Commissioned by Robyn Archer for the Alfred Deakin Lecture Series, Running Man is  founded on the research question: what happens in the brain when the body is subjected to the stress of physical endurance? The research is placed in the historical context of acting and physical performance and how it relates to broader contexts of sport and science, and the interrelated concept of being ‘in the zone’.

Delivered by David Pledger as a lecture/performance/demonstration accompanied by exercise scientist, Dr Justin Kemp, stunt-man Harley Stumm and a pre-recorded appearance by pioneering media artist, Professor Jeffrey Shaw, the performance includes the demonstration of a provisional methodology to record and map the data of the body’s changing physical state and deliver it into a real-time interactive experience. Presentational media include X-rays, video recordings of medical procedures and a fair bit of running.