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Fishtown Beer Runners Sprint Onto the Silver Screen


What do you do to feel better? What’s your medicine? David April, founder of Fishtown Beer Runners, found his through running… then drinking — two activities we don’t usually think go hand in hand.

April’s weird habit began in 2007 when his friend, Eric Fielder, started training him for a 5k. It was around this same time that Dr. Manuel Castillo, a Spanish medical professor, concluded in his research that beer has a positive effect after strenuous exercise.

david april stoop beer runners

/Thomas Weir

Now the story of this group’s strange fitness routine and their global impact has been by told by Connecticut based filmmaker Justin Wirtalla in his first feature-length documentary. The film is set to screen early next month at The Prince Theater.

The Beer Runners still meet every Thursday and run between three and five miles to a local pub where they enjoy thirst-quenching craft beer. Over the course of the last eight years the social club has grown to several hundred members. They toast ‘The Professor’ after every run, honoring his groundbreaking work.

david april stoop beer runners

/Thomas Weir

The professor invited April to come to Spain to interact with ‘Beer Runners’ across the Atlantic who were inspired by what was started in Fishtown. ‘The Founder’, as Dr. Castillo calls him, has been back to Spain several times since. The film will bring together both ‘The Professor’ and the ‘The Founder’ in the first documentary about this unlikely social club.

 Every runner has a story as to what motivated them to take their first step,” April said. “I hope my story will inspire people dealing with adversity to take control over their situation by challenging themselves to do something positive to help themselves.

david april stoop beer runners

/Thomas Weir

Catch ‘Beer Runners’ Directed by Justin Wirtalla on Sunday, November 1 @ 3:25PM  Prince Theater. For ticket information click here.

 

Beer Runners

Dir: Justin Wirtalla / Country:USA,Spain / Lang: English /

Year:2014 / Length: 70 min.

Sunday, November 1 / 3:25PM / Prince Theater

 

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