From Fat To Finish Line the documentary Nashville Premiere

So the last few weeks have been an exciting whirl-wind. I'm practically pinching myself that it all just happened.

Official movie poster! 

After three years in the making, From Fat to Finish Line the documentary premiered at the Nashville Film Festival this past week.

My "industry pass" and screening tickets

Wow. What a trip.

It was exciting and nerve-wracking to think that the film we've labored over for years (and one that showcases one of the most difficult runs of my life) was going to be viewed by strangers on an enormous screen and in a real-live movie theater. 

It started with a little more than half the team traveling to Nashville to be a part of the screening. A few of the team couldn't be there for various reasons and that was the toughest part. It made everything just slightly bitter-sweet because I kept thinking of them and wishing them there. I know that it was hard on them to not be there as well and that made me sad. We are planning on doing quite a few festivals so I'm sure that everyone will get the chance to see it on the big screen and enjoy a festival so that is the good news. 

Aside from Linda who came in a little later that day and Carly who came in for the second screening later that week, the team who was there and myself decided to kick off the premiere day by running a local 5K. It was fantastic and fun. Every run should be filled with that kind of joy.

Allison, Me, Rik, Lealah, Meredith, John

Then we had a nice post race brunch in a fun Nashville spot, relaxed for a bit and got ready for the premiere!  

There was a red carpet and we got interviewed and pictures taken! 

Me

The team and Director:

Allison, Meredith, Rik, Lealah, John, Linda, Me, and Angela

We had two screenings with Q&A's afterward. 

We were flying high and then Runner's World ran an online story about the premiere! How fricken cool.  You can see the article here and they even linked to the trailer. 

People seemed to really love the movie. 

Here's a girl with her own amazing story who wanted a picture with Carly and I after the second screening. Stuff like this makes all the hard work worth it. I was just blown away:

Carly, Annette, Me 

The plan right now is to do a festival circuit of various cities (I will let you know where and when) and then be ready to distribute for the public by January. 

It leaves me speechless. Who knew that all those years ago when I decided to pick up a pair of running sneakers, and try to run for a minute and made an audacious goal of running a race that it would lead to all this stuff? God/the universe/ whatever you want to call it just works in mysterious ways. I'm so thankful and grateful for this journey. 

XO

Jen 

BIG NEWS! We are making a running documentary!

interviewing teammate
(and BL season 10 contestant) Ada Wong

I've been sitting on this secret for a few months now and finally we are at the point where we can announce it, shout it to the world!

We are making a movie!

Specifically, a running documentary!

More specifically a running documentary about my relay team's journey and race of the Miami, 2013 Ragnar!

What makes us so special? Well, each member of the team has lost an average of 100 pounds or more through eating right and running. That's what.

When I was invited onto this team, by Katie from Runs For Cookies,  I was honored and blown away. Thrilled. As a runner this was an unbelievable opportunity and a running dream come true.

As I got to know my AMAZING running-mates, the producer in me realized, "holy shit. There's a documentary in here!"

We will tell the back stories of all the runners, how they got heavy, battled the weight, continue to keep it off and how they began running - we'll then show the nitty-gritty of the actual race.

I think it'll be awesome. :) But I suppose I am biased.

As I spoke it over with my producing partners, we all got very excited and the idea was born.

We started filming a few weeks ago and I think it's going to be an awesome adventure.

We are calling the documentary From Fat To Finish Line. I grappled with this title big time and it made me uncomfortable to call it this. This documentary is NOT my story. It's the story of all 12 of us runners. I haven't lost the most weight on the team and my blog popularity is modest compared to some of my power-house blogging teammates.  So I really didn't want people getting the wrong idea with the title.

Still, my production partners and our agents all thought this was too strong of a title to not use it though. So From Fat To Finish Line the film was born.

interviewing teammate John

We are in the early fundraising stages of the film. Getting financed is never easy but we believe that this project will be super inspirational, motivational and exciting. I am going to DREAM BIG and believe we'll reach this finish line!

interviewing teammate Mary

You can keep up on the members of the team as well as the progress of the film by liking the film's From Fat To Finish Line - the Documentary Facebook page and following the film on Twitter!

Please take the time to follow both building up a community of fans can only help us out!

To say I'm excited is a gross understatement. This is the culmination of all of my passions. Running, health, helping others to get healthy, story telling and film making. This project is super, special to me and I'm so blessed to be a part of it - and so blessed to be on a team of such amazing, inspirational and passionate people.

Wish us luck! This is gonna be a hell of a journey :)

Here are all the runners and their blogs:

Rik (our team captain)
Katie (from 'Runs for Cookies')
Mary from 'a small loss'
Linda from 'Frickin Fabulous at 40'
Allison (no blog, but she's lost weight and taken up running)
ME! (from 'From FAT to Finish Line')
Andrea (who was on Oprah for her weight loss)

Meredith (lost 101 pounds and won her way to the team thru Katie's blog)
Jen S (from 'Miles, Muscles, and Mommyhood')
Lealah (from 'Lealah on a Mission')
John (SparkPeople success story manager, and success story himself)
Ada (from 'The Biggest Loser' Season 10)

What is your favorite running movie or documentary?

XO
Jen