The Pyreneese Project
As some of you may know if you are familiar with me, I am a professional photographer and filmmaker. I am currently in the middle of shooting a documentary about an ultra runner named Ben Light. The idea behind the documentary is pretty crazy. Ben is going to run the length of the Pyrenees Mountains, along the tops, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. And he is planning on doing it in 8 days. Without any outside help from anyone.
Now think about that for a second. The distance is right around 500 miles and it has some crazy elevation changes as well. 500 miles in 8 days, while carrying your tent and supplies on your back.
Ben won't be carrying the whole 8 days worth of supplies with him at all times. When we get to Spain, we are going to be starting at the end of the route and then working back towards the starting point and Ben will be dropping supply bags along the way, marking the location and hiding them in hopes that no one will find them before he gets back to them. In the bags, he will have a change of shoes and some food. So right now he is planning his distances he thinks that he can make each day and getting spots ready that he feels will be good drop points for his stuff.
The record for this trail is held by Killian Jornet and it is 8 days 7 hours, but Killian ran the route supported, meaning that he had a team of people with him that helped him with supplies and other stuff along the way. I am hoping to be able to get an interview with Killian next month when we travel to Colorado for one of the big races.
Right now we are doing some filming prior to our departure and getting the story dialed in. We really don't know what to expect when we get to Spain and Ben starts running because he will be running for 20 hours each day and only sleeping for 3 hours. We don't really know what the effects will be on his body or his mind.
Been has been continuing his training to prepare for this. In the past few weeks, I went with him and his wife to his wife's first 100 mile race. It is a pretty cool thing for them because they have been working on this feat together and they were able to accomplish it. This is them at the beginning of the race prior to them setting out for about 13 hours.
I am working on a promotional video right now to help pay for the whole trip. We are trying to raise $45,000 from corporate sponsors and Ben and I are working with DJI to try and get sponsorship for the film to get some of their new cameras that he could use while he is running.
Ben is having a custom bag made by one of the top companies in the ultra running world. It is pretty cool to go and see the progress of the backpack being made and all the changes that Ben suggests being done. One of my team members will be going up with Ben to see the newest changes on Thursday. Hopefully that is the final product and there aren't anymore changes that need to be done.
I will be sharing more updates with you all about the Pyrenees Project as we do more. I just got done filming at a place called Neuroworx. It is a rehabilitation center for people with spinal injuries to help them recover. Ben is using the inspiring stories from the patients there as motivation for his running and help him push through his pain.
Be sure to follow me to stay up to date on the project, or if you are into photography or extreme sports. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. You are awesome.
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