Running on the Sun

From the point of view of one who isn't obsessed, it seems to take a certain strain of masochism to enjoy long-distance running as one's exercise of choice. Few other forms of exertion combine shortness of breath, nausea, and exhaustion in quite the same fashion. For those who've been running for several years, however, to the point where they're immune to these drawbacks, there's a race called the Badwater 135, a 135-mile trek through Death Valley in the middle of summer, one that spans some drastic changes in altitude. As documented in Mel Stuart's new film, the whole thing is reminiscent of the Stephen King novel The Long Walk, sans executions (the participants here only feel as though they're dying) and grand prize. The only glory here comes in one's knowledge of having made it, and a shiny new belt buckle for running the course in less than 48 hours. When the first guy to drop out is a muscular Marine major, and one of the front-runners won't even stop moving long enough to disgorge the contents of his stomach, you get an idea of just how tough this thing is. And you continue to wonder why anyone would voluntarily participate, especially since the health risks far outweigh any potential benefits; it's hard to shake the notion that these people are simply nuts. That said, the documentary is never less than compelling, ranking right up there with the best of our current "reality TV" specials, although a montage of blister popping is the most disgusting thing to be seen on film in a long time.