Disney Movie about Cross Country

ElementaryPenguin wrote:

I loved reading about the stick that you carry for self defense while running in Thailand. Out of curiosity, have you ever used it?

Only once have I ever had to hit a Thai country dog with it, and I talk about that in the section titled "An Angel, the 'Moo Truck,' and Dog Days in the Land of Smiles." I loved writing the book, and I'm very happy to have done so. I think most runners will enjoy it, unless of course you're looking for a dry physiology/anatomy book or you're only interested, as I used to be before I grew up, in the tiny group of elite runners in the world. I wrote the book as an expression of my love for running, and it's really for the millions of non-elite runners who are my brothers and sisters in running.

Shawn H wrote:

But I agree with one poster above who pointed out the problem with the 7th runner (the fat kid--typical) who has to run well to score low for the team. If that's really what they do in the movie, my question will be why in the hell couldn't they at least get ANYONE who knows about cross country as an advisor? It is Disney, after all, and they could hire a thousand advisors full time and still have money to burn.

Okay, I agree with others mentioning how odd it is that you supposedly know so much about running yet don't understand the concept of putting your runners in front of the competition.

We used this all the time when race planning in high school.

Let's say my team (team A) has one great runner and a bunch of good guys. Our top 5 go 3-5-6-7-8. Team B has three GREAT runners and two sucky runners. They go 1-2-4, but as I said before, their 4 and 5 runners suck. Team A's 6&7 runners get 9th and 10th place, while team B round out their top five with 11th and 12th place finishes.

Final score: Team A: 29 Team B: 30

Obviously the 6th and 7th runners meant a lot there, because they 'pushed' up the placing of the 4th and 5th runners from team B. Hence the term 'pushers'.

Anyways, that's besides the point. You are still right when it comes to the fact that THEY DO NOT NEED 7 fast runners. They only need 5 starters to compete. Still seems like a serious plot hole to me.

It looks like another White Hero saves the Minority Kids movie, regardless of sub-plot.

We've seen it all before...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_savior_narrative_in_film

Still...it is a running movie.

I even sat through an airing of Across the Tracks once.

I understand it completely. What I did, as I noted earlier in this thread, was misread the rule. Read up a little bit in this thread so I don't have to explain it again. Dumb mistake on my part, because it's common knowledge among all runners who have run cross country that you can score a perfect 15-40 score if you can get all seven runners across the line before your first opponent does.

1-2-3-4-5-6-7 = 15, with only the first five actually scoring. 8-9-10-11-12 for the other team = 40, and the last two runners on the other team don't count for anything UNLESS there are more than two teams in the meet, in which case they would "bump" the score up for the third, fourth, etc. teams.

As I said, it was a dumb mistake. "Brain fart," as they say. LOL.

Shawn: Ah, now it makes sense. I really could not comprehend how an experienced XC guy could not know about the push/displace by the #6 and 7 runners. But your explanation about being confused by reading the rule too hastily when it used the word SCORED makes sense.

Anyway, I checked out your book on Amazon. Looks interesting. But is it really only on Kindle? Which I don't have - nor any similar device. (Yeah, I'm a really old guy.)

Zev: I understand your point, but in this case the movie really is based on a true story. As the newspaper article link someone provided on p.2 of this thread tells, at great length. And, yes, the coach's name was indeed Mr. White. The kids called him Blanco but said he was really Mexican - because of how concerned he was about them and their families. Sports Illustrated also had a long piece about them, the McFarland High School team. I sure hope the movie does them justice.

Geoff P wrote:

Shawn: Ah, now it makes sense. I really could not comprehend how an experienced XC guy could not know about the push/displace by the #6 and 7 runners. But your explanation about being confused by reading the rule too hastily when it used the word SCORED makes sense.

Anyway, I checked out your book on Amazon. Looks interesting. But is it really only on Kindle? Which I don't have - nor any similar device. (Yeah, I'm a really old guy.)

Yes, Geoff, it's really only on Kindle. I self-published it, which is great for authors who don't want or need to go through all the hassle, rejection letters, editor chopping, etc. of getting a hard copy published and printed. There are actually a good number of writers who make a good living publishing only e-books. I'm not one of them, and fortunately I don't have to write for a living. As the preface for my book says, I started writing it 20 years ago, and it has just grown since then. Finally, at the age of 52, I decided to self-publish it. Even without knowing you, I might be willing to send you a "read-only" copy of the Word file. Obviously you have a computer to be posting here, though, so simply download the Kindle app for your PC. Go to the book on Amazon:

Find this sentence about four lines down from the title: "Anybody can read Kindle books—even without a Kindle device—with the FREE Kindle app for smartphones, tablets and computers." Then click on the words "Kindle app" in that sentence. A window will open up. Follow the instructions, and then you'll be able to download and read any Kindle book on your PC. It's free and easy, even for us "old" guys!

Shawn, thank you!

Geoff P wrote:

Shawn, thank you!

You're welcome. Sorry guys, for kind of breaking off from the topic, but I wanted to help my fellow oldster out. Thank you, Geoff.

Since this is a cross country thread, here's a little piece I wrote regarding a race that I unexpectedly lost . . . and unexpectedly won. A little background:

I ran high school track and cross country in Utah in 1978-1980. Ed Eyestone (I hope you knowledgable runners know who he is) graduated in 1979, so he was a senior when I was a junior. Fantastic high school runner, and undefeated his senior season. I was never in Eyestone's class as a runner, although I was pretty good for a high school runner in Utah. Ed and I have something in common: our "best race" came in high school in two different races against Wayne Pinto, a Navajo Indian, who was the three-time Utah state cross country champion. If you don't believe that Eyestone considers his first victory against Pinto as his best race, read this book where he talks about it:

My own best race came on Pinto's home track in a huge invitational when I was a junior. I was ranked third in the state for the mile run at the time, and Pinto hadn't lost all season. I beat him by four seconds, broke the meet record, and ran a better time than Pinto had ever run. But that wasn't the first time I beat Pinto. The first time came in our Regional Cross Country Championship. Here's my relatively short account of that first cross country victory, which is just one high school account in my book. It is also a teaching moment for cross country:

Pinto and I battle it out along the top, north edge of Sugarhouse Park in Salt Lake City, Utah. This is the Region IV Cross Country Championship. Thirty yards ahead of Pinto and me is Neumann, Pinto's Davis High teammate.

I'm not worried about Neumann; he's never beaten Pinto or me, and I'm sure he'll “come back” to us. Right now I have more than enough to handle with Pinto. Half a mile into the race, he pulled close beside me and hit me with an elbow that glanced off my upper arm. I was surprised, thinking it must have been an accident—maybe he simply stumbled into me. But when he did it again, it was more obvious. And then when he did it a third time, I responded with an elbow of my own, slamming it into his shoulder. Cursing under his breath, he then responded to my elbow with another hard one of his own, and from that moment it was on. For the past mile, rather than concentrate on reeling Neumann in, Pinto and I have been engaged in our own distracted little battle. I've read about this kind of dirty running in European cross country races, but this is the first time I've experienced it for myself. Why is Pinto doing this? I wonder. He outclasses Neumann and me in cross country. Is it some kind of strategy? Would Coach Jones put him up to this? I don't know, but if he intends to run dirty, I intend to give as good as I get.

Finally, after almost two miles, the battle ends when, much to my surprise, Pinto actually drops off the pace and begins to fade back. Hardly believing my good fortune, I step on it and soon open up a sizable gap on him. But now I suddenly realize that Neumann isn't coming back.

Focusing only on Pinto was a huge mistake, and now Neumann is running the race of his life. I close the gap a little, but try as I might, I simply can't catch him. He wins the individual title, a personal breakthrough that will surely increase his future confidence. I cross the line in second, while Pinto, two-time State cross country champion, finishes a distant third. Davis High wins the team title once again.

Despite my disappointment at having lost to Neumann for the first time, my teammates are ecstatic. No one seems to care that I lost the race. Over and over they thump me on the back and shake my hand with the same gleeful words: “You beat Pinto! You beat Pinto!”

agip wrote:

Boys Individual 1. 15:29 Reggie Williams (River City)

2. 15:44 Scott Cole (Yosemite)

3. 15:57 Brian Ochs (Million College)

4. 16:00 Hector Ortiz (Orestimba)

5. 16:06 Bob Baca (Bear River)

6. 16:07 Ricky DeLeon (Moorpark)

7. 16:13 Thomas Yalles (McFarland)

there's the top 10 from 1987 - again, no idea what the course was, but one guy sub 16:13. And it could be 3 miles not 5k fro all I know - CA used to run 3 miles I think.

They had some good top runners in the mid-90s. They're #1 man won state in '94 (my senior year) in 15:30ish, I believe. By then they were D4.

I also just realized I may have trained with their #1 guy (Yalles) after he finished college. Gotta look him up to see if it's him.

Zev wrote:

It looks like another White Hero saves the Minority Kids movie, regardless of sub-plot.

We've seen it all before...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_savior_narrative_in_film

Still...it is a running movie.

I even sat through an airing of Across the Tracks once.

Yeah, I agree. That's a pretty well-worn plot. I can't think of another running movie where it's been done, but football, basketball, school (as a teacher) etc.--it's worn out. But I will definitely watch the movie, and I'll try not to ruin it for the wife by telling her how unrealistic it is. She hates when I do that with cop shows.

Meant to write "it's worn out." Damn that keyboard AGAIN!

Shawn H wrote:

Ed Eyestone (I hope you knowledgable runners know who he is)

My Man.

[quote]cbenson4 wrote:

Nevertheless, I'll probably end up watching it simply because it's another running movie (which we don't see too often)[/quote

Someone should make a movie from Run For Your Life by Tim Smith]

Said What wrote:

Plot hole with the 7 runners might be explained by them not having enough kids to field a team. We'll see.

Looks terrible.

You kids are funny.

You b!tch and complain that running doesn't get mainstream attention, that Jose Canseco's toenail gets more coverage than Wilson Kipsang winning NYCM, that sponsorships are hard to find, whatever.

Then, when DIS-effing-NEY makes a movie pushing the sport into the mainstream of the mainstream, you sniffle about how the scoring system isn't accurately represented.

This sport deserves to stay right where it is in TV coverage. Below darts.

Hey ShawnH, when Disney makes a movie out of your book you can use this in the soundtrack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SLphDdqb4Q

older than dirt wrote:

Hey ShawnH, when Disney makes a movie out of your book you can use this in the soundtrack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SLphDdqb4Q

Actually, I do reference "Glory Days" in the book, there's a section with that title, and there's even a hyperlink to the song. Here you go (first a quote by the great Johnny Gray):

“I'm going to go out a winner if I have to find a high school race to win my last race.”

– Johnny Gray, U.S. record holder in the 800 meters.

Glory Days

Scanning the crowd, I evaluate the competition. I may not be young and fast anymore, but I still have the eye of a competitive runner. Like an experienced boxing trainer, once you've got that runner's eye, you never lose it. Today’s race is a 5K in Kaysville, Utah, home of Davis High School, long-ago Alma Mater of Pinto and Neumann, my old high school rivals. Near the starting line I see a group of young men wearing gold and brown Davis High School Cross Country shirts. It looks like maybe the whole team is here. Vivid memories of Pinto and Neumann immediately come to mind. Wouldn't it be something if they showed up today? Would they look older and run slower just like me? Would they be pudgy, middle-aged guys, or would they be the same lean, efficient running machines I remember? But no, they're not here today.

I know I'm not very fast, but I'm up to 40 miles a week now, and I'm in better shape than I've been in 16 years. Time flies, and like most people I've wasted so much of it.

I was surprised to find that the starter for this race is my old boss at an aerospace company. I haven't seen him in seven or eight years. I couldn't stand this guy when I worked for him, but a few minutes ago we smiled and shook hands like we were old friends. Time has a funny way of rounding off the rough edges.

My old boss calls everyone to the starting line. Because he has no starting gun, he simply calls out the commands with a megaphone: “Runners take your marks . . . get set . . . GO!”

I jump off the line and immediately set a good pace to avoid being passed and surrounded by over-eager but less fit “fun” runners, and soon it's just me and a few Davis High School runners in the lead group. As we run through the first mile, I listen to their breathing. Out of the corner of my eye I gauge each one's form and stride. In some I sense eager but wasted motion. In others, I sense smoother efficiency. I try to sense what they're feeling. I try to quiet my breathing and appear as though I'm taking it easy. I want to appear like I'm just floating along. I have to put on a good show, hoping to intimidate them. I want them to feel inferior, even if it isn't so. I may no longer be young, and I'm certainly less energetic than these high schoolers, but I intend to give it all I’ve got today. I remember the words of Steve Prefontaine: “Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it.” I want to be Steve Prefontaine today.

I settle into my own pace, letting a couple of these young runners get a five-yard gap on me. I don't want to push them too hard because the best might just take off and leave me in his dust. As Coach told me long ago, I now tell myself: “Remember, run your race.” In my heart, I'm not a man now circling the vortex of middle age, who just recently began running again after more than a decade off. I'm the young, speedy college freshman I was long ago. And while I'm no “spring chicken,” who says I can't be a wily rooster who's been around the barnyard a few times? I settle into my own pace, and wait to see what happens.

Much to my surprise, after a mile and a half I'm still with the leaders. Even more surprising, after two miles, it's just me and the two best high school runners. And then, at two and a quarter miles it suddenly happens: I have the lead, and I'm opening a gap. My competition is beginning to strain. I revel in their discomfort. And the gap grows . . . and grows. With less than a half mile to go, I'm 30 yards ahead and still pulling away! I am elated. I begin an extended kick and feel surprisingly fresh. As every competitive runner knows, when you're losing it's always exhausting, but when you know you've got it won, everything is suddenly easy.

I cruise to the finish line, thoroughly enjoying the applause of the small crowd as I cross the tape. My old boss greets me with a big smile, shakes my hand, and says I “smashed the course record.” Sure, I know this course has only been run a few years and the competition is mediocre, but what the hell. Right now, it's good enough for me. Today I beat a high school cross country team, just like I did so many years ago. It's not the Olympics I once dreamed about, but it still feels great for an “old” guy. When my former boss hands me the first-place medal and the small crowd applauds, I feel like singing Bruce Springsteen's “Glory Days.” After all these years, I'm back where I belong: I feel like a real runner again.

older than dirt wrote:

Hey ShawnH, when Disney makes a movie out of your book you can use this in the soundtrack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SLphDdqb4Q

By the way, are you in that band, "Older Than Dirt"? They're good in a really twangy, good ol' boy way. LOL. Thanks.

Shawn H wrote:

I self-published it, which is great for authors who don't want or need to go through all the hassle, rejection letters, editor chopping, etc.

"Editor chopping" is not a hassle. It is a necessity. More so

(or moreso, depending on your editor) in some cases than others.

There you go. Another opportunity to shill.