6 Best Marathon and Distance Running Movies

By Vlad Zakh · May 13, 2026

Distance running is lonely, disciplined and brutal, and these dramas respect that. Race has Jesse Owens dominating the 1936 Berlin Olympics, McFarland, USA has a coach turning migrant workers’ sons into champions, and Saint Ralph has a schoolboy training for the Boston Marathon in hope of a miracle. Without Limits, Prefontaine and Chariots of Fire round out the six.

Race (2016)

TMDB ★ 7.1

Jesse Owens travels to the 1936 Berlin Olympics and dismantles Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy in front of his own people.

Directed by Stephen Hopkins · 2h 14m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

McFarland, USA (2015)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A struggling coach builds a cross-country team out of the migrant farmworker kids at his new school.

Directed by Niki Caro · 2h 08m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Saint Ralph (2005)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A rebellious Catholic schoolboy trains to win the Boston Marathon, believing it will miraculously wake his mother from a coma.

Directed by Michael McGowan · 1h 35m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Without Limits (1998)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A brilliant, headstrong distance runner's unconventional training methods challenge his relationship with his coach.

Directed by Robert Towne · 1h 57m

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Prefontaine (1997)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A fiercely competitive American distance runner pursues Olympic gold with an unyielding, rebellious spirit.

Directed by Steve James · 1h 46m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Chariots of Fire (1981)

TMDB ★ 7.2

Two British sprinters race for very different reasons at the 1924 Paris Olympics.

Directed by Hugh Hudson · 2h 03m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Marathon and Distance Running Movies

Race (2016)

McFarland, USA (2015)

Saint Ralph (2005)

Without Limits (1998)

Prefontaine (1997)

Chariots of Fire (1981)

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