While I cannot endorse all of these (yet), they are on my list to watch. Please comment on your favorites and what needs to be added!

1. The 25 Greatest Running Movies Ever
With “Unbroken” set to hit the silver screen on Dec. 25, and “McFarland USA” and “Boston Strong”
ready to hit theatres in early 2015—along with many more inspirational indie flicks in the works—
running movies are all the rage right now. We ranked the 25 best movies of all time, drawing on our past
viewing experiences, renting a few on iTunes, watching some on Netflix and buying a few DVDs.
Several that just missed the cut can
be found among our honorable
mentions.
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(This list includes only running
documentaries and feature-length
movies with a major running theme.
However, we also serve up a list of
10 notable films with significant
running scenes, like “Forest Gump,”
“Rocky,” “Grease” and “The Secret
Life of Walter Mitty.”)
25. Running America (2010)
An accurate title for a crazy feat, this documentary follows
ultrarunning veterans Marshall Ulrich and Charlie Engle as they
attempt to set a new speed record for crossing the country on foot in
2008. Filled with ups and downs, as well as unexpected political and
patriotic fervor amid the 2008 election season, Ulrich, then 57, wound
up completing the 3,063-mile journey from San Francisco to New
York City in 52.5 days, the third-fastest time ever and the fastest ever
by a masters runner. Although inspiring (and perhaps a little reckless
at times), the raw scenes capture more of the journey’s lows than
highs and accurately depicts the human spirit that perseveres even
when the body has given up.

2. 24. Running on the Sun (2000)
The Badwater Ultramarathon through Death Valley National Park and
the extreme desert terrain that surrounds it is unlike any race in the
world. The race stretches 135 miles from Badwater Basin at 282 feet
below sea level to Whitney Portal, 8,360 feet high. Every July a few
hearty souls challenge themselves through punishing heat and
seemingly masochistic conditions while trying to reach the finish line
(and then, for some, the top of Mount Whitney at 14,505 feet above
sea level). Some endure the challenge and reach their destiny, while
some fail only to return again and again. What Mel Stuart’s
documentary accurately portrays is that the race—and ultrarunning—
is a celebration of the everlasting perseverance of the human will over
the temporary aches and pains of the human body.
23. Marathon Man (1976)
Fanatical runner Thomas “Babe” Levy
(Dustin Hoffman) unwittingly gets caught
up with Nazis and stolen diamonds and
needs his lung-and-leg power to escape the
bad guys in the streets of New York City.
This suspenseful thriller, directed by John
Schlesinger, was adapted by William
Goldman’s novel of the same name. It’s a
well-written film full of nail-biting intrigue
and violent clashes (although some of the
violence was scaled back in the final edits),
but in the end Levy survives, the diamonds
are lost in a New York City water treatment plant and the end credits roll on Levy’s jogging route as a
backdrop. Some of the racing scenes in the film were created from footage from the 1964 Olympic
Marathon in Rome.

3. 22. Run, Fatboy, Run (2007)
Comedian Simon Pegg may have run from zombies in “Shaun of the
Dead,” but his greatest challenge is running a marathon to win back the
love of his life in this comedy directed by David Schwimmer. Full of
racing puns and inside jokes, this comedy follows Pegg’s character,
Dennis Doyle, who goes from being unmotivated and lazy to a
determined marathoner as he trains for the Nike River Marathon (a
fictional marathon meant to represent the London Marathon).
21. Transcend (2014)
Running allowed 2:06:13 marathoner Wesley Korir to
escape the grinding poverty of Kenya. But after winning
multiple American marathons—including the 2012
Boston Marathon—he risked everything and returned
home to help his fellow Kenyans create better lives for
themselves. In what is the biggest challenge of his young
life, Korir took on a well-financed, big-party candidate
to earn a seat in Kenyan Parliament with the hopes of
playing a role in reshaping life in his native country. His
story is told with help from running greats like Haile
Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele, Mo Farah, Ryan Hall
and best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell. Korir, a U.S. resident who graduated from the University of
Louisville in 2008, founded the Kenyan Kids Foundation and has worked with Kenyan dairy farmers to
improve production.

4. 20. Running (1979)
A film about struggle and triumphs in all aspects of
life, this “running-changed-my-life” movie was
produced during the original American running boom
of the 1970s. A young Michael Douglas plays fictional
marathoner Michael Andropolis, who is in the midst of
a divorce and career breakdown while he trains for the
chance to run in the marathon at the 1976 Olympics.
Against all odds, he reaches the Olympics and is
running well in the race until he falls, leaving him
injured and presumably out of the race. But after being
tended to by medics, Andropolis gets back on his feet
and finishes the race hours after it ended. In the
ultimate feel-good finish and a tribute to his
perseverance, he’s greeted by a stadium full of
cheering spectators and his ex-wife.
19. Across the Tracks (1991)
Before Brad Pitt became a star, he appeared in this 1991 American film about two brothers who use
running to reconcile their differences. Joe (Pitt) is the older of the two, a good student and high school
track star set on winning a scholarship to Stanford University. Billy (Ricky Schroder), on the other hand,
has a delinquent past, but is introduced to running by Joe as a means to leave the rebellious life behind.
A story about brothers and competitors, this movie provides a unique perspective on family, talent and
sportsmanship.

5. 18. The Long Green Line (2008)
This compelling documentary tells the
story of the most successful high school
cross-country coach in the U.S., Joe
Newton of York High School in
suburban Chicago. While profiling the
team during the 2005 season, filmmakers
Matthew Arnold and Brady Hallogren
(who both ran for Newton’s program in
the 1990s) capture the excitement of the
school’s pursuit of its 25th state title in
50 years under the leadership of twins
Matt and Eric Dettman, the team’s top
two runners who are headed to the
University of Oregon after they
graduate. But the film also depicts
Newton as a wise old sage who offers life lessons to his charges, even those among the 200-runner team
who never get a sniff of the seven-member championship team. In a nutshell, high school cross-country
offers coming-of-age opportunities and the historic York program, especially with the extreme highs and
lows of the 2005 season and the guidance of their still-crafty coach (who was 76 at the time the movie
was filmed), is at the pinnacle of the sport and culture of high school running.
17. Saint Ralph (2004)
This Canadian drama is about a teenage boy who
trains for the 1954 Boston Marathon with the hope
that winning the race will serve up a miracle to
help his mother awaken from a coma. Initially a
troublemaker, Ralph Walker (Adam Butcher) is
forced to join the high school cross-country team at
his strict Catholic high school. He’s not a very
good runner, but he trains hard, reads books about
running and takes cues from Father Hibbert
(Campbell Scott), a former world-class marathoner
who had to quit the sport because of a knee injury.
Despite controversy surrounding his interest in
running the Boston Marathon—his headmaster threatens to kick him out of school—Ralph eventually
runs the race and places second after battling with the previous year’s winner. He presents the medal to
his mother, who—yes—miraculously awakens from the coma.

6. 16. Run For Your Life (2008)
Fred Lebow gave his heart and soul to the New York City Marathon.
He helped that race grow from 55 finishers in its inaugural year in
1970 to one of the largest races in the world by the time he
succumbed to brain cancer in 1994. Filmmaker Judd Ehrlich brings
Lebow’s remarkable story to life—from immigrant to avid marathon
runner to entrepreneurial president of the New York City Road
Runners—in this touching documentary. Few individuals have done
as much for running as Lebow, and, as this film suggests, his legacy
will be felt for a long time.
15. 4 Minute Mile (2014)
Released at the 2014 Seattle International Film
Festival, this edgy movie directed by Charles-
Oliver Michaud focuses on downtrodden high
school runner Drew (Kelly Blatz) who’s
struggling to overcome poverty and the perils of
inner-city life. Running is his only outlet, but he
isn’t getting any support from his troubled older
brother, Wes (Cam Gigandet), and unstable
widowed mom, Claire (Kim Basinger). It isn’t
until he connects with a reclusive neighbor
(Richard Jenkins), a washed-up track coach with
his own demons that he starts to realize his
potential. They bond, and Drew appears on the
verge of greatness before other trouble arises. Co-
written by Jeff Van Wie (a record-setting New York high school runner and All-American at Notre
Dame) and Josh Campbell (“The Chronicles of Narnia”), this movie is engaging, credible and anything
but predictable. Sure it’s another underdog sports movie, but running is not an afterthought. Instead, it’s
the conduit through which several gritty stories play out, and the authenticity of most of the running
scenes provides a powerful, emotional glue that holds the film together.

7. 14. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
This is a classic black and white British film
based on the book written by Alan Sillitoe in
1959. (Sillitoe also wrote the screenplay.) It tells
the story of rebellious teenager Colin Smith
(Tom Courtenay), who hails from a dismal home
in a working-class community. In what doubles
as a literary metaphor, he turns to long-distance
running as a means of both emotional and
physical escape. It’s a convoluted tale that
includes the boy deliberately losing a race he
could have won in the name of being a free
spirit.
13. Unbreakable: The Western States 100 (2011)
The 2010 Western States 100 was one for the ages—with Alaska’s Geoff Roes winning by outlasting
Colorado’s Anton Krupicka and upstart young Spaniard Kilian Jornet—and filmmaker J.B. Benna was
there to capture all of the drama. Benna’s effort was groundbreaking, both in the filming of the race—
multiple camera locations and angles helped tell a complete story—and the editing of the film. It walks
the line between powerful documentary and live-action race reporting by meshing good pre-race
backstory, great cinematography and candid interviews into a linear format that follows the race. (Benna
has also produced a documentary on David Horton’s 2,700-mile run of The Pacific Crest Trail and
produced the film of Dean Karnazes’ 50 Marathons in 50 States in 50 Days.)

8. 12. Jim Ryun: America's Greatest Miler (1999)
This documentary highlights Jim Ryun’s
amazing story of becoming a world-class
miler while still in high school. Ryun was the
first high school runner in the world to run a
sub-4-minute mile and his 3:55.3 mark stood
as a high school record for 36 years. He ran in
three Olympics and earned a silver medal in
the 1500 in 1968. The film shows Ryun as a
talented physical specimen, but also as a
young athlete with maturity and gumption
beyond his years. One of the highlights of this
film is the exclusive footage of Ryun’s record
setting 3:58.3 mile run at the Kansas state
championships.
11. 100 Seconds to Beat the World: The David Rudisha Story
(2014)
Produced by the BBC, this hour-long
documentary tells the amazing story of young
Kenyan track star David Rudisha, who
shattered the world record in the 800-meter
run (in an astonishing 1:40:91) en route to
winning gold in the event at the London
Olympics in 2012. The honest and up-close
documentary includes footage and interviews
over a 10-year period starting in 2005, when
Rudisha arrived at missionary Brother Colm
O’Connell’s training camp as a shy 16-year-
old with little training under his belt. He was
intent on following in his father’s footsteps as
an Olympic competitor (his father earned a
silver medal at the 1968 Olympics running on Kenya’s 4x400-meter relay) and as a Masai warrior. In
telling Rudisha’s story, this documentary also shows a glimpse of what running means to aspiring
Kenyan teens who are lucky enough to attend a secondary school. Among the highlights are interviews
with former British middle-distance greats Seb Coe and Steve Cram, as well as footage of Rudisha’s
early workouts, time trials and races dating back to 2005.

9. 10. Endurance (1999)
Who better to portray Ethiopian long-distance runner, marathoner
and Olympic champion Haile Gebresalssie’s life than the great
athlete himself. From growing up on a rural Ethiopian farm to his
1996 Olympic victory in Atlanta, this late-1990s Disney-produced
film uses real people from Gebresalssie’s life—his father, brother
and wife all play themselves—to re-create the chain of events that
led to his successful running career. Not quite a documentary, the
only real footage used in the film is Gebresalssie’s epic gold-medal
win in Atlanta. Otherwise all other scenes were scripted and staged.
The movie was co-written and co-directed by award-winning
filmmakers Leslie Woodhead and Bud Greenspan. With hindsight,
the only unfortunate aspect of this film is that it was made early in
Geb’s career, so it doesn’t include his thrilling victory in the 10,000-
meter run at the 2000 Olympics or his two marathon world records.
But the running footage is strong, and his story and career are
amazing from any vantage point.
9. On the Edge (1986)
Longtime runner Bruce Dern stars in this fictional story about a
runner, Wes Holman, who is unfairly banned from an amateur
competition and seeks redemption by running a grueling 7.2-mile
Cielo Sea Race 20 years later. The race is based off the Dipsea, the
oldest trail race in the U.S., known for its unique time-handicapping
starting order. Among the best parts of the film is aerial race footage
(from the 1984 Dipsea Race) of the beautiful yet treacherous Dipsea
trail that leads runners from Mill Valley, Calif., down to Stinson
Beach along the Pacific Ocean. The backstory, soundtrack and the
tagline (“Feel the pain, live the dream, share the glory”) are a bit
sappy and awkward, but the running scenes and Dern’s performance
are compelling.

10. 8. Running Brave (1983)
Based on the story of Billy Mills winning gold
at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, this historical
biopic is about rooting for the underdog. Billy
Mills was the second Native American (after
Jim Thorpe) to win an Olympic gold medal,
and his 1964 victory in the 10,000-meter run is
considered one of the greatest upsets in track
history. Although we know the outcome of the
big race in the movie, the climax is
nevertheless gripping. Although Mills’ place
in history is secure, this film helped put his
story in perspective 20 years after the fact
once running became a mainstream
participatory sport.
7. Personal Best (1982)
This provocative and critically acclaimed film showcases a fictional
group of female track athletes training for the 1980 U.S. Olympic trials.
The film earned praise for its authentic portrayal of women’s sports in
the early 1980s and the sometimes-complex relationships between
athletes and coaches. The movie centers around Chris Cahill (played by
Mariel Hemingway), an athlete caught between the advice of her coach
Terry Tinghoff (played by Scott Glenn) and that of her friend,
competitor and part-time lover Tory Skinner (played by Patrice
Donnelly, a 1976 Olympic hurdler). Some scenes were filmed at
Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus, as well as at Track
Town Pizza in Eugene, Ore. Several top American athletes appeared in
the film, including sprinter Evelyn Ashford and marathoner Kenny
Moore (the latter of whom played swimmer Denny Stite, a secondary
love interest of Cahill’s). Ultimately the athletes are left only with their
“personal best” marks after the U.S. boycotts the 1980 Olympics.

11. 6. Prefontaine (1997)
The first of two biographical movies made in the late 1990s about
American track legend Steve Prefontaine (played by Jared Leto),
“Prefontaine” chronicles Pre’s short running career up until his death at
the age of 24. The story is told in a quasi-documentary theme from the
point of view of three-time U.S. Olympian Bill Dellinger (Ed O’Neill),
who was an assistant coach while Pre was at the University of Oregon,
and Nancy Alleman, who was Pre’s girlfriend when he died. The film has
even greater meaning as it also explores the amateur status of American
elite runners in the 1970s compared to top international athletes, who
were provided everything they needed to train and compete at an elite
level. It typically gets rated below “Without Limits,” which came out in
1998 and included a higher-profile cast, but it is still entertaining and
well-done (Leto plays a very convincing Pre and R. Lee Ermey is quite
good as Bill Bowerman) for a major motion picture on running.
5. Spirit of the Marathon (2007)
Whether you’re running a marathon for the first time or have run
dozens, this is the movie to watch for training motivation. This 2007
documentary (directed by Jon Dunham) explores the significance of
the 26.2-distance race as it follows six marathoners training for and
competing in the 2005 Chicago Marathon. Elite runners Deena Kastor
and Daniel Njenga are featured in the film as well as local Chicagoans
who round out the six. This movie should be a part of every runner’s
marathon training plan. Also noteworthy, the 2013 sequel, “Spirit of
the Marathon II,” reprises the concept, following seven runners from
around the world as they prepare for the Rome Marathon. This film
definitely captures the resolve of age-group runners everywhere.

12. 4. The Jericho Mile (1979)
This Emmy Award-wining made-for-TV
film profiles Larry Murphy, a man
serving a life sentence at Folsom Prison
for shooting his father. But he feels the
crime was justified because his father
was raping his stepsister. None of that
backstory matters, except that it helps
define Murphy, a loner who spends his
free time running around the prison yard,
as a man of conviction and
determination. When prison officials
realize Murphy (played by Peter Strauss)
is capable of being a national-class
miler, a track is built and he beats Frank
Davies, America’s fastest miler, in a
match race on the prison grounds.
Although Murphy never gets a chance to run in the U.S. Olympic Trials, he winds up running a solo
mile faster than Davies’ Olympic-qualifying time. The film, directed by Michael Mann (who also
directed “Thief,” “Heat,” “Collateral” and “Miami Vice”), gets high marks for character development,
cinematic tension and a genuine portrayal of running. The running scenes are powerful, authentic and
inspiring, especially Murphy’s climactic solo time trial set against “Sympathy for the Devil” by the
Rolling Stones.
3. Without Limits (1998)
Released a year after “Prefontaine” in 1998,
“Without Limits” is also a biographical portrayal of
Steve Prefontaine’s life. While both Pre biopics are
entertaining, this one is the better and more authentic
of the two. It was co-written and co-produced by
Robert Towne (who also wrote and produced
“Personal Best”) and two-time Olympic marathoner
and former University of Oregon runner Kenny
Moore. The film (produced by Tom Cruise) focuses
more on the relationship between Pre (played by
Billy Crudup) and his coach Bill Bowerman (played by Donald Sutherland, who received a Golden
Globe nomination for best supporting actor for the role). There’s a little bit more hyperbole in this film
than “Prefontaine,” but it’s a more technically accurate film and also serves up some interesting
vignettes about the early days of Nike.

13. 2. Chariots of Fire (1981)
A running movie classic, the 1981 British
historical drama tells the fact-based story of two
athletes in the 1924 Olympics, Eric Liddell (Ian
Charleson), a devout Scottish Christian who runs
for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams (Ben
Cross), a Jewish Englishman who runs to
overcome a prevailing prejudice of Jews. Winner
of four Academy Awards, this powerful film will
inspire any runner with its interwoven themes of
devotion, commitment, integrity and sacrifice. It’s also, of course, well-known for its Academy Award-
winning original score by internationally acclaimed composer Vangelis, which has been used in
countless slow-motion running scenes (and parodies) since. While there are many great running scenes
in the film (including the beach-running scene tied to the title song), the famous race around the college
courtyard ranks as one of the best of the film.
1: Fire on the Track: The Steve Prefontaine Story (1995)
This documentary was released about 20 years
after the death of Steve Prefontaine and helped
reignite the hysteria surrounding the American
icon. It came out a couple of years before the two
large-scale Hollywood films about Pre (“Without
Limits” and “Prefontaine”), and what makes this
one so much better is it depicts him as much more
real and raw. Using rare footage and commentary
with former teammates, rivals and coaches—
including a candid interview with late University
of Oregon coach and Nike co-founder Bill
Bowerman—it serves up an authentic biography of
the runner and rebel who died in his prime in a
tragic car accident.
URL: http://running.competitor.com/2014/11/lists/25-greatest-running-movies-ever_118584#1cdxWkEWi5IsEgMh.99