“Running on the Sun documents the trials and tribulations of athletes as they run 135 miles through Death Valley in July and explores the motivations behind this seemingly masochistic contest. A celebration of the perseverance of the human will beyond the limits of the human body.”
– From the IMDB Profile
I’m going to be perfectly honest here… this film DID NOT inspire me to want to run Badwater. In fact, in many ways it scared the crap out of me because I have friends who are going to be participating in this year’s event and I don’t want them to have to deal with some of the struggles.
This film shows participants dropping out to get IV’s, it shows the effects on the feet in gory detail, it details the wild mood swings runners can experience and it shows how far gone a runner’s brain can get from depleting themselves so much.
But it also shows incredible hope as the people realize the finish line is ahead and start to run (hobble) quicker toward the finish. And that is a little heart-warming.
But just a little…
Because then you see how sick and out of it the runners are, the way their crew has to hold them up (or lay them on the ground) at the end and it just makes me simultaneously sad and proud of their achievement.
I’m still definitely interested in going to the start of Badwater to see everyone off. But I’m not sure I could handle seeing people I care about cross the finish line in a depleted and wasted state.
Jill Will Run 
I have read a few books written by people who ran Badwater. It seemed brutal but it was nothing compared to seeing this film! Whew!
I don’t understand why people want to put themselves through that. Running an ultra is one thing, but heat is nasty thing. It sucks all the fun out of running completely. I have a bunch of running movies on my Netflix right now, but this won’t be one of them. Thanks for the warning.
And thanks for the welcome back and the sweet comment. I’m excited to be back in the blogging scene!
your comments about this movie are funny. usually we get all pumped up by running books/movies!
i wasn’t too tempted to begin with, but i think you just talked me out of this one as well… my brain is already cuckoo most of the time anyway đŸ™‚
Keep in mind that that film depicts the race as it was in 1999. There was no website back then. No books had been written about it. There was no race staff of 50+ taking care of people and celebrating the athletes. Nowadays, the information on how to train for this event, prepare for the heat, how to eat and drink, and so much more is widely available, especially through our race website. As a result, the runners get faster every year and finish, with only few exceptions, looking quite fit and fresh. Check out some of our videos on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/adventurecorps and you will see what I mean. Badwater is no longer the gore fest depicted in that film, though it is still “the world’s toughest foot race.”
– Chris Kostman, Race Director, Badwater Ultramarathon, 2000 to the present
PS We now have three ten-time finishers and every year we sadly have to turn away lots of racers, including veterans. Those who have been there consider it a spiritual, life-changing experience. Rather than finding that the heat “sucks the fun out of running,” they embrace and thrive in it. Most members of “the Badwater family” find it the most meaningful experience of their lives every year, whether they come to race, crew, or work on the staff.
Chris, Thank you for your reply to this review. I am glad to know that there is a lot more info on how to properly prepare and that there is a staff ready to help (and celebrate) everyone out there. That makes me feel a lot better knowing that my friends are going to be out there in the heat… and that I may end up crewing out there someday! I can’t wait to go check out the YouTube videos.
Congrats on the launch of the new http://www.adventurecorps.com/ site. It looks great!
Thanks, Jill! Be sure to introduce yourself when you get out to Badwater some day! Hey, the race is next month. Maybe you can hop on the crew of a friend of yours! – Chris
Wow, you hit a nerve đŸ˜‰
That’s funny you wrote to them and they didn’t get back to you – I hate that!! I’ve done that for a few companies and then it makes me not want to use their products! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
You know I agree with Chris since I will be out there with Molly and hopefully running it in the next couple of years!
They training methods and procedures are definitely way better. You see how much Molly and the rest of us are out there training so that we do not have to deal with a lot of the things those people did. Preparation both mentally and physically is the key.
I hope you are able to come out to the start on Monday morning to see us off. That would be awesome!
P.S. As always great running with you last night!
Hi Jill (and blog readers of the endurance running community),
I don’t want to leave a long comment that will put you in a comatose state like that of Kirk Johnson in the documentary Jill reviewed above. I was a first time Badwater participante last summer (2008) and am running my second Badwater next month (2009). I understand Jills opinion and that of other commentators on this blog post. Badwater is definitely NOT for every runner. Personally after completeling the challenge last year with a sub-48 hour finish (getting my self the Badwater Buckle as a rookie) I too didn’t really desire to repeat it again…afterall there are so many other great ultras out there. I guess we all have to pick our poisen, so to speak…lol. I have completed the sister race to Badwater, The BR135 in Brazil twice now…it’s an amazing adventure/journey and hard to compare the two. I attempted to run and complete all 3 of the BAD World Cup Series in one year this year, hence my running of Badwater again. After running the Brazil 135 in January I had only 8 days to get back to the states to run the 3rd of the series, Arrowhead 135, a winter ultra in Minnesota in February in sub-zero temps in the snow with NO SUPPORT. I did the Brazil race both times solo with no crew, but there’s at least some small towns we ran through where I could find what I needed for aid, food…etc.
Anyway, I guess I really wanted to say that I love the Running With The Sun documentary because it shows the real thing out there…yes it’s grueling and HOT and dangerous…but as Chris pointed out…athletes are getting better and smarter. I didn’t loose any toe nails…I did get sick and vomit a few times and lost hours to nausea, which is almost unavoidable in those extreme hot conditions…but that’s what still draws people to it…the “challenge”. I am looking forward to my 2nd Badwater run next month, but am more nervous this time around then last year. After this I have to go back and finish Arrowhead since I ended up dropping out at mile 90, after leading the race with a 2 hour gap for the whole 2nd day…I just was not ready to face another long cold night on my own having not slept and having 135 miles on my legs just 8 days prior.
The Badwater Run across Death Valley to me was definitely a pinnacle and a very spiritual journey….so many analogies come up in that environment. You start and the lowest, hotest, dryest, most barren place and then finish at the highest, coolest, most full of life place on the course…even a WATERFALL at the Whitney Portal…..you learn about life and friendships and relations and patience and limits….if you don’t think you could do it, don’t try! However, if there’s a small itch within you that wants to be scratched and you believe you might have what it takes…..set a goal and give it a shot. You may not finish, but that doesn’t mean you failed as long as you try again :o)
You can see more on my blog at http://www.JaromsRunningPage.blogspot.com and feel free to add me to your Facebook of running friends: http://www.facebook.com/jarom.thurston
I saw that too, and yes, all those closeups of the feet made me want to gag. Did I say I was also eating my dinner while watching it that night? Maybe more accurate to say that I had begun to eat my dinner….I think my favorite character in that whole movie wasn’t actually a runner, but the brother of one of the runners. He ran along side his brother so often, poured out water from bottles whenever his brother the runner barked at him to do so, and he just kept telling his brother, the runner, how much he loved him.
And, I also liked the guy who had lost the one leg and arm, too, Pretty amazing guy.
So that’s the one your friends are training for. You have some crazy friends, girl!! But they are lucky if you are in their life, you are a very supportive person.