Dr. Miriam Nelson and her colleagues at Tufts University, WGBH in Boston and NOVA produced a documentary that explores what it takes to run a marathon.  This project was really unique because it didn’t film experienced runners -- instead they recruited 13 sedentary people and trained them to become runners!  Thirteen relatively inactive people from the greater Boston area participated in the documentary. They ranged in age from 21 to 60 years. In addition to being sedentary, each participant had a unique challenge to overcome, diabetes, obesity, and a history of heart disease among them.

These 13 people, known as Team NOVA, began training for the Boston Marathon in July of 2006.  They could barely run one mile!  Over the course of 9 months, they worked with Tufts University Coach Don Megerle and elite marathoner Uta Pippig to learn how to train to run 26.2 miles! The NOVA runners were part of Tufts University’s President’s Marathon Challenge team, an annual marathon challenge from Tufts’ President, Larry Bacow, to support health, fitness, and nutrition programs at Tufts.

For 40 weeks cameras followed every aspect of Team NOVA’s training.  The documentary lets you see the transformation of these thirteen people – from the inside out!  It is truly an incredible story, which shows the huge impact physical activity can have on a person’s life.

You can watch a clip of it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHuYNb5Rnxg

Nova website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/marathon/