The Badwater 135: it's a true ultramarathon, more than five times as long as a traditional marathon. The route runs across Death Valley and up steep mountain roads, and the race takes place in July, when the temperatures can rise to more than 120 degrees. Who runs this race, and why? There's no prize money waiting, only a commemorative belt buckle for those who finish within 60 hours. There's little recognition outside of the community of ultramarathoners. But there's obviously something special: something that brings 40 entrants to Badwater each summer, many of them returning year after year. Running on the Sun follows a handful of these participants, tracing their journey from the start line to the finish while also using pre-race interview footage to give some context to each runner's motivations for tackling the Badwater.

What's perhaps most striking about the Badwater 135 runners is that they're very ordinary people in most respects. They could be your co-workers, your friends, the people you sit next to on a bus. In a culture where we're increasingly insulated from any pain or discomfort, where we can step from air-conditioned house to air-conditioned car to air-conditioned office or shopping mall, what does it tell us that a man in his 60s can face 115-degree heat on a 135-mile run, with a smile on his face? In a society with an epidemic of obesity among able-bodied people who simply don't choose to exercise or eat right, what does it tell us that someone with an artificial arm and leg stands side by side on the Badwater starting line with a tough Marine drill instructor? Running on the Sun suggests that these people understand something that too many people have forgotten: that there's something special to be gained testing yourself to your physical and mental limits... and whether it takes a 135-mile run in Death Valley to do that, or something less dramatic, this kind of self-challenge is extremely valuable.

Overall, Running on the Sun is a well-crafted film, one that sucks you in to its deceptively simple subject matter. The film follows a chronological structure, starting with pre-race day as we meet some of the participants, and then following them on the road as the race begins. The camera alternates between the various runners on the road, letting us see their progress along the grueling route to the finish; especially toward the end of the race, there are some scenes that are not for the squeamish, as the runners deal with problems like horrific blisters. We get a personal connection with each runner: not only are we following them as they run, but we get to hear from them about how they're feeling and how they plan to deal with the remaining miles. Moments of pain abound, but also moments of camaraderie, humor, and simple joy.

One of the things that helps make Running on the Sun so effective is the simple technique of keeping us updated on where the runners are along the route. To begin with, a very nicely done graphic at the beginning of the film shows us the overall route, both in an overhead map and an elevation map depicting the hills the runners have to face. During the race, whenever the camera switches to a different runner, we get a caption with the runner's name and the mile that they've reached; the men's and women's front-runners are also indicated. This is extremely helpful in keeping us in touch with what's going on.

The structure isn't perfect, to be sure. The opening section of the film is a bit disorganized; those who are familiar with the ultramarathon world will have no trouble leaping into the events, but I wished for a clearer explanation at the beginning of what the Badwater 135 was. Towards the end, the pacing, which has been excellent throughout all the middle of the film, sags a little bit. Overall, though, Running on the Sun manages to make a very simple idea extremely gripping, and the hour and forty minutes length is just about right.

The DVD

Video

The image quality for Running on the Sun is very good, especially considering the filming conditions: most of the footage was shot on the road during the race, not in a lighting-controlled studio. The image is bright and clean, with colors looking natural and contrast also fine. The sections of the film that take place during the night are grainier but still watchable; all in all, the image quality is quite solid.

Running on the Sun is presented in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Don't be misled by the fact that the trailer on the DVD shows the film in widescreen: it's apparent that the film was cropped on top and bottom for the trailer, and what we see in the feature is the full original image.

Audio

While the image quality is better than expected, given the trying conditions of filming, the sound quality isn't equally good. The Dolby 2.0 track is subdued; at its best it sounds somewhat flat, and on many occasions it becomes very muffled-sounding, rendering the participants' voices difficult to understand. If you're willing to boost the volume up periodically, it's an adequate track, and at least there's no background noise or distortion.

Extras

Several short special features appear on the Running on the Sun DVD. First, we get a 13-minute interview with Mel Stuart, the director of the film, followed by an interview with the race organizer, Chris Kostman (also 13 minutes). Between the two, we get a nice look at the background of both the race and the film. There's also a 5-minute mini-featurette about the 25th anniversary running of the Badwater 135, and a trailer for the film.

Final thoughts

Running on the Sun is one of those surprise gems: I would never have thought that a documentary film about an ultra-marathon could be as fascinating as this, but it is. With its focus squarely on the human face of the event, examining the personal battles going on between each runner and the challenging course, Running on the Sun is a worthwhile viewing experience for athletes and non-athletes alike. It's recommended.