Forever at the Finish Line: The Quest to Honor New York City Marathon Founder Fred Lebow

Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/27/2021
7:00 pm-8:00 pm


FREE ZOOM EVENT*

MAY 27th, 7-8 p.m. EASTERN

FOREVER AT THE FINISH LINE: THE QUEST TO HONOR NEW YORK CITY MARATHON FOUNDER FRED LEBOW

 

A runner from San Diego who has completed 10 marathons, including the Boston Marathon three times, Mitrovich tells the story of how he decided that New York Marathon founder Fred Lebow should have a life-sized statue placed in New York’s Central Park to honor his contribution to the sport, and to what has become a signature event on the global marathon circuit.

Mitrovich, whose brother George founded the Great Fenway Park Writers series, encountered considerable pushback along the way, but with the help of a host of powerful supporters he enlisted to the cause, including some of the most famous runners of the time—Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Carl Lewis, Alberto Salazar and Grete Waitz—and a host of politicians, including former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Mitrovich achieved his goal.

As many marathoners begin their final training push in advance of the Boston Marathon, which this year will be run on Oct. 11 after a pandemic-dictated absence from the sports calendar last year, we believe you will find Mitrovich’s tale engaging and compelling.

 

The Great Fenway Park Writers Series would like to encourage you to make use of the great local bookstores in your community! For this event, we have partnered with Frugal Bookstore in Roxbury.

 

If you don’t live in Boston, you might consider looking for an independent bookstore closer to home.

*Donations to the Red Sox Foundation are Encouraged

About the Book and Author

Daniel S. Mitrovich is the founder of the New York City Marathon Tribute Committee and the creator of the Fred Lebow statue. An honorary lifetime member of the New York Road Runners Club, he has run ten marathons—in New York (three times), Boston (five times), San Francisco (once), and San Diego (once). His personal best is 3:28:37. Mitrovich is the co-founder of the Solution Strategies consulting firm and resides in Culver City, California with his wife, Linda, and their five children.