It was June 2010, and the air in Squaw Valley—now Palisades Tahoe—felt different. Heavy. Not from humidity, but from the sheer weight of the ego and talent gathered at the starting line. If you follow trail running, you know the name. Unbreakable: The Western States 100. It’s more than just a DVD sitting on a dusty shelf or a title in a streaming queue. For a lot of us, it’s the moment the sport stopped being a weird hobby for mountain goats and became a global phenomenon.
Basically, JB Benna, the director, captured lightning in a bottle. He followed four guys who were, at the time, seemingly invincible. You had Hal Koerner, the smooth-talking defending champ. You had Anton Krupicka, the minimalist "Jesus of the Trails" who ran shirtless with long hair and a stride that looked like poetry. Then there was Geoff Roes, the Alaskan powerhouse who hadn't lost a 100-miler, ever. And finally, the wild card: a 22-year-old kid from Spain named Kilian Jornet.
No one really knew if the European "skyrunning" style would translate to the California heat. Spoiler: it did.
Why This Race Specifically?
Most races are just races. Someone wins, someone loses, everyone gets a t-shirt. But the 2010 Western States was a collision of eras. Before this, ultrarunning was kinda quiet. It was about "finishing." Suddenly, these four guys were talking about racing 100 miles like it was a 10K.
The documentary doesn't just show the running; it shows the obsession. You see Anton in his tiny apartment in Boulder, living a monk-like existence focused entirely on the trail. You see Geoff Roes in Alaska, training in conditions that would break most people before they even tied their shoes.
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Honestly, the tension in the film is real because these guys actually respected—and feared—each other. It wasn't just marketing hype. They were all undefeated in their own way.
The Heat, The Canyons, and The Collapse
Western States isn't just about the distance. It’s about the oven. The trail drops into these deep canyons—Deadwood, El Dorado—where the air just sits and cooks you. In the film, you see the physical toll.
Kilian Jornet, the favorite for many, started to fall apart. It’s one of the most humanizing moments in sports history. This guy, who usually glides over mountains like a ghost, was reduced to a shuffle. He was cramping. He was human.
Then you have the "Unbreakable" performance of Geoff Roes.
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At mile 70, he was way back. Most people—including the camera crew—thought the race was between Anton and Kilian. But Roes did something legendary. He stayed patient. While the leaders were burning up in the sun, he was stalking them.
What Most People Get Wrong About Unbreakable
People think the movie is just a highlight reel of a win. It's not. It's actually a study of failure. Hal Koerner, the two-time defending champ, had a "bum ankle" going in. You watch him limp. You watch his body basically quit on him.
It sucks to watch. But it's the truth of the 100-mile distance. No matter how good you are, the trail doesn't care about your resume.
Key Stats from the 2010 Showdown
- Geoff Roes (1st): 15:07:04 (A new course record at the time).
- Anton Krupicka (2nd): 15:13:52 (Also under the old record).
- Kilian Jornet (3rd): 16:04:50 (A brutal lesson in Sierra Nevada heat).
- Nick Clark (4th): 16:05:56 (The "forgotten" amazing performance of the day).
The gap between Geoff and Anton was only a few minutes after fifteen hours of running. Think about that. That's the length of a few pop songs after running from Lake Tahoe to Auburn.
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The Legacy of the Film
Since Unbreakable: The Western States 100 came out, the sport has exploded. We have carbon plates now. We have professional teams and massive sponsorships. But there's something about the raw, GoPro-heavy footage of 2010 that feels more authentic than the polished 4K content we see today.
It captured the last moments of the "dirtbag" era. These guys weren't running for million-dollar contracts. They were running to see who was the toughest person in the woods that day.
If you're looking for a takeaway, it's that "unbreakable" isn't a permanent state. Even the guys in the movie eventually broke—injuries, burnout, life. But for those 15 hours in the Sierra Nevada, they were as close to indestructible as humans get.
How to Use This Legend for Your Own Training
Don't just watch the movie and feel inspired; actually use the lessons.
- Patience is a weapon. Geoff Roes won by not panicking when he was 15 minutes behind. In a long race (or a long project), the person who manages their energy best in the middle usually wins at the end.
- Respect the environment. Kilian was the best athlete, but the heat didn't care. Always account for the "X-factor" in your goals—whether it's weather, market shifts, or health.
- Community matters. Notice the crews in the film. Nobody finishes 100 miles alone. Build your support system before you need it.
- Find the film. You can still find it on Journeyfilm’s website or occasionally on streaming platforms. It’s worth the rental fee just to see Anton’s descent down to the river. It’s terrifyingly fast.
Go find a trail. Run it. Maybe leave the shirt at home if you're feeling like Anton, but definitely bring some water. The canyons are still waiting.