Brief

Chronicling the life story of a steadfast and service-minded man of faith named Terry Hitchcock as he serves in the military, navigates the at-times cutthroat corporate world, deals with loss and heartbreak, and finally, as he endeavors on a number of extreme long-distance runs to raise awareness for social issues.

What We Liked

What was refreshing and appealing about this work was, for one thing, it's simple and accessible writing style. As it should be, this work has the power to appeal to all ages and demographics, and the tone strikes as fun and easy-going to boot. What also stands out as a virtue in this work is its noble intentions— There is much to gain from Terry’s story and service. The audience might be better for their exposure to it.

Film: Albeit likely not in the same structure as the source material, it would seem that this work has much potential to lend itself well to the feature-length format. This work is at its strongest when Terry is on his running journeys— The many adversities he faces in terms of weather, wild animals, and physical and emotional tolls often feel cinematic and high stakes.
The scene with the rattlesnakes on the dark road stands out as especially chilling, visual, and pregnant with cinematic opportunity.

TV: This would be a good adaptation for TV in that the epic runs might account for enough content to sustain the longer format. It would really give the audience the access to truly be along for the ride, running right there alongside Terry as he encounters countless obstacles.
However, it must be noted that this work would appear to much more effectively lend itself to the tighter, often more potent feature-length runtime.

Key points:
1. The noble themes of service and perseverance.
2. How effortlessly this work targets its niche audience.
3. The many, often terrifying obstacles Terry faces on his runs (i.e. the rattlesnakes).
4. The drama afforded by the personal tragedies of Terry that test his faith.
5. The simple, accessible, and upbeat writing style.

Synopsis

Terry Hitchcock was born to humble beginnings in Vermont. He was a curious and sensitive child, with a mostly run-of-the-mill upbringing, save for the time his father kidnapped him from his mother, only for young Terry to be rescued by law enforcement. Terry finds his faith early, and he shows an aptitude for a plethora of different disciplines, including music and performance, but athletics were a standout pastime for him. We follow Terry as he rises through his school years, through several different adolescent crushes, and as he becomes a fearsome baseball pitcher. As a young adult, Terry enlists in the military, only to be given an honorable discharge in order to care for his elder loved ones. Soon, Terry meets and falls for Susan Anne. They marry as Terry braces to begin life in corporate America.
Terry makes a name for himself in a variety of different disciplines and industries for his good natured spirit and critical thinking and problem-solving skills, not to mention his dauntless work ethic. Soon, Terry finds a home at the Coca Cola Corporation, working under VP Jerry Vielher, who would come to be a best friend and mentor to Terry. Terry continues to make a name for himself with his work ethic, even drawing the attention of the CEO of PepsiCo. Terry also writes a landmark book about business in America. Later, Terry accepts an executive position at CPT Corporation, which stands for cassette-powered typewriting, but it proved to be a rather cutthroat, at-times toxic work environment. Terry would later go on to join the Data Card Group, which produces personalized credit cards en masse. Soon, tragedy strikes when Sue is diagnosed with cancer. It's a terrible battle she faces, and Terry wrestles with his faith throughout her intense struggles. But before too long, Sue passes away, leaving Terry to care for their three kids by himself.

Soon, at 55 years old, Terry hatches the idea to do a long-distance running stunt to raise awareness for single parent homes. With that, he starts training to do the distance of 75 marathons in 75 days. After months of an arduous daily regimen, the trek begins. It's a constant battle for Terry-- fighting physical and psychological ailments to make the full distance--nearly 2000 miles from the start point. Eventually, he arrives in Atlanta, GA to a huge crowd and a great reception. His son Christian runs the last mile with him, cheering him on. Terry soon meets the woman who will become his second wife-- Mary Ann. Time passes, and a documentary filmmaker takes interest in Terry's story. Although the film never quite hits it big, it becomes a small festival darling, and the audiences enjoy the film enthusiastically at each stop.
Soon, Terry meets kindred spirit Steve Knowlton, who is a bit of a famous long-distance runner himself. Tragedy strikes again, though, as Mary Ann passes away from illness as well.
Terry calls up Steve, and they endeavor together to run across the country. It's a treacherous affair, with the two dodging scorpions and snakes, and with Terry's son suffering a diabetic attack. Ultimately, though, the runners are proud of their effort and for the awareness they raised. Terry, now a senior, would go on to marry a third time, this time to "Sweet" Jean. They live a social and happy life in Florida, while Terry plans and aspires to become the first U.S. Secretary of Children.

About The Author

Ronald Joseph Kule is an acclaimed author, biographer, and ghostwriter. His works span several genres of non-fiction and novels. Born in Bogota, Colombia, his Polish-American and Colombian-Chilean lineage paint- brushed his life-canvas with wanderlust, leading him to visit 40 countries and perform keynote-speaking engagements and seminars in 17 of them. He lives and works in Clearwater, Florida.