This documentary about three generations of women distance runners can perhaps be described best as a labor of love. This production was produced, directed, and edited by Charlotte Lettis Richardson over a five year period as she completed her Certificate in Film Production from the Northwest Film Institute. The package is complete with original music and never before seen footage from over 40 years of women stepping forward on the running scene. Released in 2005, the DVD is under the authority of "Fast Girl Productions" and can be obtained through their official motion picture website (runlikeagirlfilm.com) where you can also view a fascinating timeline to the history of women's running. The main theme examines how running has developed and changed for women over the past 40 and more years, and it illustrates the movement by featuring three athletes from three different eras. Although their stories are interwoven on screen (with artistic use of archived footage, still images, and superimposed layers of information) here is a brief look at each individual runner: Doris Brown Heritage (beginning her running in the late 1950's was an unusual thing for that time period as women were restricted by the discrimination present in the rules of the day; girls were not even allowed to use the track facilities much less the need to overcome the obstacles of uniforms, transportation, and just having meets that allowed women to compete were often difficult to find; although training techniques were not well know, Doris set records on the track, qualified and competed in Olympic competitions, and won several World Cross Country titles over the course of her athletic career; she reflects back years later to the meaning of her athletic accomplishments: "I'm not a valuable person because I ran fast, because I had a world record, but it helped me to have faith in myself so that I could go into other areas of life and put myself out on a scary edge"); Charlotte Lettis Richardson (when Charlotte started competing in the early 1970's, there was "Resistance at every turn; in races we are often laughed at by spectators on the sidelines; often there is no recognition at the end of the race that we had even finished"; in 1972 there was "great hope" when Title IX was passed by congress, yet the affects of this legislation would not be seen until 1975; from a grass roots movement grew a changing structure that acknowledged and promoted women's only events and opportunities that had never been realized before; Charlotte acknowledges that "In some ways I think sports teaches people how to do hard things; probably the losing was the place where I learned the most about myself; in the end the running was merely just a mirror to the rest of my life, a way of simplifying and finding out what was already there"); Camille Connelly (growing up in the 80's, Camille saw women training and competing in a variety of venues; she even participated in local road races as a child with her family; athletics and running were a way to have fun, form relationships with others, and be a part of a group; now as a high school senior, she want to train hard, compete to the fullest, and progress into the collegiate system on an athletic scholarship; she points out: "I want to take every opportunity and make the best of it; when I cross the finish line I want to be on the point of collapse; as a women, I believe that women should be in sports, I believe that I belong here"). Anyone would expect this film to be routinely shown in high school and college level classroom settings in courses such as Women's Studies and Contemporary Issues in Sports. With a running time of 40 minutes, it is a good length for a classroom introduction and discussion to follow. Yet our hope is that this documentary will be introduced far beyond institutional settings and will be widely seen by all people, men and women, athletic or not. People benefit in numerous ways, both internal and external, from various aspects of running, and taking the time to see this film will allow further growth in our individual journeys. As Charlotte states: "Most important, I learned that there is always another race or another chance to get things right. If you don't get it right the first time you can always try again". Doris Brown Heritage was inducted into the Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1990, and the Distance Running Hall of Fame in 2002. Carlotte Richardson continues in her coaching, filmmaking, and her responsibilities as a mother. Camille Connelly continues to compete in both cross country and track events at the University of Washington in Seattle.
