Fred Lebow: The Showman
The New York City Marathon became a 5-boro route thanks to five Trailblazers who believed a race could unite an entire city. In 1976, their vision transformed the marathon from a local race confined to Central Park into a 26.2-mile journey through all five boroughs.
They were the people who turned an impossible idea into a global tradition, emulated in major cities around the world. Fifty years later, their legacy lives on in every runner, every volunteer, every bridge crossed, and every New Yorker who lines the streets to cheer.
This blog post is the fourth in a five-part series honoring the Trailblazers.
When Fred Lebow first heard the idea for a 5-boro New York City Marathon, he was skeptical. It seemed too fraught with potential problems—from logistics to high costs to outright danger in a city plagued by violent crime.
But New York City officials supported the idea, and sponsors stepped in, so Lebow got on board. He understood that the marathon could become more than a race—it could become a spectacle.
Bringing the Marathon to the People
Lebow and Vince Chiappetta had cofounded the New York City Marathon in 1970 as a four-lap race in Central Park. In 1975, with 334 finishers, it was still mostly a local affair and received little attention in the media.
As president of New York Road Runners starting in 1972, Lebow seized every opportunity to push running into the spotlight. He cofounded the Crazylegs Mini Marathon (the first women-only road race, now the Mastercard New York Mini 10K), organized the “Six Who Sat” at the marathon start to elevate the women’s field, and secured lucrative race sponsors such as Olympic Airways.
Also serving as the marathon’s race director, and as president of New York Road Runners, Lebow brought unmatched energy, creativity, and promotional instinct to the 5-boro race.
He was galvanized by the vision of a “people’s marathon,” and he worked tirelessly to generate excitement around the idea of an event that celebrated the city. He also recognized the importance of attracting elite athletes like Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, and Miki Gorman, as well as notables like New York City Ballet dancer Jacques d’Amboise and Newark Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson.
A Marathon for the City
Lebow courted the media, setting up a splashy press conference on September 16, 1976, at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. The event was a success, sending a clear message that this marathon would be special.
The 1976 New York City Marathon had over 2,000 entrants and 1,539 finishers. Rodgers ran away from the field to triumph in the men’s race, finishing in 2:10:10; Gorman dominated the women’s field in 2:39:11. Both performances shattered the event records and made headlines around the world.
A Life Dedicated to the Marathon
Lebow came from humble beginnings, having emigrated from Europe after World War II when his Orthodox Jewish family in Romania was scattered following Nazi and Russian occupations. He discovered running by accident, jogging his first lap around the Central Park Reservoir in the hope of improving his tennis game.
He loved the sport and never went back to playing tennis. Instead, he adopted a new life mission to show the world that running was for everyone—all paces, sizes, and backgrounds. Lebow continued as race director of the New York City Marathon and president of NYRR until his death from cancer in 1994. That year’s New York City Marathon had 29,762 finishers.
At Lebow’s induction into the New York Road Runners Hall of Fame, his former colleague Phil Greenwald called him “part showman, part promoter, part businessman, part wheeler-dealer—a genius and a tireless promoter.” Lebow’s successor, Allan Steinfeld, said, “There’s been no one like Fred since, and there will probably never be.”
Lebow’s larger-than-life personality helped shape the spirit and soul of the event that continues today.