Best Running Movies
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Running has become one of the most popular sports in the world. It has also become a source of livelihood for many athletes across the globe. Besides running being a career for many, there are also runners who simply do for exercise or motivational. Whichever the case, there will be times you need the motivation to keep you going. Some of the movies down below can help with this.
Our Top Recommended Running Movies
There are hundreds of movies that can give an avid runner deeper commitment and enjoyment in their running exercises. Some of the movies that we provide in this article are purely related to running. Any dedicated runner will enjoy watching them as it helps to give them more motivation.
1. Personal Best (1982)
This movie features a young gifted pentathlete played by Mariel Hemingway. Patrice Donnelly is also in the scenes and plays the role of a real-life Olympic athlete who keeps challenging Hemingway with provocative questions. Mariel finally ends up falling in love with Kenny Moore who plays the role of a famous marathon-runner and sportswriter. This an awesome movie for runners who are on a look-out for new challenges. It reveals the beauty of having a tough, caring and challenging trainer.
2. Saint Ralph (2004)
The lead actor is a young Canadian boy named Leonard Cohen who is a super contestant in the Boston marathon. This young boy thrills his spectators as he competes at a very tender age and does what many describe as a miracle on the running track. This is a must-watch movie for all those who are looking out for spiritual upliftment to run a marathon. It is a great movie to inspire your child and other young athletes.
3. The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young (2014)
The setting of this movie is a prison where the prisoners must complete in a very dangerous race. Very few prisoners finish the race because of the trials and tribulations that they face on the way. In the end, only 15 people manage to complete the hundred-mile race in the hills of Tennessee. Due to the fearsome nature of this movie, most people are afraid to even talk about it. Nevertheless, it is a great movie that challenges you on hard races.
4. Unbroken (2014)
This movie features the 1936 Olympian Louine Zamporini. This athlete has great strength and determination in facing the challenges that come his way. Although he qualified for 1936 Olympics 5000 meters race, this movie focuses more on how he was enrolled in the Second World War. This is a motivational movie for runners who think of giving up. It depicts that no matter what obstacles you face during the race, nothing is impossible.
5. Chariots of Fire (1981)
This is an Olympics-based film which features two British athletes who participate in the 1924 Olympic Games. These two athletic giants meet for the first time in London in 1923 and compete against each other. This is a great movie for upcoming runners who have the great vision of becoming international-level runners. It shows the beauty of consistent and proper training and having a great trainer.
6. Desert Runners (2013)
If you are looking for a movie that will inspire you to run in harsh climatic conditions then this is the one for you. It features a race across four deserts like the Atacama, the Gobi, The Sahara, and Antarctica desert with 150 miles to be covered in each dessert. It is an outstanding movie that teaches a runner to survive even in the hardest races no matter the environmental conditions. Furthermore, it gives a runner tactics to use in order to hit the finishing line.
7. Free To Run (2016)
This documentary focuses on the development of running long distances over a period of fifty years. It draws attention towards pioneers who have helped in shaping-up the sport and chronicles their contributions. One of them is Kathrine Switzer, a Boston-based Marathoner who ran in 1967. This movie gives a runner insight into what has been happening for years. That helps them to analyze the expected trends in long distance races. It helps them prepare for the changes accordingly so as to compete successfully.
8. Gun Runners (2015)
Julius Arile and Robert Mmatanda are the key figures in this film. They reveal to the world how they have used the running sport to move from poverty to prosperity and national fame. The main challenge that they highlight is how a talented athlete can move ahead in a country where there are so many other talented athletes. It is an inspiring story, especially for talented individuals coming from a poor background. This movie is all about how an athlete makes running his career and becomes financially successful through it.
9. Without Limits (1998)
Without Limits will help you know how to handle oppositions and obstacles. It features Steve Prefontaine who plays the role of an Oregon legend. The story is based on a true-life story. The coach Bill Bowerman points out the interactions of athletes with their coaches. which is also an excellent source for independent runners. The movie was produced in 1998
10. Transcend (2014)
Wesley Korir is a very patriotic person who returns home to help others. However, people cast him away upon seeing his shoes. He faces a lot of hardships through the movie, which eventually gets him to try his luck in athletics. In the end, he wins many athletic awards and decides to return to his homeland to share his success with others. This is a great motivational movie for runners who have the heart to help other upcoming athletes.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, even if you are not a big fan of movies, watching what some of these motivational movies above may help pump you up. These are all great films that help to motivate. Remember to practice what you see, since a lot of these films can be educational.
