Product Details

• Actors: Ed Koch, Frank Shorter, Grete Waitz, Alberto Salazar, Bill Rodgers
• Directors: Judd Ehrlich
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Screen Media
• DVD Release Date: October 28, 2008
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001E75PJ4
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,402 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• For more information about "Run for Your Life" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Boston may have done it first, but the way Run For Your Life tells it, it was the New York City Marathon that put the idea of the big city road race on the map, in the process adding immeasurably to the popularity of running in general. When it began in 1970, the New York event consisted of four circuits around Central Park, where a few hundred participants shared the roadway with baby carriages and hansom cabs. In 1976, when the race expanded to include all five of the city’s boroughs, it attracted some 2,000 athletes, including Olympians Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers (who went on to win it four years in a row); in 2008, the number of runners had grown to 40,000. All of this was due to the vision and persistence of the marathon’s founder: Fred Lebow, "a slight, bearded, transplanted Transylvanian" who "ran like a duck, only slower." Born Fischel Lebowitz, Lebow emigrated from Romania to Brooklyn in the 1950s and, following a stint in the garment industry (where he was skilled at copying expensive designs and selling them on the cheap), became a long distance running nut. The many folks--friends, foes, family, politicians, athletes--who talk about him in the course of producer-director Judd Ehrlich’s film describe Lebow as everything from a brilliant promoter and entrepreneur to a "chaos creator" and a master manipulator, but they all agree that without him, the New York City Marathon would never have hit its stride. It was Lebow who wooed the sponsors, attracted the best runners (also including Grete Waitz, who won the women’s division an astonishing nine times, and Alberto Salazar, another multiple winner), browbeat the city into closing bridges, streets, and such along the route, and dealt with the notorious Rosie Ruiz, who allegedly cheated in the New York race before achieving lasting infamy by "winning" the Boston Marathon in 1980. In fact, Lebow did pretty much everything except compete in his own race, at least until 1992, when he took part a couple of years after being diagnosed with brain cancer (he died in 1994). The documentary includes director’s commentary, deleted scenes, and more. --Sam Graham

Product Description

The story of how one immigrants determination & sweat created the most significant running event in the world. This documents the life of fred lebow & the history of the new york city marathon. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 10/28/2008 Run time: 95 minutes Rating: Nr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie about a great visionary, November 29, 2008

By	David Wallick (Westchester County, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We owe the big-city marathon as it exists today to Fred Lebow, the subject of this documentary. His vision of what he wanted the NYC Marathon to be changed the way marathons are organized around the world.

This film looks at Fred and his life, specifically looking at the period from 1969 (the last year of the Cherry Tree Marathon in the Bronx, the precursor to the NYC Marathon) through the time of Fred's untimely death from brain cancer in 1994. There is amazing archival footage in the film and wonderful interview with those heavily involved in the marathon in the early years.

As a runner and NYC Marathon finisher, I found this film fascinating, though anyone who has an interest in history, New York City, and biographies of interesting individuals would greatly enjoy this movie.

4.0 out of 5 stars Big City Marathons Owe A Lot to Lebow and the NYC Marathon, October 31, 2009

By	Brian Hawkinson (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I find it fascinating to read or watch documentaries on running in the early days, seeing what they went through and where the sport eventually got to. In Run For Your Life you not only get a biography of Fred Lebow, but you also get a bio of the NYC Marathon. I would dare say also that the big city marathon owes a lot of thanks to the pioneer trail blazed by Lebow and the NYC Marathon, allowing more runners to accomplish something as sweet as running 26.2 miles and making it accessible to all.

What I liked about this documentary were the first hand accounts from all those who were there in the beginning. Those hard core running fanatics who were considered nuts for what they were doing. We got to hear what they did before, during and after the NYC Marathon was started which adds a lot to the history of the sport. Additionally I enjoyed the video footage that helped visualize through the years where the marathon was and what the runners were doing. Arguably you could say that the beginning days of the marathon did a lot in furthering the sport as big name runners such as Rodgers, Salazar and Waitz brought the press in to the mix and in to the public eye.

Some downsides to the documentary, and I didn't find many, were there were some inconsistencies that made you wonder. Would you really tolerate a vendor charging you twice and not only not get upset but think that that made them smart and thus wanted to do business with them? Boston is arguably the more famous marathon in the world and yet they would say that the NYC Marathon is. Why would you go in to a meeting after hearing you lost money and say that you hoped you lost twice as much?

Overall I thought this was a great documentary for the sport and for Lebow and the NYC Marathon. Despite some character flaws you can't help but like Lebow and by the end of the documentary I felt I understood who the man was. Additionally, and this is often how I rate a running book or documentary, I felt like not only running but I wanted to sign up for a marathon and feel the sense of accomplishment all over again. A definite recommend for runners and history buffs alike.

4 stars.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Run for your Life, December 16, 2008

By	Marty Ball - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A biographical documentary that presents itself as true entertainment. A film that any runner will be interested in, as well as many others who will feel the dedication and passion Fred Lebow had for his calling.