(August 2019) Vincent Chiappetta, a co-founder on New York Road Runners and its fourth president, has been running for 71 years. His running buddies have included Ted Corbitt, Kurt Steiner and Tom Osler. He used to accompany Corbitt on his 30-mile laps around Manhattan. During the NYRR's early days, Chiappetta was the yin to Fred Lebow's yang. During his competitive heyday, he ran a total of 114 marathons--50 of them under 2:40. At 86, he continues to teach biology and anatomy at Yeshiva University. On a recent day at 9:30 p.m., he was still in his office. What keeps him going? He says it’s simple: “Runners are survivors. We know how to keep our minds as well as our bodies moving.”
Your career/profession? I’ve taught at Yeshiva University since 1954. I teach Biology, Ecology, Geology, and pre-med courses. I was also the men’s and women’s track and cross-country coach at Hunter College for 8 years. Co-founding and organizing the first New York City Marathon in 1970 was