Spike Lee, Out-of-Shape Brooklyn Filmmaker, Named Grand Marshal of NYC Marathon

Spike Lee, Fort Greene native and iconic Bed-Stuy filmmaker, has been named grand marshal of this year’s 26.2-mile TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 1, according to the New York Daily News.

This will reportedly only be the third time in the marathon’s 45-year history that a grand marshal has been appointed.

Marathon organizers told the Daily News they chose the 58-year-old director as their grand marshal because of his ”unparalleled” love for New York City, ”whether in the sporting arena or in the community.”

Lee’s reaction was priceless.

“This is a complete surprise,“ he told the Daily News. “I mean, I didn’t even know they had a grand marshal. The most I’ve run is like, four miles, and that wasn’t recent either. That was on a treadmill with my trainer at Equinox, long ago.”

“I once tore my patella tendon jumping up and down at a Knicks game,” Lee added.

As grand marshal, Lee won’t be running in the race. Instead, he’ll be driven around the parade loop — which stretches from Staten Island to Central Park — well ahead of the sweaty mob.

Read the full story at the New York Daily News.