Run for Your Life

About The Film

An affectionate salute to a Jewish sports icon and a must-see for avid runners, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE is the remarkable story of Fred Lebow, mastermind of the New York City Marathon. Raised in an Orthodox Jewish family in Transylvania, Fischl Leibowitz fled war-torn Europe and eventually settled in the Big Apple. After a career in the garment trade, this scrappy showman launched the New York City Marathon, eventually transforming it into the world's largest marathon, encompassing all five boroughs, and a source of civic pride during troubled times. Set amidst the urban funk of the 1970s, the film’s retro styling combines archival footage and interviews with family, athletes, city officials and journalists. RUN FOR YOUR LIFE chronicles the exuberance and heartbreak of an eccentric man who inspired thousands to go the distance.