Cult of Running
SYNOPSIS
Between 2023 and 2025, a filmmaker documents Toronto's vibrant running scene, where the line between sport and religion is blurred. The film introduces us to Darren, an "old-school" coach involved in the community since the 1990s. The film also introduces us to Tristan and Ben—two newcomers who have quickly amassed their own loyal following of athletes.
At the center of the documentary is "Run to Montreal," a grueling annual ultra-relay race conceived by Darren, whose club, The RUNWAY, had won every single year since its inception. That streak ended in 2022, however, when Tristan and Ben’s club, Blue Devils, snatched the crown. Eager to re-establish his dominance in the running scene, Darren coaxes his reluctant rivals into a high-stakes rematch.
Beyond the race, the film examines modern running culture. It critiques the role of social media and consumerism in the running scene. It also captures the dedication of athletes in both the track scene and the road scene.
STATS
50 minutes. HD. English. 2026. Canada. Sports Documentary.
MJ Cobb - Director, Editor, Sound Mixer
Jayda Moore - Producer
Aaron Kelly - Camera
Wesley Ellis - Camera
Joshua Laforet - Field Recording
Chris Dekoning - Mentor
David Thompson - Mentor
On 27 February 2026, the film premiered at The Runners Academy in Toronto.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
I wanted to lose weight after COVID. So, when my friend, Cullen Ritchie, invited me to try out for the track and field team, I jumped at the chance.
During my first practice, I felt fat, slow and ridiculous. But I wound up meeting Tristan and Ben. Their zeal for running was infectious. Before I knew it, I was hooked too. During my lectures, all I could think about was running. One afternoon, I ran from downtown Toronto to Clarkson Station. That led to a pretty nasty injury.
At least the Strava post got lots of kudos.
Eventually, I overheard one of my teammates say: "Toronto's running scene is culty."
Huh...
I wanted to take a break from fiction films. They can be so bloody expensive! And, since running now populated my imagination, I thought to myself: "why not make a documentary? I could start production tomorrow, if I really wanted to!" This would be a cake walk compared to fiction filmmaking.
I was completely wrong.
This was the most challenging project I've worked on to date. It forced me to put myself out there, talk to strangers, and extract themes and narratives from hundreds of hours of footage. I gave up on the project at least a dozen times. But I always returned, hungry to crack it.
But when I think about all the people I met because of this project, and how their stories have shaped my own, I'm truly grateful for this project. It was always there for me. My love for documentary filmmaking grows day by day.
I like to say I made this film with five stones and a sling. What God gives us is more than enough. If there's a story on your heart, tell it.
The DVD cover for the film. The right panel is known as "The Face of Running." If you squint your eyes, you might see it.
COMMUNITY SCREENING
To fund the festival run, I organized a private screening for friends and family. We screened the film at Bevy, an iconic venue in Toronto's east end which supports small artists as well as big brands.
I felt that it was important for the community to see the film first, since they ultimately supported it.