Seen Any Good Movies Lately?

In the last few weeks I’ve watched 5 movies that I enjoyed. Here they are…

Running the Sahara. This is a National Geographic documentary about three guys who decide to run across the Sahara Desert and their many challenges in carrying through on it. Great story. You can download it from their website at http://www.runningthesahara.com/

Bicycle Dreams. I started watching TV coverage of Race Across America (RAAM) back in the 1980s when it got quite a bit of air time. I haven’t seen anything of it in the media for years. Someone sent this DVD to me or I may not have come across it. This is a documentary of the 2005 race. It gave me a better sense of what the riders experience. What a huge challenge this is. The website is http://bicycledreamsmovie.com . You can get it through Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/yjpeg6m

A Ride With George Hincapie. This is an extended interview with George, most of it done while he’s on a training ride. You will learn more about one of the most popular cyclists in the pro field. I came away rooting for him to win Paris-Roubaix this year (April 11). You can learn more about it and order the DVD here - http://www.aridewithgeorge.com

Food Inc. This one is not a sports movie. It’s a food movie. If you eat food you should watch it. It reminded me a lot of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, a book by Michael Pollan. In fact, Pollan is in the flick. You can watch a trailer and order it at http://www.foodincmovie.com or at iTunes.com.

The Triplets of Belleview. Like animated movies and cycling? Then you’ll love this one. I liked it so much I’ve watched it three times. It’s the story of a little boy who grows up to be a Tour de France racer and is kidnapped by the mob. His grandmother and obese dog Bruno set out to rescue him aided by three sisters who were singers in the 1930s. You can order it here - http://tinyurl.com/ygbo649

Comments

[Geoff A]

Food Inc, very interesting watch. Recommended by a family member, then passed on to another family member after we watched it. Supports some of the concepts of the Paleo diet, and our need for better nutrition. I really enjoyed the film, and as a result found out that most of my family is allergic to a variety of food.

Not necessarily due to the movie Food Inc, but as part of the overall fitness move within our family (and extended family) we now enjoy a much healthier high fiber diet, get regular exercise, and watch ... very closely... what lunch is made of. Of course going out to eat is a bit like walking the proverbial minefield, with so many varied needs.

Also, I'm very intrigued by the concept of Gluten Free and Endurance Sports. Joe, do you think the inflammatory response that so many of us have without even realizing it, would slow down recovery time, increase muscle fatigue, and decrease economy? This is a theory bouncing around in my head.

There's some coaches that insist on their cycling teams going GF (Gluten Free) during training, and event. I believe team Garmin is one, and there's another that I can't remember off the top of my head.

[Joe Friel]

Geoff A—Thanks for your comment. There’s no doubt that diet is critical to recovery and performance. What exactly all of the up/downsides are is still unknown. You can’t go wrong, however, by eating real food as opposed to supplements.