"Beyond the Epic Run"

This past Saturday, as I cracked open the cover of my new Runner's World, I notice an ad for a new film that is coming out this spring entitled "Beyond the Epic Run." I immediately hopped on the imac and hit up their website. I soon discovered that they were going to be having a pre-screening in Minneapolis before the official release, and it was this week! So, last night was that screening.

This film is absolutely phenomenal. It is the story of a Swiss couple who set out to "run the world." Nicole and Serge sold all of their possessions and set out from Switzerland with a Yamaha motorcycle and more grit and determination than anyone you have ever met. Fueled by the desire to raise money for a Swiss charity and the excitement of pushing one's self beyond the limits of human ability, Serge started placing one foot in front of the other in March of 2000. Serge ran while Nicole rode their Yamaha and filmed their amazing adventure.

The couple encounters a myriad of challenges, joys, and sorrows along the 25,000 mile route. They were present in west Africa when the uprising in Sierra Leone was killing hundreds of people every day. They were in Cairo Egypt, among the great pyramids when September 11th went down. Many they encountered in east Asia were lost in the Christmas tsunami a few months after they had tread on the same soil that was devastated by this horrible disaster. The video that the couple shot is masterfully mixed with excerpts from Nicole's journal and interviews from a variety of experts in their particular fields. Malaria, blisters, hunger, depression and many more ailments could not deter this couple from achieving the goal they set our to accomplish.

Rather than giving you a complete recap of the moving and deterring you from getting out to the theater and seeing it for yourself I will simply provide you with some of my thoughts on why this film is a MUST SEE. This film is about far more than an endurance athlete's desire to shatter the ceiling on how far the human body can be pushed. In the midst of dooms day headlines that have people burying their money in their back yards, "Beyond the Epic Run" is a ray of hope that pierces our overcast climate. The love and passion that Serge and Nicole have for one another is not outdone by their desire to help those who are in need. At the core, this film is a love story that will warm your heart and bring a tear to your eye.

Running, like smiling, is a universal language that binds people together without the need for words. As Serge would run through the towns, cities, and villages all over the world he was joined by countless children and men who would run alongside him smiling, laughing, and sweating. Nicole says, "The world is so big when you set out to see it, but so small when you choose to stay at home." The lens of their camera is your eye to see what a wonderful world we live in. The sights, sounds, and smells that make up our world are something that we should all have an opportunity to experience.

We in America sit back and fret about our 401 K's and whether or not we will be able to go on two vacations or three this year, while millions of people who have nothing and are joyous beyond belief. This film will make you re-evaluate what you are doing with your life and resources to affect the rest of the world. Our lives are so short, but can have such an immense impact on those who are hurting and in need. You don't have to run around the world to impact a little piece of the world. Check out "Beyond the Epic Run" and you will not be dissapointed. In fact, I would be willing to wager that it will inspire you to do something that you have wanted to try for a long time. Don't just let life pass you by. Cease each day and make it count. You can do far more than you think you can!