NOVA presents Marathon

[Paul Thomas]

I thought some of us might find this program interesting:

NOVA presents Marathon
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 8 PM ET on PBS
www.pbs.org/nova/marathon

How do you run 26.2 miles if you have trouble making it around the block? With good coaching, discipline, and lots of group support—as NOVA shows when it follows 13 would-be athletes through a nine-month regimen designed to prepare them for the Boston Marathon®, on Marathon.

Created in cooperation with the Boston Athletic Association, which granted NOVA unprecedented access during the 111th Boston Marathon (April 16, 2007), and Tufts University, the film takes viewers on a unique adventure inside the human body, tracking changes in the runners' bodies. The film promises to be inspiring, as well as entertaining.

Marathon premiers Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 8pm ET/PT on PBS (check local listings).

[Sasha Pachev]

To spoil their fun, "no va" means "doesn't go" in Spanish :-) Amigo, quieres    correr en el maraton  "no va"? Si, despues de 20 millas es "no va" por cierto!

[Sean Sundwall]

One of the many reasons the Chevy Nova failed miserably in Mexico.

[Ted Leblow]

Ok, I just watched the NOVA Marathon show and I was really not very impressed. I am not trying to belittle what anyone did but I think we have many more examples of even more amazing success stories right here on the FRB. I have been much more impressed with the success I have seen many on the blog accomplish in the same or even a shorter amount of time. There are too many to name on the FRB so I guess what I am saying is kudos to all on the FRB that have in my opinion done more than those on the NOVA show and it just goes to show how great the FRB can really be for thsoe that want to improve themselves. The FRB has a very long list of distinguished accomplishments and it spans almost all ability groups. Thanks Sasha and to all of those on the FRB that have made it what it is.

[Superfly]

I just watched it too. It was cool for me to see it because I was there this year and ran the Boston marathon that day when alll the Nova people did. However I think that evey time the media does a story on marathon running they do people like us an injustice. I feel like me and several other people here on the blog really work hard and dedicate most of our time to training and running faster. Then some Joe-Shmo comes and gets on T.V. and walks through a 5:30 marathon... and they are now considered a marathoner? For one time I'd like to see something like that about guys like us to show people that "this" is what marathoning is really all about. Kind of a bummer!

[AndyBrowning]

I only watched the first half because the Tivo decided to switch channels.  I'll watch the rest on Thursday after it re-airs.  I found the science of it interesting but it was stuff I already knew.  I agree that shows like this perform a great disservice.  People should not go from couch to marathon in 9 months.  I know that it can be done but it shouldn't.

[Sasha Pachev]

No worries. FRB will get its share of media publicity when we do 1-2-3-4-5 punch in Boston, all wearing FRB uniform. I think we can pull it off in another 3-5 years. If we could find a way to sponsor 15 guys that have run a low 29 minute 10 K or faster for a couple of years in a way that will allow them to train at 140+ miles a week with proper recovery, we will have a good shot. If we can up that number to 30, we've got it in the bag.

[Lybi]

What a visionary, Sasha...

Well I don't think the show was all that bad!  I think it was motivating to see the huge gains in health in such a short time from running.  The VO2 max results?  Amazing.  It was like a huge infomercial for distance running.  I bet a lot of people will get off the couch over this show.  And what about that part where they talked about how we can outrun all those fast animals because we (humans) are so good at shedding heat?  I like thinking that we are made to run.  Interesting that the women did not loose weight too.  I've noticed that for me, running does not make me loose weight.  It's mostly dietary.
 
I thought the show really helped point out how much better people do when they have a strong support system, and coaching/advice from experienced athletes.  (FRB!)  12 out of 13 finishers IS really good.  Much better than the average schmoe going it alone.

I cried at the end.  Music got to me. 

[jtshad]

I watched it last night as well and have mixed feelings.  I agree with Lybi that if it motivates others to be active, it was a worthwhile endeavor and it did talk to some of the "science" of running.  However, it was way light on the real training commitment needed to accomplish the feat and didn't talk to the "how" of a proper training approach (base mileage, injury prevention, proper running technique) etc.  This info is need to help the "couch potatoes" get started running right.

I agree with Ted that there are many more motivational stories right here on FRB of runners continuing to challenge themselves and improving their performance...and making a commitment to running because the love it.  For most of the NOVA runners, it didn't seem that they found a new lifestyle, but did it to be on NOVA (a few exceptions noted).

[Chad]

Heather and I watched the Nova "Marathon Challenge" show last night as well.  I love seeing any kind of media coverage of running and for what the program was aiming to accomplish, I thought it was generally a success. the discussion of the science was interesting and the candor about what running can do to a body (both good and bad) was reasonable. However, to the extent they focused on the runners' injuries, I thought that one huge oversight was any discussion about the biomechanics of running and the propensity for injury.  A runner with terrible biomechanics (running form) but good fitness may be more likely to get injured than a moderately fit runner with good form.

Also, I really wonder how many of those runners featured on the Nova team will continue to run.  Every additional runner in the world is a good thing.  I think one downside of the marathon-goal craze, however, is that it represents the beginning and end of the running career for some people. The benefits of running, and there are many, are best realized only after many years of consistent training.  It takes a long time to get to know the body.