Jill Will Run

Sorry for the typos in the last 2 sentences. I meant to state: A generous count would be 46 marathons. SOMEONE please explain. Running with bone fractures in impact areas, according to experts, is simply not possible. SOMEONE please explain.

I enjoyed this film for it's strong inspirational valence. My Run is promoted as a story about a man who pulls off "the impossible" ostensibly because of his altruistic desire to send a message "to the world" about the hardships of single-parenting. I too went through the hardships of single parenting - a mom with 2 boys and a girl - after losing my husband in a construction accident. He was in and out of a coma for 3 weeks before he passed. Parenting on my own was agonizing at times and I often wondered if I was going to endure the many daunting and sometimes completely unexpected challenges. But I did. I did it well. My children are all grown, content and successful. I never felt like I had to go tell the world how hard it was losing the man I loved deeply and suddenly finding myself having to be a single parent of three. Hence, I started to ask myself why Terry Hitchcock would be so insanely driven to raise public awareness of the hardships of single parenting. I use the term "insanely" because, if he actually did what My Run apparently documents, he put his children through the emotional pain and fear of again losing a parent. His children especially felt the idea was insane. And for good reasons. Terry had a heart condition, broken bones in his feet - was 57 years old and In bad physical shape. Certainly, one could find an equally powerful but survival-orientated approach to raising awareness of the hardships of single parenting, ergo, an approach that wouldn't put his life at risk and put his children through the anxiety/torment over the likelihood of another tragic loss. After viewing My Run and leaving the theater in March of last year (Colorado), I remembered driving from Orlando to Duluth which itself isn't even 2100 miles. So I checked the distance from St. Paul to Atlanta every which route possible and the highest mileage count I found is in the range of 1200 miles. Where did the other 1000 miles come from? Then I began to question the possibility that a man could run 2100 miles, a good part of the way with broken bones in his feet, a heart condition and very minimal experience as a "runner". So I acquired a DVD of My Run and showed it to 3 radiologists and 1 podiatrist. We focused on the scene where X-rays of Hitchcock's fractures are viewed and all 4 of these very experienced specialists stated emphatically - and I paraphrase their similar conclusions - that it would be impossible for anyone, with those kinds of foot fractures, to run more than a few miles (if that) without complete structural disintegration of their feet - meaning they would be in agony and simply would not even be able to stand, much less walk or run. One radiologist likened the situation to a bird's wings deteriorating to the point that they would lose the aerodynamic shape needed to stay aloft. I hate to come across as Ms. Cynical Universe but I must say that, with these factors thoroughly investigated and pondered, perhaps what seems to be an impossible accomplishment possibly didn't play out the way it is depicted in the movie. Possibly. I think anyone with common sense would check into these issues as I did and come to their own conclusions rather than blindly believing that somehow Mr. Hitchcock did the impossible. I'm not at all convinced of the veracity of this story. Hence, I have to also ask myself if Hitchcock's motivation was/is altruism or self-aggrandizement and a lust for glory/fame and income potential - he has recently written a book about his story. You know, like politicians do just before they announce their candidacy for a more prestigious position. Also, an article about My Run in Film Slate states that the director of My Run (sorry, forgot the name) has already written a screenplay for a theatrical version of Hitchcock's story. Is this new project born of altruism also? Bottom line is, I don't know what to believe for sure about Hitchcock's story or the real motives driving its sensationalization but one thing I am sure about is that my skepticism is not unfounded. Atlanta isn't 75 marathons from St. Paul. A generous count would be 46 marathons. Some please explain. Running with bone fractures in impact areas, according to experts, is simply not possible. Some please explain.

I want to see this!

People like Terry inspire me everyday... those who do the unexpected and turn something negative into something positive, those who defy the odds, and those that don't give up!

Looks like a feel-good story. Nice to see inspiration in atypical individuals. Motivation this time of year is always appreciated.

This looks like an inspiring movie. I need to watch and read motivational running media this time of year to motivate myself to run in the chilly outdoors.

Inspiration is all around us. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Amazing.

This looks like a great documentary, and when is a movie about running not inspiring? Great giveaway, Jill!

Running is all will. Stuff like this inspires me training for my first marathon to keep going once my legs start to hurt.