Over 20 years ago, I became friends with Hyun Kang, a Korean-American man who could’ve easily been my brother - we are close in age and share a similar upbringing, having both grown up in predominantly white, suburban, upper-middle class neighborhoods, our fathers attended the same schools back in Korea, which is a big thing in my culture, we had stay-at-home moms and were expected to become a doctor or lawyer. But he found himself sentenced to life in a California State Prison without any hope of ever getting out before he died. I have always been interested in social justice issues - and in particular those relating to the criminal legal system - but until that time, I had not known anyone personally who had been in prison. My friend’s experience made me think much more deeply about the impact of incarceration, not only on the individual and their family but also on the larger community. It also made me want to understand how people who expect to be in prison for life find ways to continue living.

The opportunity to explore that question came to me in 2016, after I read an article in GQ about the 1000 Mile Club. I knew immediately that I wanted to make a film about the marathon. I couldn’t get Van Gogh’s “Prisoners Exercising” out of my head and contacted the club’s coach, Frank Ruona, for a meeting. I have experienced “runner’s high” and the sense of freedom that comes from running and could imagine how beneficial that could be to people in prison. What I didn’t yet understand was how critical a role running and a running community could play in the process of personal and social transformation. 

Though the film explores the dark realities of what led these men to prison, 26.2 TO LIFE is ultimately a story of hope and second chances. Ending the system of mass incarceration is one of the greatest challenges of our time, but what can we as individuals do to make a difference? How the community of the 1000 Mile Club responds to the everyday conditions of the system shows that real change is possible… and it’s happening. Due to the nature of how prison works, the story of the 1000 Mile Club has literally been hidden from public view, until now. I am eternally grateful to Frank Ruona and the coaches and runners of the 1000 Mile Club, their families and San Quentin for allowing my cameras to capture their extraordinary story and entrusting me to share it with the world.

– Christine Yoo, Director/Producer