I just completely changed my Sunday plans =)

Courtney’s Instagram post sent me! Great film!

In a way, it’s good to see that even an elite runner who came in 2nd at Hardrock can feel just as shitty as the rest of us “normal” runners in an ultramarathon. Kudos Dylan for toughing it out!

Aid station PR!! It was a quest, a quest! Your suffering gave this story so much more depth than most of the ultra content out there. So glad you refused to give up. You finished #1 in our hearts, and my guess is most of us don’t care who actually finished fastest.

Hey Dylan This is an incredible film but I think it’s really quite important, too. Normally so many elite runners seem to drop out when they fall away from being competitive in a race and yet here you are finishing against all odds and sharing it with us. It inspires us middle/back of the pack runners to such a crazy extent to see that even the elite runners like you have those moments. This is one of the most inspiring trail/ultra I’ve seen as a result. Can’t wait to see what you do next.

I found this more inspiring than if you smashed it the whole way to the podium. It's the stuff of life. Developing a heart and imagination that is big enough to hold dreams, aspiration, confidence, defeat and come out the other side is hard and infinitely valuable. Thanks for sharing, Dylan and great job Ryan.

What a film, what a guy. Thanks for putting yourself out there.

The best part of it for me was that you were so authentic and vulnerable, would've been easy to skip over the part where you have to bare your sole but you stayed true to yourself and the trail running community that you represent so well... Bloody inspiring stuff mate...!!

great film and well done -

The part that you kept going although it was clear you where not going to have a top performance in this race is a true inspiration!

You did not QUIT! Amazing triumph of the human spirit to take with you in your future endeavors!!

Incredible document, Dylan. The incredible vibe of the start contrasts with the huge nightmare in the core (until the finish line), but fortunately overcome. Big fan from Portugal.

So so so sick!!! Epic film guys! Keep them coming!!!

Thank you for this, Dylan. Inspiring.

What a video! I was suffering just watching it! Those technical downhills with the treacherous drop-offs gave me the willies. I don't know how you people do it but I'm glad you do and make videos about it.

to finish the race despite these enormous difficulties, the disappointment, the shattered dreams, that is a greater victory than to have taken first place. i am sure it will pay off in races to come.

Well done, Freetrail Team! So good. Thanks for being so genuine and not afraid to show the ickiest parts of the thing you (we) love most.

Just amazing journey, so much inspiration. Congratulations to Dylan and the team.

Loved this! We don’t often get to see the struggle and honestly it’s more inspiring and relatable! Amazing job overcoming the challenges!! Thank you for sharing this beautiful film!

So freaking proud of you, Dylan. Herculean effort, really. So proud of you.

What an amazing movie! Watched it 3 times already!

What a beautiful film and adventure. Thanks for putting this out there, Dylan! We all need to see the good and the bad of people's stories. I had a 50k race like this in August. The heat got to me and I didn't prepare well enough with hydration. It took a fellow runner to help get me back on track. Will not forget that helping hand/voice.

Bravo, bravo Dylan on finishing your quest! And bravo to Sancho Panza for a truly amazing film!

That descent was out of this world! I was leaning back and forth in my chair willing both a fast and safe run. Normally the photography and editing either make me sick with topsy-turvy camera work or broken jarring edits. This was perfect! Great job to the whole team.

Respect! D-Bo is such an uplifting person and great human being, my go to podcast for those long runs that I just want to listen and enjoy openminded perspective on life and running. Pyllars 🤙🏽❤️

Great recap of race many of have never heard of. As someone who has been in the pain cave several times, it was refreshing to someone of your caliber in the same position. Fantastic recovery and finish to an epic adventure. Often times these are the races remember most fondly.

respect for anyone who did this race. I hiked some portions of the route when I accedentally ended up on Réunion. The island is absolutely stunning and one of the most special places I ever visited.... But the trails are indeed ruthless.

Great movie and what a humbling course

Forget putting up the xmas lights. This is way more important. Who doesn’t love DBo?!!! 😊

What an amazing video. I only heard about this today after I listed to the POD with your co producer . He mentioned this was the video he is most proud of and I can see why. You effort here is truly remarkable and I feel like you got a look at what us "regular folk" go through on these (regular) 100 mile races LOL. Very well done again and this was an expertly produced video! Thanks for this! I'm kind of in a weird little plateau with my running right now so just what I needed:)

Loved this! All of those women tending to you at the aid station was hilarious-sorry! Looks like the aid was tremendous throughout. So proud of our fearless leader for gutting this out-it looks brutal.

I’m so excited!

You finished. Period. This is how I feel every single half marathon I run, in the best of conditions. Unbelievable grit.

"Ultra Trail running is the ultimate journey for your soul and your mind to find where is the abyss of your humility" - awesome production, amazing effort, bravo and kudos.

This was sick Dylan, you're a beast! Shoutout to those medics helping you when u needed it most, legends.

Thanks for sharing this incredible experience with us! Ryan: you've done an amazing job capturing the story; best yet! I never even knew this Island existed before I saw it come up on your guy's Strava feed a couple months ago. I look forward to the next adventure. #rundetermined

I feel sorry that you went through it, but echo the others - this was very relatable. I was already a fan, but now even more so. I can't wait to see the sequel :)

Ahhhh lord. The blood pressure cuff. I was badly dehydrated after my first road marathon after severe stomach issues around mile 12. Blood pressure dropped to 85/58 post race. Luckily came back to real quick after an IV and some coca cola. That feeling is misssserable..fuuuuxk! Awesome video my mans.

That is an absolute death march if I've ever seen one. Thanks for a great film Dylan and Ryan.

What a brutal course! I watched every minute of it! Great job on the film. Thanks for sharing this with us!

Daf!!! Loved seeing my old friend again!! I swore I'd never go back to that island, but watching this makes me want to suffer down there again...some day 😁

Great and honest story. Thanks Freetrail and Dylan.

I got a little emotional when he finished…..so it didn’t go as planned….I admire the rethinking in ordered to complete the race and I look forward to watching the documentation of round 2 💛💛💛

Fantastic film Mr. Bowman! I thoroughly enjoyed it. If it was me, I probably would have told the film crew to leave me alone. Great perseverance. Hope you're taking a break for awhile.

Great work! 🙏 Looking forward to more productions like this in the future, contributes to a deeper understanding of the challenges of a 100 mile race. Especially for someone who haven't come close to those distances. Love the work you guys do!

Loved this DBO - epic footage to capture the race. Thanks for sharing!

Epic content and story telling. DBO is a savage!

Can't wait for this!

Excellent journey! Great job Dylan, great job, Ryan; what a beautiful course and awesome coverage of the sufferfest! Thanks for sharing

Amazing effort by Dylan, and the film was so well done. Super inspiring, thank-you to everyone involved!

A great film of a great performance by a talented yet humble athlete - to continue in the face of that heat exhaustion, truly mind over matter. Well done! For any trailer to finish the Grand Raid is a lifetime achievement, but to finish in 17th place in 27h41' is simply awesome. As Dylan said, the UTMB (with its identical distance and D+), is not comparable - the Grand Raid is immensely more difficult [having done both in 2014 I can attest to this]. Look forward to more clips of your epic races !

a beautiful film - a journey of authenticity, courage and grit, in the heart of Mother Nature

Beautiful film. Thank you for being so open with this experience. What an incredible performance, Dylan. Well worth putting the long run off.

Awsome Video, thanks a lot🙏

Fantastic film, and great gutsy performance from Dylan. That looked truly brutal.

Bravo team 👏 loved it

Holy moly….. you’re definitely a Pro coming down that mountain 🏔😀👍🏃‍♂️. You were flying….. …I probably would have taken a major dive or fall.

great film! love the emotion

What a debut film. High end content, courageous human spirit & physical effort on display, and just so damn real. Well done from the land of UTCT :)

I can't even begin to comprehend the mental strength you found to keep going! So impressive. Loved this film - love your podcast!

Well done 👏 Sir you showed us all never give up 💪!!! R

Wow Dylan you're an inspiration. Your podcast and film are riveting.

Hi Dylan, I'm not an emotional person but this made me feel emotional and bought tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing your experiences and struggles. Keep producing the content, it's much appreciated (podcasts as well) 🙏

Epic video, really liking the podcast now with Freetrail, amazing stuff. thanks for your efforts, truly inspiring, your ability to push through.

Congrats Dylan BOWMAN for your beautifull course. You were about to give up but you find the energy to achieve this very hardest trail !! Simply amazing when we know you finished at the very respectfull 17th place in 27 hours ... You will come back here again and I will follow tour course for sure !!!

Nice one Dylan. Well done on sticking it out. That's grit.

Humbled, I really love the honesty you put forth in this. I know it was hard to show that side but for us that are lucky if we just beat the cutoffs it means a lot.

That was awesome! DBo is awesome! Ryan is awesome! Thanks for such a transparent and inspirational documentary.

Love this type of technical trails. Here in Brazil we have trails in "Mata Atlântica" florest. Great film by the way, keep it up.

“More souuup!”

Great film. Thank you for being willing to share your struggles so unashamedly, and how the mountains can still humble even the world's elite racers. It would be great if y'all made a short companion piece on Reunion Island itself, you briefly mentioned the villages in the interior. I think one of the responsibilities of world trail runs is to bring awareness to local history and issues and do what we can to benefit local communities.

That aid station segment was so epic. You had like 5 beautiful caretakers monitoring you.

Great film, I love filming my races and videos like this are the reason I got into ultras so many years ago. Well done.

I listened to the podcast recapping the Grand Raid and I was so fascinated! So proud of you Dylan for continuing to push through, even though you felt like absolute garbage. Also, I love long takes in movies, and Ryan, you delivered on long takes. I Stan.

epic!

Always respect the race, and the racers. Every person is magnificent in its own way. Every race as well.

Absolutely incredible, real, honest, and badass! Amazing documentation, Ryan, and inspiring performance, Dylan!

So GOOD! Love this film. PS. Also: what a BEAST Sabrina Stanley is. Fer reals.

Bravo guys awesome film 👏 i wanna do this in a few years it’s on my bucket list with the UTMB.

Awesome stuff 👍

Way to just let go and admit that things could have gone better. Being vulnerable and honest is still the hardest emotions to master and practice. You finished the toughest race of your life, way to be an inspiration and always 100% with your community.

RESPECT!!!

massive kudos to Ryan thrower...I feel like most ultra docs only show the aid stations but this man went the distance!! && way to go dbo!!! your race was raw and inspiring bro - love to see it

Has there ever been a better depiction of what the 'Pain Cave' looks like?

that downhill camera work in the middle was amazing!

Way to push through to the finish! Sometimes the training is harder than the race, and sometime the race is more than hard and teaches us more than we can learn otherwise. Congrats! (Nice film Ryan!)

bravo. ton histoire m a beaucoup touché et je suis très fier que tu sois venu sur notre île. j espere que tu reviendras. moi, je suis benevole dans mafate sur la course du grand raid. laurent

Let's goooo DBO!!!!

Hi dylan! It's a great video. I’m from reunion island, I followed you minute by minute and hour by hour. Remember yourself, you sent me a message on Instagram 2 years ago to find out about registrations for the great raid. I called the organization for you and informed you of the registration procedures. I'm glad you were able to finish the race and with the mind. Now you're an ultra runner 😜🤣💪🏽. I was part of lottery for the western state 2022, but I was not lucky. I hope to meet you one day, I'm one of your biggest fans don't change! You are an example 👌🏽👍🏽😃

Big like amazing movie

Incredible effort Dylan, particularly in light of only a few months after A HARD ROCK COURSE RECORD.... La Grand Raid looks like a significant challenge on its own as THE race of a year, not the next race in a year. I reckon you'll come back and get what you're after ;-)

Congratulations on finishing in the top 20! Will we have the chance to see you again there and this time bring the champion title home? Also let's mention Sissi Cussot who ran 80km with a fractured chin and finished the race at the 4th rank (women). This race is insane.

Wow!!

Funny, at 7:30 you met Ludovic Pommeret : winner of the race you're about to take :) Good job

41 minutes in I realised this wasn’t the Keira Knightley movie 🍿 still worth the watch 🥸

Heart!

Greetings from Réunion

Great film and way to put yourself out there in such an unfamiliar setting with so many unique challenges (technicality, heat, etc. ). Did you do any heat acclimation work going into this? Also, do you think you would use poles if you did it again?

i love your "merciiiii" each time hikers let you go :) there is a R that seems to be not pronounced :)

Good to view a video on how tough a race can be, the need to lower expectations, and to achieve by just completing (more interesting often than a recap of a successful race outcome). Interested to know why sparkling water is beneficial to take at times rather than just still water?