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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