Alone, Together

The Speed Project is an unforgettable and unforgiving 340-mile journey from LA to Las Vegas, usually contested as a relay race with six team members. This March, 2:19 marathoner and former Tracksmith accountant Jason Ayr attempted to run it on his own. No stranger to high mileage or late nights and armed with an obsessively plotted excel pace sheet, Jason set out to understand his capacity for distance. Together with his support crew, including his partner and fellow marathoner, Sam Roecker, it was an adventure across the desert and into the unknown. As the challenge unfolded over several days, it became evident that the journey is always more rewarding when shared.
This short film is directed by the team at Thereabouts with an original score by Saunder Juriaans and Dani Bensi, best-known for their work on the scores of TV shows including Ozark and The Staircase as well as films like Martha Marcy, May, Marlene, The Enemy and The Devil all the Time.

[@rememberthestoke]

Honestly a pretty challenging story to tell. As a film maker myself it’s always challenging when the hero’s journey is cut super short by injury and yet Angus does an unreal job of keeping the viewer captivated for a whole 25min! 🤯 The precise, slow yet enthralling cinematography mixed with a super unique style of directing make this piece truly phenomenal. Well done Angus and team for taking a disappointing DNF and creating a masterpiece

[@palpafilms]

Whoever made this, well done.

[@davidfecteau1027]

Terrific film. Thank you for releasing this. And as a resident of Philadelphia, thank you for showing Philly in such a positive light.

[@sansfoy1114]

There is a partial truth about how we’re individuals determining our lives that substitutes for a more robust truth about how we’re individuals within a society of human persons: alone, together. This short film exemplifies well the complexity and necessity between the part and the whole, the individual and society. Our victories (and failures) are our own and other’s, too. The race is the inciting incident that gives way to a beautiful expression of this relationship-of the relationship between the runner, his fiancé, the support crew, and the goal. The cinematography and soundtrack powerfully reinforce this dynamic between solitude and society, and movement from sea and city (Santa Monica) to desert austerity (Barstow) is the nomenclature that universalizes this quest story. In this way-and others-the film is a mighty grain of sand. Congratulations. Your films are always so good.

[@user-fs6ri8zf1x]

Great acts of TRUTH

[@electromanipulaxion]

i feel this is exactly what i needed to watch ahead of running my first marathon in 2 years this weekend ❤❤❤

[@user-fs6ri8zf1x]

5:30 I have been living this nightmare since 2014, in and out of varying nighmarish modalities. Your content has pulled me out breathe vi breathe.

[@WillMeehan]

Beautiful cinematography

[@echoerica]

Incredible story!

[@slushpuppii]

Loved this 💯

[@Rehspeck]

Absolutely inspiring and what an effort by Jason. Really would love to run this one day with a team

[@NamiAssir]

Unbelievable storytelling

[@cemozd]

inspirational!

[@mmh53]

well done guys!

[@MusicallyProper]

Cheese pizza and ranch…haha. Where’s the sleeves, CBD oil, stretching, and elevating. I would’ve liked to see a bit more of Jason’s recovery techniques leading up to the injury. Overall, a great watch. That moment when the grinding train tracks interrupt the silence was a great visceral reminder of Jason’s agony, of the chaos inside the mind and body when facing defeat.

[@andrewshelley2161]

this was shot incredibly...

[@michaelhaney1357]

excellent

[@sixfeatsmall05]

"Turn the camera off" Why? There are zero reasons he shouldn't be able to perform his job while being filmed...or is there?