Brittany Runs a Marathon: Movie review

Given the current lockdown mode due to the Corona Virus, it is almost next to impossible to venture outdoors.  Yes, in California, we are still allowed to go out for a run/walk/hike if we maintain 6 feet distance from the next person. However, seeing the increase in the number of cases every day, I didn’t want to take a chance. Even though I love and miss running, I wanted to act like a responsible human being.  I resorted to some indoor workouts instead with a drastic reduction in my diet. 

 I decided to satiate my appetite for running by watching a delightful movie on running a marathon.  While browsing through Amazon Prime last evening, I stumbled upon this movie titled ‘Brittany Runs a Marathon.’ I recollected one of my runner friends having mentioned about this movie on one of the Facebook groups.

Brittany runs a marathon is about a journey of a 28-year-old woman named Brittany and how she takes up running to get her health in order. 

Like most New Yorkers, Brittany loves to party and leads a rather unhealthy lifestyle of late nights and alcohol.  A visit to the doctor makes her realize how unhealthy she is. Determined to lose weight, she takes up running. She ultimately devises a goal of running the New York City marathon. The movie showcases her tumultuous journey of losing those pounds, some misunderstanding with friends, making new ones, finding her love interest, an injury and finally achieving her goal. 

The movie was heartwarming, honest, witty and inspiring. Several instances in the movie are bound to resonate with a lot of runners. It showcases how mileages are a culmination of those initial small goals. For Brittany, her initial goal was to run up to the next block.  After that, it involved a mile, two miles and ultimately a 5 k. When she proposes running a marathon, she  categorically states that it’s all about finishing.  

Your heart goes out to Brittany at every instance. You cheer for her as those pounds dip on the scale.  You are happy to see the transformation in Brittany both in her physical appearance as well as in her lifestyle.  You feel for her when she is diagnosed with a stress fracture which prohibits her from running the marathon.  You cheer for her to keep going when she finally runs the next edition of New York city Marathon and hits the wall at Mile 22. You get a virtual tour of one of the world majors (NYC Marathon is one of them). You feel an adrenalin rush when she crosses the finish line. 

There is something about embracing that familiar arch that reads Finish Line. Runners go through a whirl of emotions ranging from relief, joy and exhilaration. Most importantly it gives you a sense of accomplishment. 

The movie also showcases how people take up running for different reasons and how it ends up transforming their lives for the better. It may come at the cost of forgoing a few relationships due to the lifestyle change. However, when you bask in the glory of the finish line with that dazzling finisher’s medal, with a sea of faces cheering for you, it compensates for that small loss.  

Brittany Runs a marathon certainly gives you that runner’s high by just sitting on that couch and it inspires every non-runner to take that first step out of the door.