Marathon Boy

Have you seen it yet? I can't quite decide how I feel about it yet. It had a lot less to do with running than I expected and it wasn't exactly the inspiration I was hoping for, either.

Marathon Boy Trailer from James Ecendance on Vimeo.

Via Huffington Post... Marathon Boy chronicles the treacherous true saga of a frail, dirt-poor four-year-old boy in India and his ambitious mentor-trainer who loves him and makes him famous for running long distance races.

And we're not just talking any long distances. Foul-mouthed 4-year old Buddhia was taken off the streets and encouraged to run by his "sir", Biranchi Das. He soon began running half marathons, and then full marathons, and then ultras - meanwhile attracting a mound of media attention and equal amounts of scandal.

I was at times surprised by how well Buddhia was able to run long distances despite his poor form, but then I remembered, "Oh yeah. He's 4. Nothing about this is normal." It was also pretty wild to see his gear, or lack thereof. I've obviously been quite caught up in the lure of lululemon and GU, so it was rather endearing (and humbling) to watch a toddler run mile after mile in a stiff shirt and flat shoes. 

I won't spoil the movie by revealing some of the more unexpected twists, but I will say this: Marathon Boy proves that, given a little push, we are capable of accomplishing unimaginable things - and as in Buddhia's case, you can inspire entire villages to follow suit. I loved seeing the townspeople strap on their running shoes any shoes/sandals/loafers they had, and run behind Buddhia to cheer him on. Though I have no interest in signing up my sweet lil' nieces and nephews for races anytime soon, I do admire the journey that Buddhia's life took at such an early age. 

It's worth checking out (HBO began airing "Marathon Boy" November 3), but don't expect to be inspired to strap on your shoes and hit the running trail. The flick was an insightful glance into the life of extremely poor Indian villages, but in the end, it left me feeling a bit empty. Give it a gander and let me know what you think.