Run For Your Life - The Fred Lebow story relating to the New York City Marathon was sent to Time-to-Run for review and at first glance one could say what could possibly be said about a running movie which surely would be in a documentary format?
Well, let me begin, compelling and 'featuristic' is only the beginning.
When a Romanian born business man by the name of Fred Lebow makes it his life's purpose to develop a marathon event run through the 5 Boroughs of New York City, the 'offbeat original runners' of the time, Allan Steinfeld, George Hirsch and Ted Corbitt to name but a few, thought the idea of the man, more closely related to the garment industry, was more preposterous to say the least.
For Fred Lebow his purpose in life was met by the development of the New York City Marathon, the love affair began in 1969 when he discovered Central Park.
For the man described by Bob Glover, "Fred ran like a duck, except he was slower than a duck" to push forward with the inaugurul race in Central Park needed someone with a perspective to see things that others could not and with no concern for failure.
And from this on September 19th, 1970, the New York City Marathon in Central Park was born.
For the record Gary Muhrcke was the first winner of the Men and for the Women, Nina Kuscsik failed to finish however she would return to capture further titles.
For the man born as Fischel Lebowitz there was a background of sadness and it is quite remarkable that he was able to be so charitable in so many other ways.
Come 1975 and George Spitz made the suggestion to run the event through the 5 Boroughs of New York as the runner numbers were now becoming too big for Central Park.
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The idea came at a time when Abe Beame was NYC Mayor and the Bronx was literally burning with the city itself in tremendous financial difficulty.
However, Lebow brought the city hope when facing its greatest challenge and in 1976 with the billing of Bill Rodgers vs Frank Shorter it made everything possible.
Lebow put a brilliant communal exercise in to work and the spectators were witness to a miracle, the miracle of the Five Boroughs.
Rodgers would win with Shorter 2nd and a celebration of the people had begun.
They had made it, the people had come out to watch
In a brutally truthful look at everything from living in the moment to the World Records and mass participation we have a movie for anyone with a love for life and the need to celebrate our very existence, it provides hope out of nothing and a display of the ultimate will to succeed.
This is a celebration.
New York never needed to buy stars, New York made their stars from Grete Waitz to Alberto Salazar as well as the countless thousands who have also paid homage to the event.
The spirit of the film brought tears to my eyes.
TheEd.
for more about the movie - Run For Your Life .
