WE ARE LONG DISTANCE RUNNERS:

UNTOLD STORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ATHLETES

FRIDAY  May 31, 2024 3:45pm

AMC MAGIC JOHNSON THEATER

  • WE ARE DISTANCE RUNNERS: UNTOLD STORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ATHLETES
  • Director: Anthony Renard Reed
  • HARLEM  Premiere
  • USA , 2023,  72 min
  • Category: Documentary

SYNOPSIS

There’s a myth that African Americans are sprinters, not distance runners. This documentary seeks to dispel this myth by interviewing six very accomplished African American distance runners and coaches.

Richard “Dick” Gregory – National high school one-mile recordholder; MO state one-mile and cross country champion; NCAA All American distance runner; ran over 3,500 miles from LA to NYC; National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame inductee (2017).

Dr. Ronald Gregory – National high school one-mile and two-mile recordholder; MO state half-mile, one-mile, and cross country champion; NCAA All American distance runner; National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame inductee (2017)

Anthony “Tony” Reed – First Black in the world to complete 26.2-mile marathons on all seven continents, including Antarctica (2007). Completed 132 marathons and marathons in all fifty states; National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame inductee (2017).

Shalisa “Lisa” Davis – Set the Guinness world record (female) for running marathons on all seven continents, including Antarctica (2017). Completed over 200 marathons, marathons in all fifty states, and the Abbott Marathon World Majors.

Alphonzo Jackson – Carried the 2002 Olympic relay torch; ranked third in the world in the 5k (16:28) and ½ marathon (1:15:28) in his age division, in 1996 at 50 years old; coached over 10,000 runners; finished 3rd in the PAUSTF Track & Field Grand Prix Championship in 1998; served as the Head Coach for Team-in-Training’s East Bay Run Team for over 10 years and was the Athletic Director/Coach for Students Run Oakland; National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame inductee (2015).

Lisa Felder – Completed over 300 marathons and 111 ultra marathons; coached over 10,000 runners; coached the East Bay run team for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program (TNT) from 1998 through 2009; launched the first ever TNT Ultra Team, the largest endurance program in the world in 2009; National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame inductee (2015).

Anthony Renard Reed

Anthony Renard Reed has authored over 50 articles and six books. He’s been in numerous publications, including the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Runners World, Southern Living, CNN, Ebony, and the Journal of Accountancy. He was inducted into the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) National Distance Running Hall of Fame and the National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame. This 132-time marathoner is one of about sixty people in the world who completed the 26.2-mile marathon “hat trick” which consists of

1. completing at least 100 marathons.
2. a marathon in each of the 50 states.
3. a marathon on all seven continents.

He’s the first Black in the world to have completed marathons on seven continents. He’s also the co-founder and executive director of the National Black Marathoners Association and CEO of Caribbean Endurance Sports Corporation (Five Island Challenge – Marathon and Half Marathon).

He wrote, directed, and produced the award winning documentaries

– Breaking Three Hours: Trailblazing African American Women Marathoners
– Keep Going
– Breaking Three Hours – The Marilyn Bevans Story
– (Welcome to the) Marathon Music Vide

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