round. Sixty-six miles over 42 mountains (fells) in 24 hours through the English Lake District is, for many, a lifetime achievement.
It’s not the distance that does the damage, for there are longer endurance races out there. Instead, this challenge combines physical punishment, planning, and navigation as well as changeable weather conditions, against which the runners must pit themselves. It is essentially the ‘least runnable’ 100km you could ever hope to encounter. At least you get some spectacular views.
This film documents the unreal journey in which UK ultra- and fell-runner, Nicky Spinks, completes the double Bob Graham (BG) Round.
Two BGs, back to back.
A survivor of breast cancer, a farmer and a fell runner, Nicky is made of pure grit. Her mental stamina and positive attitude will leave you inspired to start planning your own running challenges. If you don’t schedule a running holiday to the Lake District after watching Nicky’s attempt, then there’s something wrong with you.
Motivating stuff!
The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young (Trailer)
Nicky Spinks and John Kelly have both toed the line at this iconic (and quite frankly ludicrous) race. The latter is one of only a couple of dozen to have completed it (watch Nicky Spinks’ attempt here).
This documentary follows several participants to the race and gives a complete history and guide to such baffling features such as:
- The route is different every year and is largely unknown to anyone who hasn’t previously entered.
- The starting gun is a lit cigarette.
- The entry fee includes a number plate and an essay.
- The starting time is announced an hour in advance with the blowing of a conch shell.
The route is a set of five 20-mile circuits of trail, initially alternating between clockwise and anti-clockwise, though the exact distance is unknown since GPS watches are not allowed. The dense thickets of briar draw blood from the runners and the repetitive switchbacks demotivate them.
Just in case the trauma of the terrain isn’t enough, there is also nearly 60’000 ft of ascent to tackle. Participants hope to complete five circuits of the route and are expected to collect pages from a paperback left at checkpoints along the way. Strong navigation skills are essential, but the route can only be copied from a master map, made available just before the race starts, leaving little time to study.
It is considered an achievement even to complete one 20-mile loop of the Barkley Marathons, and you’ll see why when you watch this film.
Every Single Street (Watch here)
A change of scenery here as we see US athlete Ricky Gates attempt to turn running in his hometown of San Francisco into an art project.
In this short film, produced by Salomon, Ricky shows another side to running and uses it to explore his surroundings better than he ever has before. So often our running training is a way of getting from A to A. If you are lucky, it helps you get from A to B. You could say this movie describes a run from A to Z.
Unlike other physical endeavours, this running story is about exploring our connection to a rapidly changing urban landscape full of populations with their own stories, wants, and needs. It forces the main protagonist to not only face the sights, sounds, and smells of his city, but also the people who share it with him.
The film has triggered a new type of running challenge in towns and cities all across the world. And I dare say you will be scanning Google Maps in preparation for your own.
I take great joy from watching and re-watching these titles.
And I hope you do too.
If you have any favourites not listed, please share them in the comments section. I’m excited to see what other running films are out there.
*Of particular relevance to me, living as I do in the North West of England, where it rains for 200 days out of the year.
