4am (MDT) on August 17 was a very unusual time for a film premier. But there was a very specific reason that professional skier Drew Petersen’s raw and powerful documentary about running and mental health, Feel It All, was unleashed onto YouTube at that exact time.
Because it coincided with the start of Colorado’s Leadville Trail 100 Run, aka, the “Race Across the Sky”, one the world’s most legendary ultra marathons, which was first held in 1983. It’s a gruelling 100 mile (161km) course that includes skiing and running up and down several 14,000-foot (4,267m) peaks. This year Petersen was among the runners.
Feel It All chronicles Petersen’s journey from the depths of deep depression to finding purpose, strength and resilience by setting a goal to run the Leadville Trail 100 ultramarathon. It tells an immersive story of how within the struggle of living with mental illness lies an opportunity to access an infinite, inexhaustible well of strength to achieve our limitless potential. “The film aims to ultimately create powerful cultural change around mental health awareness and suicide prevention,” says the official website.
So yeah, there’s some majestic and stirring skiing and running footage too.
It’s not Petersen’s first foray into this area. His 2022 release, Ups and Downs, was a ski film that dealt with PTSD, bipolar disorder, brain injury rehabilitation and suicide. Petersen hopes that Feel It All will expand the message further.
“Ups and Downs was, in its core, a ski movie. I don't know if I want to use the word 'just’, but it was just a ski film,” Petersen told the website POWDER. “And Feel It All takes that, brings in running, brings in a whole parallel community, broadens it to the outdoor community.”
- If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. (US only)
- When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch. (UK only)
- Lifeline is available on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au. (Australia only)
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