Road Runner Girl: Spirit of the Marathon II

Disclaimer: I received two complimentary movie passes and press release materials from NCM Fathom Events in exchange for my post promoting the movie. As always all opinions are mine and mine alone!

As runners we know how hard it is to run a marathon. It's not just a day when you go out and run 26.2 miles. It takes motivation, commitment, dedication, and sacrifice. It takes many long training runs when you could be sleeping in or enjoying that time with your family. It takes many nights of going to bed early because you have a long run the next morning. It takes many days of sore muscles and injury prevention. And that is just the training. Come race day...it takes even more. Overcoming the mental battle during a marathon is one of the toughest things I've ever experienced. Learning that your body can do a lot more than your mind thinks it can is a hard lesson to learn. Why do we, as runners, put ourselves through all of this? That's a question I get asked a ton! A simple, "because I love to run," is hard for most to understand. But it's the truth. Some runners run for other reasons...because a loved one is sick, to raise money for charity, or to honor the memory of someone. No matter the reason...it's always worth the sacrifice!

Many of you saw the movie "Spirit of the Marathon" a few years ago. It was about 6 runners who trained and ran the Chicago Marathon. As a runner it is a must see! Guess what? "Spirit of the Marathon II" is premiering THIS Wednesday night in select theaters nationwide!

This movie is about the journey 7 marathon runners experience while training and competing in the Rome Marathon. It's about the journey that changed their lives forever. The movie features amateur and veteran marathoners:

Julie Weiss – Veteran Marathoner – At the Rome Marathon, Julie began a quest to run a marathon a week for a year to honor the memory of her father on an emotional journey to spread awareness and raise money for pancreatic cancer - the devastating disease that claimed his life.

Ylenia Anelli – First-time Marathoner – While struggling to keep her mom-and -pop running shoe store open in Milan and raising two children, Ylenia takes on the challenge of training to run her first marathon.

Vasyl Matviychuk – Olympic Marathoner Hopeful – The elite marathoner trains with the pride of country in his heart in hopes that a fast time at theRome Marathon will earn him the last spot on the Ukrainian National Olympic Team.

Mimmo Scipioni – Veteran Marathoner – The good-natured, hard-working owner of"Pizzeria II Podista" (The Runner Pizzeria) in Rome, Mimmo has lined his pizzeria’s walls with photos and trophies from the more than 40 marathons he has run. It is a pre-race tradition for runners to carbo load with Mimmo. For Mimmo, the family tradition of running the Rome Marathon is in jeopardy due to a nagging injury.

Domenico Anzini – Veteran Marathoner – Prodded by his cousin Mimmo, it took a lot of convincing for Domenico to give running a try. Now, 18 years later, the 73-year-old has run in everyRome Marathon since its inception. The camaraderie and humor the cousins share during their training runs goes to the heart of family.

Cliff Scott – First-time Marathoner – Scott’s bucket list decision to run his first marathon in his 60’s is an inspiration unto itself. When faced with an unimaginable family tragedy he struggles to make peace with himself during training runs in the woods. It is painfully obvious that his loss has taken its toll and calls into question whether he will be able to finish the Rome Marathon.

Epiphanie Nyirabarame – Two-time Olympian – One of the few professional runners in Rwanda, Epiphanie proudly represents her country around the world to create change for women. Having been deeply affected by the genocide in 1994, Epiphanie uses her resources to invest in her community, advocating for progress and growth, especially for the future generation of runners.

The movie will also have interviews with marathon greats Stefano Baldini, Paula Radcliffe, Frank Shorter, Kathrine Switizer and others. There will also be deleted scenes and memorable outtakes from the filming of the movie.

The movie's producers, NCM Fathom Events and movie theater circuit partners AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. and Regal Entertainment Group—will donate a portion of the proceeds from the “Spirit of the Marathon II” event to The One Fund Boston, assisting families affected by the tragic events of the 2013 Boston Marathon on April 15. The Competitor Group (the ones who put on the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series), along with other running organizations, have created the RunNow.com to also raise money for The One Fund Boston and promote people to run.

Visit the Fathom Events website for a list of theaters near you that will be broadcasting the movie Wednesday night at 7PM local time.

You can purchase your tickets online at the Fathom Events website or purchase them at your local participating box office. I wouldn't wait to purchase tickets....it's sure to sell out quick!

Here's the official trailer for the movie! I can't wait to see it!!!