On the Big Screen for One Night: "Spirit of the Marathon"
on January 24 National CineMedia's Fathom, Active.com and Wasserman Media Group present documentary in more than 460 select theaters nationwide
CENTENNIAL, Colo. - For many runners, a marathon is measured by much
more than miles, kilometers or the hours it takes to complete - it's
measured by sweat, blisters and perseverance, as well as physical
and mental endurance. The documentary, "Spirit of the Marathon,"
captures the individual journeys six runners take to prepare for and
ultimately face the challenge of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon
in an extraordinary theatre event that portrays the drama of the
famed 26.2 mile race. More than a sports event, "Spirit of the
Marathon" is an inspirational journey with unique, theatre-only
features that will be embraced by runners and non-runners alike.
National CineMedia's (NCM) Fathom, in partnership with Active.com,
an online community of the Active Network, and Wasserman Media
Group, is proud to present "Spirit of the Marathon" on the big
screen in high-definition with Cinema Surround Sound on Thursday,
January 24th at 7:30pm local time to more than 460 participating AMC
Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA Inc., Goodrich Quality Theaters,
Marcus Theatres, National Amusements and Regal Entertainment Group
movie theatres and the Penn Cinema (Lititz, PA) performing arts
center through NCM's Digital Broadcast Network.
A "Behind-the-Scenes" featurette produced specifically for - and
shown only at this one-night event - includes interviews with the
director and producers as well as marathon veterans reminiscing
about their first marathon experiences. The featurette highlights
deleted scenes, dramatic race footage and previews the upcoming 2008
Beijing Olympics with a Q&A session with Olympians Deena Kastor and
Ryan Hall.
Tickets for this special one-time-only event are available at
presenting theatre box offices and online at
http://www.FathomEvents.com
For a complete list of presenting theatre locations and prices,
please visit the Fathom website.
Four years in the making, "Spirit of the Marathon" is the
collaborative effort of three-time Academy Award winner Mark
Jonathon Harris, Telly Award winner and marathon runner Jon Dunham
and producer / marathoner Gwendolen Twist. Filmed on four
continents, the movie brings together a diverse cast of amateur
athletes and marathon veterans including:
* Deena Kastor - 2004 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist - As a
professional runner for more than a decade, Deena had set numerous
U.S. and world records, but never attained a marathon victory. The
Team Running USA athlete set her sights on a win at the Chicago
Marathon before preparing for the 2008 Olympic Games.
* Leah Caille - First-time marathoner - Picking up the pieces from
her failed marriage, single-mother Leah found herself at an all-time
low. Leah regained health and happiness by joining a running program
and completing many races before deciding to train for and run the
Chicago Marathon.
* Gerald "Jerry" Meyers - Four-time marathoner - Jerry has been a
runner since the 1970s, but never ran a marathon until he was 65. He
races in the Chicago Marathon at 70 years old with his 40-year-old
daughter who was inspired to train for the marathon by her father's
marathon accomplishments.
* Daniel Njenga - World class marathoner - A native of Nyahururu,
Kenya, Daniel lives and trains in Japan where he is a two-time
winner of the Tokyo International Marathon. Daniel has finished in
the top three in the Chicago Marathon for six consecutive years with
a personal best of 2:06:16 which ranks him as one of the all-time
fastest runners in the world.
* Lori O'Connor - First-time marathoner - Lori, a Northwestern
University student pursuing her doctorate in sociology, trained for
four months to race in the Chicago Marathon while raising funds for
Genesis of Pittsburgh, the non-profit adoption agency that matched
her with a family as an infant.
* Ryan Bradley - Boston Marathon hopeful - Ryan's participation in
and completion of the Chicago Marathon will ultimately help him
reach his goal of running in the Boston Marathon - a goal he
previously missed by 11 seconds. Cameras follow Ryan as he trains
for the Chicago Marathon and ultimately experiences the marathon in
a way he never imagined.
"It was a thrill to be a part of 'Spirit of the Marathon' and even
more exciting to see the essence of this great sport captured so
beautifully," said Deena Kastor, a two-time Olympian. "It is my
greatest hope that millions will relate to 'Spirit of the Marathon'
and that many more be inspired by it."
"NCM Fathom is excited to partner with Wasserman Media Group to
bring this inspirational and educational theatre event to the big
screen following its recognition at the Chicago International Film
Festival," said Dan Diamond, vice president of NCM Fathom. "'Spirit
of the Marathon' is an event that will connect young and old, those
who run and those who don't. It is a powerful experience for all."
For more information, contact: Melissa Leggett, Spirit of the
Marathon, (213) 625-1801 or mleggett@calico1880.com
# # #
Special thanks to
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director.
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
http://www.runningusa.org
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