Al Gordon Kept Moving for Over a Century

In 1989, NYRR staged a race to honor Al Gordon. At age 87, Gordon was the oldest member of NYRR, a longtime member of the Board of Directors, and a passionate supporter of the organization.

The race recognized Gordon's years of dedication and support. Among other contributions, he helped secure the loan to purchase NYRR’s headquarters at 9 East 89th Street, and he later financed the restoration of its library, renamed the Al Gordon Library in 2004.

Al Gordon lived to age 107 (that’s not a typo), passing away in 2009. The annual NYRR Al Gordon 4M continues to honor his memory and celebrate his longevity and contributions to running and NYRR.

Born in 1901, Gordon was a standout track runner at Harvard University. After obtaining his MBA from Harvard Business School, he joined the Wall Street firm Kidder, Peabody in 1925. He bought the firm with two other investors in 1931 during the depths of the Great Depression and remained its chairman for over half a century.

Gordon continued to work full time until age 86 and four days per week until age 104. He remained a member of NYRR’s board until the end of his life.

Known as much for his dedication to fitness as for his professional achievements, Gordon regularly walked seven miles each way to and from work, as well as to and from airports for business trips. He reportedly never used a golf cart and always carried his own clubs.

Gordon took up distance running in his 70s and won an age-group 10,000-meter world title. He began running marathons in his 80s and was the oldest finisher of the 1983 London Marathon. He walked for fitness until age 105, when he began to use a wheelchair, but continued with regular stationary cycling and weight workouts. Until 2006, he came out every year to cheer for the runners in his namesake race.

“Al ran the quarter mile in college, started running seriously again in his seventies, and finished his first marathon at 80, proving you’re never too old to challenge yourself to something new," said Gordon’s grandson John Roberts, a member of NYRR’s Board of Directors. "Towards the end of his life he was asked the secret of his longevity. He answered with two words: ‘Keep moving.’”

Thank you, Al Gordon, for truly embodying the spirit of “run for life.”