As part of the New York City Marathon festivities, fans will receive a sneak peak into the making of the much-anticipated film Tracktown, an independent film written, directed and produced by Alexi Pappas and Jeremy Teicher. 

 

"It's so cool to have this weekend where I'll get to race a 5K, ride in the NYC Marathon lead car, and show a little hint of my movie,” Pappas wrote over email. 

 

“I look forward to diving into this weekend as a competitor, a filmmaker, and as a cheering spectator. This feels like the right way to kick off an Olympic year, and I'd love to see everyone come out this weekend and enjoy the many sides of the sport we love,” the Oregon Track Club runner added. 

 

On Friday at 2:00 p.m. in the TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion, Pappas and Teicher will present a short inside look at the making of the film, which wrapped shooting in the summer of 2014 and is currently in post-production. 

 

Tracktown takes places in Eugene, Oregon and features Pappas as Plumb Marigold, a long distance runner who is preparing to compete at the Olympic Trials at Hayward Field. Some of the cast members include former Saturday Night Live actress Rachel Dratch, former cast member of The Office Andy Buckley, and several professional runners in the Eugene area, notably Olympians Nick Symmonds and Andrew Wheating. 

 

“For me, it's really exciting to have this opportunity to show a sneak preview behind-the-scenes of Tracktown before the movie comes out. We fully encourage all young runners across the NYC area to sneak out of school and come visit us at this event,” Teicher said. 

 

Pappas and Teicher met while studying at Dartmouth and created their first film, Tall as the Baobab Tree in 2013. While Pappas got her Masters degree at the University of Oregon and earned All American honors on the track, Jeremy worked as a filmmaker in New York before moving to Eugene to work on Tracktown with Pappas.  

#tbt the film fam in tracktown, usa pic.twitter.com/jTHGIzimq9

— Tracktown Movie (@TracktownMovie) October 15, 2015

The main stage at the TCS New York City Marathon Pavilion will also feature short films Run For Your Life: The Fred Lebow Story, City Slickers Can’t Stay With Me: The Coach Bob Larsen Story (featuring an appearance by Meb Keflezighi), and Every Day, an ESPN Films 30 for 30 film about Joy Johnson, the oldest woman to run the 2013 New York City Marathon. 

 

Pappas, along with Bowerman Track Club’s Chris Derrick, will also take part in the lead vehicle program for the New York City Marathon.

The TCS New York City Marathon broadcast will be televised live on Sunday on WABC-TV, Channel 7 in the New York tri-state area from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET and for the rest of the nation on ESPN2 beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET.