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New York Road Runners to Honor Five Founders of Iconic 5-Boro New York City Marathon

Jun 26, 2026

 “The Trailblazers” campaign celebrating Ted Corbitt, George Hirsch, Fred Lebow, George Spitz, and Percy Sutton announced

Gary Corbitt, Hirsch, Keisha Sutton-James, and Estee Stimlernamed 2026 TCS New York City Marathon Honorary Grand Marshals in homage to Trailblazers’ legacy

New York, June 25, 2026 — Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of then–Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton announcing that the New York City Marathon would span all five boroughs for the first time, New York Road Runners (NYRR) — the nonprofit that “runs” New York City producing 60 annual adult and youth races including the TCS New York City Marathon — today launched “The Trailblazers” campaign. The campaign honors the five individuals whose vision, leadership, and passion helped bring the iconic 5-boro New York City Marathon course to life for the first time on Oct. 24, 1976 — Ted Corbitt, George Hirsch, Fred Lebow, George Spitz, and Percy Sutton. The Trailblazers will be highlighted in the lead-up to the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon across original storytelling, social content, signage, the race program, the official race broadcast, and the TCS New York City Marathon Expo Presented by New Balance as New York Road Runners continues to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 5-boro marathon.

“This milestone anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate one of the most iconic events in sports and to honor the people who made it possible,” said Rob Simmelkjaer, New York Road Runners CEO. “The 5-boro marathon elevated New York City, transformed the sport of running, and created the blueprint for big-city marathons around the world. As we celebrate the course’s anniversary and the 50 years since, we are committed to telling the full story of how it came to be and ensuring that the individuals who brought this extraordinary idea to life receive the recognition they deserve.”

The Trailblazers

The collective efforts of The Trailblazers — the five founders of the 5-boro marathon — transformed the New York City Marathon from a race run entirely within Central Park into a citywide celebration that would set the standard for the modern urban marathon: 

The Trailblazers represents the culmination of a historical research project commissioned by New York Road Runners as part of the 5-boro marathon’s 50th anniversary. The organization engaged independent researchers from the College of Staten Island to conduct oral history interviews, review archival materials, and examine public records related to the origins of the 1976 race.

The research concluded that Corbitt, New York Road Runners’ founding president from 1958–1960, a pioneer in long-distance running, and the first African American to compete in the Olympic marathon, was the first person within the organization to propose the idea of taking the New York City Marathon beyond Central Park and through New York City’s five boroughs.

Corbitt discussed the concept with Spitz, a political activist and passionate runner who embraced Corbitt’s idea vision and believed the 1976 marathon should be a grand event worthy of the Big Apple to celebrate the nation’s Bicentennial. Spitz then arranged a pivotal meeting with Manhattan Borough President Sutton, who immediately recognized the opportunity to showcase New York City during one of the most challenging periods in its history.

Sutton was instrumental in getting the political and financial support to execute the 5-boro race. He suggested utilizing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, which connects Staten Island to Brooklyn, as part of the course, creating the foundation for the iconic route still used today. Sutton also secured buy-in from New York City Mayor Abraham Beame, city agencies, and his fellow borough presidents, as well as the initial $25,000 contribution from the Rudin family that helped fund the race.

While Lebow, New York Road Runners president and New York City Marathon race director in 1976, initially questioned whether such an ambitious undertaking could be accomplished, he quickly recognized the event’s potential and became the driving force behind its execution. Lebow transformed the race into a spectacle that captured the imagination of runners and New Yorkers alike, recruiting elite athletes and promoting the event on a global stage.

Hirsch, then publisher of New Times magazine who later became a New York Road Runners board chair, played a critical supporting role by contributing financially to the event, leveraging his media relationships to host a press conference at Tavern on the Green on Sept. 16, 1976, that generated awareness and excitement for the inaugural 5-boro race, and paying star athletes including Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers to participate.

Together, these five trailblazers created what would become one of the world’s largest marathons and one of New York City’s most beloved traditions.

The Trailblazers Campaign

The Trailblazers campaign will be featured throughout the year leading into the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 1, with a dedicated landing page that launched today to highlight founder stories, historical content, and original storytelling celebrating the founders and their lasting impact on New York City and the sport of running. The Trailblazers campaign and assets will also be featured on New York Road Runners’ social media channels, in digital signage across New York City during 2026 TCS New York City Marathon race week, at the TCS New York City Marathon Expo Presented by New Balance, in course signage across all five boroughs, as part of the official race broadcast, and within the TCS New York City Marathon race program distributed to all runners.

The campaign launches around a meaningful date in New York City Marathon history. Fifty years ago, on June 21, 1976, then–Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton officially announced plans to expand the New York City Marathon beyond Central Park and through all five boroughs.

The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon Honorary Grand Marshals

To honor their legacy, New York Road Runners has named Hirsch and descendants of The Trailblazers as Honorary Grand Marshals* of the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon:

*George Spitz, who passed away in 2015, left no close surviving relatives.

“I’m happy to see my father finally getting the proper recognition for conceiving a New York City Marathon covering the five boroughs,” said Gary Corbitt. “He contacted Harry Murphy to recommend the route. George Spitz took the idea to Percy Sutton. My father served the sport in many ways, and he would tell me how he’d get awards for doing the work nobody else wanted to do. He accomplished this by having a totally supportive wife, my mother Ruth.”

“I am thrilled to be honored at this year‘s 50th anniversary of the 5-boro New York City Marathon,” said Hirsch. “I remember the excitement of that day in 1976 as we waited for the gun to go off at the start of the race. We knew it was something big. But how big it would become, we simply couldn’t imagine!”

“It means a lot that New York Road Runners is honoring this significant anniversary and celebrating Fred’s enduring impact on the running community,” said Stimler. “Fred’s legacy has always meant a great deal to me, and I’m honored to contribute to commemorating this special milestone.”

The Honorary Grand Marshals will participate in 2026 TCS New York City Marathon race-week events including the ceremonial Blue Line Painting, Night of Champions benefit, TCS New York City Marathon Expo Presented by New Balance, TCS New York City Marathon Opening Ceremony Presented by United Airlines, and race-day celebrations.

About the History of the New York City Marathon (1970–2026)

Initially run in 1970 as four laps of Central Park with 55 finishers, the New York City Marathon left the park and was run through the five boroughs for the first time on Oct. 24, 1976, to celebrate the U.S. Bicentennial and uplift the city. The landmark move set the standard for the modern marathon event. This year, New York Road Runners is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 5-boro marathon course and setting a goal of raising $100 million for its Official Charity Partner Program, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Produced by the world’s premier running organization, today the TCS New York City Marathon is consistently one of the largest marathons in the world, bringing together 55,000+ participants and more than two million spectators for the best day of the year, in the best city in the world.

About New York Road Runners (NYRR) 

A New York City-based nonprofit, New York Road Runners’ vision is to build healthier lives and 

stronger communities through the transformative power of running—serving more than half a million people annually through its races, free community events, youth running initiatives, and school-based programs across the five boroughs. During its nearly 70 years, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, producing more than 60 adult and youth races each year, including the TCS New York City Marathon. Held the first Sunday each November, the TCS New York City Marathon features more than 50,000 runners—from the world’s best professional athletes to a vast range of runners across experience levels, ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.