Run, Fat Boy, Run — Runners Can Laugh at Our Own Expense

Last night I watched ‘Run, Fat Boy, Run’ a comedy starring Simon Peg, the other really funny Brit I like. The other one being Russell Brand. It did a good job of injecting just enough runner humor that us harriers could relate to and enjoy but still would be funny to ‘normal’ people who think the whole running in circles thing is for the insane.

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I’ll give you a few highlights that I particularly enjoyed and also a few things that we can learn from our little fat, running friend:

* Cop runs down shoplifting drag queen. This is before he actually starts attempting to run and pot-belly and all he huffs and puffs down the street after the offending ‘woman.’ Our lady is stealing a bra and panty set from the lingerie store our fat boy works as a rent-a-cop. If he had been fleeter of foot the whole mess would have been dealt with faster and easier, though wouldn’t have allowed us to laugh as much at his own expense. This one reminded me of the stories I’ve heard about cops who actually are runners and they are able to chase down their suspects. The one that comes to mind was a marathoner cop and upon tackling the young man to the ground he said something along the lines of, “Sucks for you I’m a marathoner.”

* Three weeks to a marathon. The fat boy decides he’s going to be able to complete a full marathon with only three weeks notice. Here cinema takes a little creative license, but we’ve got to make it worth watching and up the ante I suppose. In real life he’d probably be able to walk/jog the whole thing…again, I sort of think if Oprah can do one, anyone could.

* Rocking the bunhuggers. On his first venture out running he is wearing the male equivalent of bunhuggers...he knows they feel good and I guess figured if they’re good enough for the elites they are good enough for him. Too bad it’s the elite women, and honestly I don’t think we’d want to be watching a man run in bunhuggers for 26.2 miles…but that’s just me.

* Nip guards and chaffage. Before the big day his friend is oh so kind to offer him up some nip guards for the race. Now they joke, but I’ve talked to plenty of guys who swear by these things. I know normal chaffage hurts, I can only imagine.

* Falling in a race. Here was the only one that kind of bugged me. For dramatic effect he gets shoved to the ground after the first few miles and they show him with some scraped knees. They make it appear like if you go down that’s it. Well, I’m sorry but if all you’ve got is a little road rash then pick yourself up mister and get ‘er done! Who hasn’t been spiked in a race, there’s more blood loss there. Granted fallings SUCKS but then again should I remind us all that Lassie Viren went down in the 1972 Olympic 10k final and still got up and won the darn thing!

* Hitting the wall. I won’t spoil it for everyone, but they have a cute way of depicting this one. From what I’ve heard though it’s probably pretty close to what it would feel like. My mom doesn’t even remember the last six miles of her first marathon and I love Lauren Fleshman’s quote from her first, “There was a personal hell…it’s just surviving…get me to the next mile, get me to the next five feet.”

Another highlight was that he goes through most of his training running in cut-off jean shorts!! Ack…if the first time back from that run and into the shower didn’t teach him a lesson I don’t know what would!

I had laughs and at the expense of being a runner…sure, they can make fun of us all we want but you know what, I’m happy being a BodyGlide wearing, short shorts donning, carbo-scarfing runner. And I’m pretty sure I could chase down a bra stealing drag queen if I had too. 😉

1) Have you ever seen this movie? What’s your favorite running movie?
Prefontaine or Without Limits (both pretty much the same story/movie…haha)

2) What’s one of the funny jokes or stereotypes you think ‘normal’ people have about us runners?
This isn’t funny…but apparently there are still people that think we enjoy getting yelled at from their cars. Seriously, “Run, Forrest, Run” should be erased from everyone’s minds.

3) Where else in life do you think it would come in handy to be a runner? (as in the case of a cop chasing down a fugitive)

4) Could you outrace a drag queen?