Photo courtesy of MPRM

When making a documentary, filmmakers often have to just let the camera roll and see what happens. Filmmakers Matt Dearborn (Even Stevens) and Rick Weis (The Office) unavoidably became a part of the conflict in the film. The movie chronicles the journey of cyclist and businessman John Tarlton on his journey to complete the Race Across America — a difficult journey for any experienced cyclist.

Dearborn and Weis are embedded with John’s wife, Jenny Dearborn (who also happens to be Dearborn's sister). She drove a van as the follow crew for the doc team while a second van consisted of John’s support crew to get him through the race. A divide quickly grew between the two groups over what was best for John in certain moments, and if the documentary was getting in the way of the race experience. 

John had long wanted to cycle the race, saying he’d seen it on ABC’s World Wide of Sports and thought about it even back then. He also had a career as a college cyclist but admitted nothing could’ve truly prepared him for the intensity of the Race Across America (RAM). 

As the race intensifies, so does the conflict between the camera crew and the bike crew, as well as the pressure on John to succeed. He’s brought his entire family (and many of his work associates) into his pit crew and it soon becomes clear finishing the race is not just about John. It’s also about the myriad of expectations this group of people has for John. 

Jenny, who’d always championed the idea of the documentary, was asked if she ever thought the cameras got in the way. "For me, throughout the entire process, it was very much the support crew vs. the media team. It was two different teams not supporting each other… At one point, the bike crew sabotaged all of the Go Pros and the crew wouldn’t talk to the camera… It was stressful and not at all a partnership. It was two goals that felt in opposite directions and the kids had to choose, ‘Do I help my dad, or do I help my mom, and if I help my mom and then my dad loses, what does that mean?’ Also, the whole movie came about last minute. John trained and trained, and then with three weeks to go, I decide I’m gonna make a movie. Everyone thought I was ruining it by doing the movie.”

John adds, “The documentary itself will be helpful to broader goals… Also, our youngest son got to go and he otherwise would not have gone... he ended up being a significant contribution to the crew, and psychologically it was helpful to me that Jenny was along, and all the family was along… But I don’t think we can say that the movie was particularly additive to the race crew’s performance.” 

Despite physical, emotional, and crew setbacks throughout the race, John never believed he wouldn’t finish: “The thought of preparing for the race both personally for the family and [for] my business, and for all of the crew, was so significant — there is never really a point that you think, ‘Oh, I'm just gonna quit.’" 

Although watching the film will make one think the goal is impossible (in a good way). The deeper John gets into the race, the further the finish line feels. He highlighted just how challenging it actually is: “There’s a 50% attrition for the soloists. In an average year, out of 40 soloists who start, fewer than 20 will finish.”

Despite the additional conflict the documentary brought, it’s worth the watch to see just how much loyalty a fighting spirit can incite. John and Jenny underscored that idea exactly.

"I would love for people to take away from the movie the idea that what we are capable of is often well beyond what we think we are capable of," says John. "If we can leave behind the preconceived notion of our abilities, we are capable of so much more, particularly when we come together as a group of like-minded people.” Jenny continues, "Especially with the support of friends and family, you can be capable of so much more than you thought you could do alone.”