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Pace | Culture > News

Jordan Litz: The Man Who Ran 26.2 Miles to the Emerald City

Ella Rodriguez Student Contributor, Pace University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Pace chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

The hype around Wicked: For Good has only grown as the movie’s release date of Nov. 21, 2025, draws nearer. There have been multitudes of advertising campaigns from a Wicked themed night on Dancing With The Stars with guest host, Jon M. Chu, the film’s director, to NBC’s Wicked: One Wonderful Night special. Even Jonathan Bailey, who plays Prince Fiyero Tigelaar, was recently named “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine. Bailey has been praised for filming three different projects at the same time, from rehearsing his Wicked dance number, to flying back and forth between the Bridgerton and Fellow Travelers sets. But did you know he’s not the first Fiyero to have a momentous work ethic?

Meet Jordan Litz. Litz made his Broadway debut back in May 2023 at the Gershwin Theater, which has been home to Wicked for 22 years. He plays the quick-witted Prince of Winkie Country eight shows a week. On Sunday, Nov. 1, he ran the NYC Marathon in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids (BC/EFA), a nonprofit organization that supports people living with HIV, AIDS, and other critical illnesses. Having raised over $21k for BC/EFA, that money will help provide medical care, meals, financial assistance, and more to those in need across all 50 states. 

Here’s the crazy part: after running a 3:40:53 marathon, Litz proceeded to perform two Broadway performances on the same day, going straight from the finish line in Central Park to the Gershwin. 26.2 miles later, Litz performed at 2pm and 7pm as Fiyero.

Litz made headlines on programs like TODAY detailing his post-marathon plan to survive a two-show day on 51st street.  Even Colin Jost of Saturday Night Live made a “Weekend Update” joke about him, saying that he would simply die after a marathon and starring in two performances. Having trained for only five months on top of a Broadway performance schedule, and caring for his two-year-old daughter, Greta, Playbill describes his achievement as “unthinkable.” 

Per Litz’s request, fans cheered him on from the sidelines with lyrics from “No Good Deed,” specifically Elphaba’s cry for Fiyero. “You have no idea how many Fiyeros got me through those last four miles,” Litz told Playbill. “Every single time, it was a little jolt of  ‘You can do this, there’s no way you’re not going to finish this marathon for them.’” Litz is proof that Broadway performers are more than just dancers, singers, and actors. They’re full blown athletes. Performing eight shows a week proves that alone, but Litz defies the odds while his co-star, Lencia Kebede, defies gravity. He may be made of straw, but Fiyero sure had lungs of steel that day. 

Litz took to Instagram this past Sunday to share his gratitude, writing, “From running the streets of NYC to dancing through life on Broadway, this will be a day for the ages
 I hope someday my daughters will look back at this and know that they can accomplish anything with drive and passion.”

Ella Rodriguez

Pace '27

Ella Rodriguez is President of Her Campus at Pace University in New York City. She enjoys writing about different elements of the world of entertainment, specifically music, movies, and theater. She plans events, runs meetings, and oversees all behind the scenes work alongside her fellow hardworking eboard members. She is a former junior editor, as well.

Ella is a Junior this year and studying Communications and Media Studies. She is originally from Worcester, Massachusetts. On campus, she works as a Peer Leader for freshman students in a first-year seminar university community course. She acts as a mentor and resource for a select group of students. She also volunteers with the on campus food pantry.

Beyond Her Campus, she enjoys reading, hanging out with friends, and watching movies. Her favorites include La La Land, Little Women (2019), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013), and The Trial of the Chicago 7. If you find her on campus, she's probably on her way to Bagel Market with her Her Campus besties, Cassidy and Sierra, frantically impulse-buying tickets to Broadway shows, or begging her friends to take her TV show recommendations. Ella is also an avid enjoyer of tap dance after competing in dance competitions for 12 years. She works as a nanny and administrative assistant at an occupational therapy office. She is excited to live in and explore the city for the next few years and grow as a writer!