At 4am on March 24th 2023, team NOID lined up alongside hundreds of other runners at Santa Monica pier to take on The Speed Project 2023, an unsanctioned relay race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
They ran 475km in 35 hours and 25 minutes to finish 6th overall and 3rd in their category, setting a new record for a European team.
Their route included 80km on Powerline Road, a now infamous shortcut that runs from Barstow, CA to Primm, NV.
This film depicts the final 2 and half hour section of Powerline Road, but what you see is representative of the beauty and chaos of The Speed Project, and the grit, humour and team spirit that got us through this unforgettable race.
For teams still considering Powerline for their 2024 (or future) race routes, hopefully this footage gives you some insight into the conditions facing you.
For runners, it is endless kilometres of elevation on sapping, rocky terrain. For crew and drivers, it is hours of unremitting focus and off-road discomfort. For anyone, it tests body and mind to the limit.
For us, the mileage saving was worth it, as was the experience, which will stay with us forever. But we'd probably not hang out in the pick-up bed next time...
Shot & edited - Ben Farber
Photography - David Yeo
Music - Vengaboys
NOID was: Ayo Dada, Jen Clancy, Jonty Brown, Molly Bryan, Tomas O'Hanlon, Anna Cecchin, Ben Farber, David Yeo, Emma Guthrie and Riz Dusoye