Film Recap: The Western States / UTMB Double
Written by RunFilms.co on 2023-08-31 12:32:51
After injury kept her from racing for years, Marianne Hogan jumped back into trail running by attempting to finish not only her first 100-miler race, but two of the most competitive and toughest 100-milers: Western States and UTMB.
In The Western States/UTMB Double, filmmaker Rob Steger follows Marianne as she races the 2022 editions of Western States and UTMB. The film intercuts footage from the races with Marianne, who recounts her experience of grappling with injury and returning to racing. The film briefly touches on how these two events, though both marquee events in trail running, are very different experiences due to their technicality, weather conditions, and vert.
Marianne’s personality shines through in this film (watch the bloopers at the end). She is always positive, makes the best of an unfortunate injury, and is funny. She shares some wisdom like the importance of having fun on race day and why she sleeps in her race clothes the night before the race. Footage from before her injury (presumably filmed before this project was conceived) helps to provide context for this achievement as goals that had been interrupted by an unfortunate incident.
The film also features interviews with Marianne’s parents, brother, crew, and Jim Walmsley.
While many trail running documentaries lean heavily on impressive visuals like scenic beauty shots and drone footage, this film feels much more in-the-trenches, which gives it an authentic feel. While the film had brand support, Steger managed to avoid hitting the audience over the head with product shots. The editing could be tighter, but despite its 48-minute runtime, the film manages to stay engaging—which is in large part probably due to Marianne's likeability.
Trail running enthusiasts who are already familiar with Western States and UTMB will enjoy this film, as the film only lightly touches on the races themselves, rightfully keeping the focus on Marianne navigating this challenge.
Filmmaker Rob Steger is perhaps best known for his podcast The Training for Ultra Podcast and TV series on Amazon, Running the Triple Crown.
