IN THE LONG RUN is a historical sports drama based on the true story of Thomas Hicks, a traumatized ex-circus clown who runs the 1904 Olympic Marathon, considered the most brutal race in Olympic history. Determined to overcome his inner demons and defeat the heavily favored New York City Running Club, Thomas puts his life on the line to secure Boston’s legacy as the Mecca of Marathoning.

With the 2028 LA Olympics on the horizon ~ Hollywood must be ready.

WHY THIS MOVIE SHOULD BE MADEGenre Demand: The definitive running movie has not been made.Historical Significance: A movie of America's first Olympic Marathon premiering at the 2028 LA Olympics is marketing gold.Protagonist's Arc: A classic historical sports story following the transformation of a traumatized former circus clown into an unlikely Olympic Champion.Dramatic and Cinematic hook: The movies 30+ page climax features the most brutal race in Olympic history.Celebrating Boston's Marathon Legacy: Capturing the historical beginnings of Boston's journey to becoming the world wide Mecca of Marathons.

"The amazing true story of the 1904 Olympics marathon race is exactly the kind of little-known sports story that feature films execute so well. The script shows serious promise. The protagonist is strong; the supporting characters even stronger and the climactic race is captivating from start to finish. There is undeniable talent here."
~ Coverage from The Black List

IN THE LONG RUN – SynopsisBOSTON, 1896
The Boston Athletic Club sends runners to the first modern Olympics in Athens.
They come home empty-handed.
So they build their own proving ground: The Boston Marathon.
Each spring, they race.
Each spring, they thrive.
When history calls, Boston will be ready.AMERICA, 1904
President Theodore Roosevelt announces:
America’s first Olympic Games are coming to the St. Louis World’s Fair.
Boston is ready.
And so is their hero—
John Lordon, the first runner to win back-to-back Boston Marathons.
In the spring of 1904, he’s favored to win a third—before heading to St. Louis.THE RIVALRY BEGINS
At the Boston Marathon starting line, Lordon and his team are blindsided.
The newly formed, highly fashionable, heavily funded New York City Running Club stands waiting. Also on the line: young Thomas Hicks—a haunted ex-circus clown. Wracked with guilt from losing his parents in a horrific circus tent fire. The two solaces in his miserable life: the twenty + miles he runs—to and from his parents’ graves. And reading Coach Charles Lucas’s (considered the father of American Marathoning) newspaper column: "In the Long Run"—which chronicles the feats of Thomas's hero, John Lordon.
Thomas has entered the race in hopes of staying close enough to watch Lordon win.THE SHOCK
The starter’s pistol fires.
The New Yorkers unveil a strategy that will change running forever: Drafting. Three teammates set a blistering pace, shielding their star— “The Flying Frenchman.”
With half a mile to go, he slingshots forward — Blows past Lordon — Realizing he won’t win, Lordon turns to the trailing Thomas...LORDON: You from Boston?THOMAS: Yes sir.LORDON: Then for God’s sake—win this race!Thomas's heart almost explodes in his attempt to catch the Frenchman, losing by inches. And yet, for the first time since the fire—Thomas feels alive.THE ASK
The next day, Thomas shows up at the Boston Athletic Club.
He volunteers to pace for Lordon in the Olympic Marathon.
Coach Lucas brings him on to the team and puts him to the test.
He thrives.
Too fast, in fact.THE CHALLENGE
THOMAS: With all due respect—I’m faster, and you know it. We should run our own races, do whatever it takes to bring that trophy home to Boston.LORDON: You pace-set for me— or find your own way to St. Louis.
Team chemistry is shot, replaced with doubt and anxiety.ENTER VIVIANA RENALDI
Thomas’s childhood sweetheart.
A strong, stunning Italian trapeze artist from his circus days.
They were in the woods, confessing love—when they heard the screams:“Fire! Fire!”After the blaze, Thomas vanished.
They searched for weeks—he never returned.
They assumed the worst.
Viviana fled Boston.
Her voice took her to Broadway, where she became a star.Now, years later, on her first tour outside NYC, she steps off the train in Boston— Shocked at seeing the newspaper headline:
THOMAS HICKS SET FOR OLYMPIC GAMESREUNITED
He attends her performance and is thunderstruck by her beauty and talent. She tells him she had a dream that he won the great race.
She offers to accompany him to St. Louis.
He tells her not to waste her time.
He won’t be winning anything.ST. LOUIS
Pomp and circumstances, the likes the world had never seen. By the time Boston arrives the New Yorkers are already on the front page — Poised, polished, perfection.
At the Olympic Gala, they watch in disbelief as the one and only Alice Roosevelt flirts and dances with the tuxedoed New York runners.THE CRACK
Coach Lucas blows a gasket.
Lordon hauls them back to the hotel—
Only to find Thomas broke team rules.
Snuck into the Fair.
Ran a local mile race.
Won a cheap trophy.
Injured his toe.Cornered, Thomas explodes—his shame masked in rage.
In that moment, Lordon finally sees the truth:
They’re not here for glory.
They’re here to prove the power of Boston grit.THE OLYMPIC MARATHON BEGINS
100-degree heat.
Dangerous humidity.
Choking dust.
Agonizing hills.
No water.
A brutal gauntlet of pain and endurance.
Only 14 of the 28 runner's made the finish.MILE 22
Lordon collapses.
His secret concoction—brandy, egg whites, strychnine—fails him.
He grabs Thomas.LORDON: It’s up to you now. GO!MILE 24
Thomas is delirious.
He begs for a second dose of Lordon’s dangerous concoction.
Then spirals into hallucination—
Back in the burning circus tent.
Flames. Panic. Despair.
He collapses.THE MIRACLE
Viviana had come to surprise him—
Only to see him fall face-first into the dust.
She grabs a garden hose.
Drags it to the curb.
Sprays him back to life.Soaked, blinking, he looks up and see her.THOMAS: Am I dead? Is this heaven?VIVIANA: No. (Pointing to the stadium)
You’re half a mile from making my dream come true.THE SPARK
She helps him to his feet.THOMAS: I saw my parents.VIVIANA: You did?THOMAS: I did. They reminded me it’s a clown’s duty to make magic. Excuse me, I got a race to finish.On he staggers —
Fueled by her help.
Parents love.
His purpose.THOMAS:
(mumbling)
Boston grit... Boston grit...THE FINISH
The crowd gasps as he enters the stadium.
Lurching around the track like a drunk marionette. On what runners call: Noodle legs. His eyes glazed. His soul tapped.One final step.
One final "Boston grit!"
He collapses across the finish line—
Into Viviana’s arms.America has its first Olympic Marathon champion.
Her dream.
His redemption.
Boston’s legacy.

Thomas Hicks:
Thomas is a traumatized ex circus clown who uses running to deal with his survivors guilt after losing his parents in a deadly circus tent fire. He goes through hell and back to win America’s first Olympic Marathon.[Timothée Chalamet]Coach Charles Lucas:
Consider the father of America Marathoning. He helped to create the Boston Athletic Club and Boston Marathon and was the preeminent running coach of the era.
[Ben Affleck]John Lordon:
Boston Athletic Clubs aging champion. A staunch first generation German chemist whose family’s business is pharmaceuticals. He’s predicted and determined to win America’s first Olympic Marathon.
[Victor Bruch]Viviana Renaldi:
Thomas’s childhood sweetheart. The young lovers had snuck off into the woods to confess their love when they heard screaming in the distance: FIRE, FIRE!
[Bernadette Porcaroli]Albert “The Flying Frenchman” Corey:
The extremely handsome star runner of the newly formed New York City Running Club, who miraculously defeats John Lordon in that springs Bostons Marathon, forcing the Boston Athletic Club to change their strategy heading into that summers Olympic marathon.
[Cesar Domboy]Paulo Renaldi:
Viviana’s loud, pushy, overprotective brother who considers Thomas a brother only because he never knew of their love.
[Massimiliano Caiazzo]Alice Roosevelt:
Teddy’s rabble rousing young socialite of a daughter is sent to the Olympics to present the winners trophy. She watches from one of the many motorcars that followed the racers over the brutal course and is shocked by the endurance, strength and courage of the runners.
[Hunter Schafer]Jessie Tarbox Beals:
Alice’s chaperone for the Olympics, as well America’s first female photojournalists. She took what most considered the greatest pictures of the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair. She and Alice document the race with her large format camera.
[Minnie Driver]Felix Carvale: The most charming Cuban mailman that ever walked the planet. Felix surely would have won the great race had he not stopped throughout to marvel at the magic that is America.
[Jake Cannavale]