Miles and Trials Film

Unfortunately, it will probably suffer the same fate as "Born To Run" 4 years ago.

Never heard of "Born to Run" 4 years ago? Exactly....

Ever heard of "5000 Meters, Nothing Comes Easy"?

This has similar potential.

All the more reason to drum up some interest in the film.

yeah, actually, I should have been much, much more specific... "Born to Run" was about the 2008 men's marathon trials. They spent a bunch of time and money following guys around the country. After filming and post-production was done, they got into some complicated intellectual property problems with USOC and USATF and the movie basically has never seen the light of day.

It's a shame that this film focuses on a few really less-than-dedicated athletes. Claudia is probably the hardest working with the most potential, and Suzanne Ryan, while relatively fast (and probably actually trains) is just too old to do anything.

Alona Banai is a joke. She's been "injured" forever and hardly trains/races. I'll be surprised if she breaks 3 hours.

Christina Overbeck is probably the most overrated athlete in the Chicago running community. She can't break 18 minutes for a road 5k, yet she gets cover photos for Chicago Athlete magazine. I'm guessing this has something to do with the fact that she's pretty cute, but as a runner she's really just another face in the crowd.

Heather Prekop is an interesting story. She claims in a recent Chicago Athlete article that she runs 30mpw, but she's also runs a sub-18 5k. This isn't elite or sub-elite by any means, but if she's really only running 30mpw then she probably has quite a bit of potential.

The Chicago runner that SHOULD be in this film is Jean Marinangeli, who dominated the CARA circuit in 2010, ran a 2:58 in Boston and a 2:51 in Chicago.

I've never really met any of these ladies, so this is not to disparage them, but Wendy's choice of athletes in this film is suspect at best.

ThankS! We hope this does have potential! Although we're following a group of sub-elite women in their quest to make the Trials, this story is more about going after a dream, balancing training with work and life, and trying to give our sport the attention it deserves.

Windy City Runner:

Sorry you feel that my choice of athletes is "suspect". To say that these women are "less than dedicated" is a pretty careless statement. I know back-of-the-packers who train their butts off just to finish a 5K in under 50 minutes and feel the same sense of accomplishment as a runner who runs a 2:46 in the marathon. I am not producing a film that is about who has run what time in which event, it's about the journey. These ladies all have powerful stories to tell and as far as Alona is concerned, her struggles and frustration with injury after being successful when she first began racing are part of the story and something that most athletes can relate to. Ironic that you admit that you've "never met any of these ladies, so this is not to disparage them", yet this is exactly what you have done. I'm sure that Alona would not appreciate being told that she is "a joke".

p.s. Jean Marinangeli was approached to participate in this film but was not available due to other commitments.

” 5000 meters Nothing Comes Easy” is about men trying to hit the A Standard for the Olympic trials in 2004 and their struggles as they train, travel and compete. I guess you are right, it wasn’t up for any Grammy’s, but the theater in downtown Chicago was full with running geeks.

So I would agree that Jean would be interesting to follow as well, but who else do you think would be a better fit? I guess looking at these women's pedigrees, I'd say they are some of the best in the area. Sure there are some others that would be in the mix as well, but I am sure Wendy can't follow everyone.

We are conducting due diligence to ensure that we don't run into the same issues with the USOC/USATF, etc. If you are the person who messaged me anonymously through our film's website, thank you for the heads up.

Chicago Running Chick:

There are a lot of talented and up-and-coming runners in the Midwest. I wish I could follow them all, both men and women.

This sounds like a great film and stars true role models for younger female runners. As a lifelong runner, I recognize some of these names from the past few years whereas others are a little more recent. I've met a few of them and they are very nice people who are also very humble. I'm not completely sure how into running you are, but given their careers, making a statement that they are "less than dedicated" is pretty rude to do. Good luck to these ladies... way to follow your dreams!!

I think you have your websites confused. Try this link to publicize your movie:www.runnersworld.com/community/forums

WendyCity Productions wrote:

ThankS! We hope this does have potential! Although we're following a group of sub-elite women in their quest to make the Trials, this story is more about going after a dream, balancing training with work and life, and trying to give our sport the attention it deserves.

The penguin doesn't read LR wrote:

I think you have your websites confused. Try this link to publicize your movie:

http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums

WendyCity Productions wrote:

ThankS! We hope this does have potential! Although we're following a group of sub-elite women in their quest to make the Trials, this story is more about going after a dream, balancing training with work and life, and trying to give our sport the attention it deserves.

Was that really necessary Penguin. I for one am interested in this movie and I never read the runnerworld forums. All of these women are way above average runners and have nothing at all in common with the runnersworld philosophy. Good luck ladies in your quest and good luck to WendyCity Productions in the making of this film.

There was already a film about this. It was called "Spirit of the Marathon" and it wasn't a sexist piece of trash exclusively following whiny, female sub-elites with senses of entitlement and overblown egos.

Born to Run trailer looked awesome. Somebody should get that thing out there on the black market or something.

Yowza, "Windy city runner." That's a lot of vitriole.

Based on your post's tone and the fact that you've chosen to promote Jean, I can pretty much call you out by name. You're a member of the Fast Track racing team, and seem to have a bizarre axe to grind with most people and team in Chicago's racing community.

There was no casting call for this film and the Director chose runners who she knew personally or through word of mouth. It's her film, so she can chose whomever she wants to feature.

Also, don't believe everything you read. Heather Prekop's "30 mpw" was a misprint that she openly corrects. She's an extremely hard worker and runs upwards of 90 mpw.

I wish the film's director as well as the athletes she's chosen to represent in the film all the best of luck.

Thanks for your support.

I chose runners based on word-of-mouth, the respect they have in the running community as advocates for our sport and those who are supportive of others, no matter what level runner they are. I did not play favorites. I'm a fan of all of these girls, and anyone who makes an honest attempt to do their best.

You two are doing a great job pushing this thread.