Eric Sense(less)man & His Cocodona 250 Journey by Dylan Harris | Friday Films

If there is only one ultrarunning documentary you’re gonna watch in your lifetime, this one by Dylan Harris would be a fine choice for that one-of.

Here is a story of human perserverance in one of its simplest forms. Keep going even when you think you can’t. Lose yourself to find your limits, then go beyond, senseless, to find a new, truer version of you.

“This film contains so much artistry, thoughtfulness and fine-tuned story-telling. It is exquisite. I can only imagine the amount of editing that went into this. Incredible job, Dylan Harris. And thank you to the one-of-a-kind Eric Senseman for allowing this journey to be shared. Beautiful,” wrote Jec Ballou. And he is right.

This is a story of Eric Senseman’s 2022 Cocodona 250 race. While Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy was the first to cross the finish line that year, Senseman embraced his own reasons for ever starting to run: “… I became engrossed with running, in part, because it made me feel like a kid,” he wrote in his piece for the rabbit blog. It’s beautiful to see him cover the miles with an attitude like no other—and it must have been even more inspiring to witness this in person.

“… what really stuck out to me was the relationship between Eric and his wife! I’ve seen so many other runners sort of blow off their partner at aid points, but even when he’s hurting so bad he always gives her a hug and a kiss before taking off again,” wrote Emma Happy.

Watch Senseman’s journey in this film by Dylan Harris.

Inaugural Year: The Story of Cocodona 250 | Video

A film by Dylan Harris, Inaugural Year isn’t only about the story of the race itself but also (or perhaps mainly) about the stories of the people who spent days conquering the 250 miles long course.

On May 3, 2021, 176 runners toed the starting line of Cocodona 250, a brand new footrace that was to take them through true Old West towns as well as some really dark patches. A lot can and will happen during any ultra but 250 miles offer a lot more opportunities for things to go wrong (or right!) than your usual 50-miler, and this film portrays beautifully the runners’ struggle to get to the finish line, the highs and the lows and unpredictable ups and downs of such an event.

With interviews from Michael Versteeg, the winner of the inaugural Cocodona 250 and, therefore, the first person to ever finish the race, Pete Mortimer, who came in second, Maggie Guterl, the first female finisher, and other incredible athletes who took on the course, this short film is a beautiful portrayal of the race and well worth a watch.

If video embed doesn’t work on your device, click HERE to watch the film directly on YouTube.