The Toughest Man Alive?

I have seen a lot of movies this year in the theater. In fact, I have seen eight of the ten movies nominated for “Best Picture” at next weekend’s Academy Awards. So yesterday, I decided to cross another best picture nominee off my list – 127 Hours.

127 Hours tells the story of Aron Ralston. While canyoneering in Utah, Aron feel into Blue John Canyon and got his arm stuck under a boulder. After six days of being trapped, Aron’s will to survive allowed him to saw his arm off and escape the canyon.

Here is actual audio from Aron’s video camera before he made the decision to saw his arm off…

And here is video of Aron describing the amputation to Tom Brokaw…

Quick movie review: One word – powerful. Danny Boyle, the director of the movie, does a masterful job building suspense with such a limited story. Additionally, after watching a few videos of the real life Aron Ralston, I think James Franco nailed his portrayal of Ralston.

After leaving the movie theater, I called my mother to tell her that I loved the movie, but I recommended that she shouldn't go see it. She would pass out during the scene where Franco saws off his arm. Anyway, she reminded me of something that I had forgotten. Aron Ralston was mentioned in Born to Run, which, for those of you haven’t read my blog much, is the book that inspired my blog.

Turns out that Aron, aside from being the toughest man alive, is also an ultramarathoner. Little over a year after sawing his arm off, Aron completed the grueling Leadville Trail 100 ultramarathon. Here is a brief description of the race from Wikipedia…

Leadville Trail 100 Ultramarathon (aka The Race Across The Sky or the LT100), first run in 1983, is an ultramarathon held annually on trails and dirt roads at high altitude west and south of Leadville, Colorado, through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The course is difficult, with runners climbing and descending 15,600 feet (4,800 m), with elevations ranging between 9,200-12,620 feet. Because of its difficulty, it is common for less than half the starters to complete the race ahead of its 30 hour time limit.

How much more gnarly can a human being be?

I’ll leave you with some wisdom from Mr. Ralston…

“At this point, I've got the confidence to know that I'll get through anything in my life given I have the motivation to do it, ... If it's an act of survival, we've all got a reason to keep living. It may not be pretty, but surviving is grit and determination in its highest form. I learned that I've got the capacity to do a hell of a lot more than I thought I could if I have the proper motivation.” –Aron Ralston

Day #10: 6.4 miles - 48 min.