So, one doesn’t just decide to run an ultramarathon and then do it. It takes dedication and an extreme amount of training and conditioning, which means it takes an extreme coach to send him down the right path. That coach, though at first reluctant, is Ian Sharman, who holds the record for the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning and the four-time winner of the aforementioned Leadville Trail 100.
If you’re a fan of documentaries, stories like Jeffrey’s are pretty standard fare. His training and race(s) are captured on film, and friends and family are available for talking-head interviews. What elevates Once Is Enough from the pack is that it inserts Jeffrey’s journey with segments of his stand-up set, which for the film was transformed into a one-person stage show with a living-room-style set. Using a storytelling style of stand-up, Jeffrey talks about his close relationship with his mother, his life as the chubby-funny kid growing up, and the tribulations of a lazy, comedian, actor attempting the impossible.
“…it inserts Jeffrey’s journey with segments of his stand-up set…”
I found Jeffrey’s journey engaging and left me thinking about the few (uh, many) pounds that I need to lose. Clearly, he could have just run an average run-of-the-mill marathon and achieved the same results. Still, he went to the extreme (just to shove it in my face), and Once Is Enough is a video account of at least, his attempt at a goal that is beyond personal possibility.
It also helps the documentary that Jeffrey is an adept comedian. His routine is solid and funny, and his delivery is professional. He’s well on his way to join the Blue-Collar tour down the road (if he so desires). Much of his humor is heartfelt and intensely self-deprecating. Also, he is deadly serious about his training and conditioning and able to find the humor in the process without making it a joke.
Once Is Enough will make you laugh and most likely inspire you to push (or at least challenge) yourself into doing something extreme for the sake of your own health and well-being. I highly recommend watching Jeffrey James Binney’s story.
"…to find the humor in the process without making it a joke."
