Running enthusiasts have waited an extra year for their beloved NYC Marathon, and one participant in particular, Owego native Barbara Morrissey, is ready to run.
The race, canceled last year due to COVID, is scheduled for Nov. 7. This year’s race marks the 28th NYC Marathon for Morrissey. She is 74.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the number of runners this year is limited to 33,000, and competitors either need to prove they are fully vaccinated or have had a recent negative COVID test. Barbara is guaranteed an entry into the race since she runs for charity and has completed 15 or more runs as part of the “15-Plus” legacy group.
Barbara said she doesn’t mind at all that there will be 20,000 less runners than the last NYC Marathon; but even better, she exclaimed, “I’m so excited that I’ll be running with my new knee.”
Last year’s race cancelation proved to be perfect timing for Morrissey to face a personal challenge, and that being much-needed knee replacement surgery. Morrissey attributes the “blown out” knee to a skiing incident when she was 35.
She remarked about her new knee, “Wow, does it feel good!”
From left, Owego native Barbara Morrissey and her niece, Pat Shivers, pose for a photo at a previous NYC Marathon. Pat has been a constant cheerleader for Barbara for many years, however will miss this year’s race due to cancer treatment. Morrissey, age 74, will be running her 28th NYC Marathon on Nov. 7, and is running to raise money for the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Provided photo.
In fact, Morrissey said that she feels in better shape now than she has in a number of years. Since the surgery she has been working with a personal trainer to get back up-to-speed.
New nourishment is part of the regimen, too. An energy gel called “Frog’s Fuel,” which was developed by NAVY Seals, has been a significant contributor to her “feel good” status.
She chuckled, “For instant energy, I can no longer rely on marshmallow peeps alone.”
Now living in Florida, Morrissey said she traveled back to Owego in July. She said she thoroughly enjoyed the comforts of home at the Parkview Inn, and then took off with one of the first runs with her new knee over the Court Street Bridge to the Hiawatha Bridge, and then to Hickories Park and back to downtown.
Barbara said she hopes for a clear day on Nov. 7, with an ideal temperature of about 50 degrees. She recalled past marathons when it felt like summer instead of November, and then in 1997, while running with her son, torrential downpours inundated that race for some 20 miles.
A member of “Fred’s Team” since 1991, Morrissey is raising money for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), a charity started by race co-founder Fred Lebow. MSKCC is a leader in cancer research, and treats patients with 400-plus subtypes every year.
Morrissey cared for cancer patients as a registered nurse and oncology nurse for more than three decades, and like many of us has suffered the loss of loved ones from various forms of the disease.
“Charities have taken a big hit due to COVID,” Barbara remarked, adding, “When COVID started cancer did not stop.”
This year, as Morrissey runs the 26.2 miles through five city boroughs, she will have her niece, Pat Shivers, on her mind. For many years Shivers, and joined by other family members some years, gathered near the finish line to wave homemade posters and cheer Morrissey on during the final leg. Morrissey said that Pat was recently diagnosed with cancer, so she is unable to attend this year to be her sideline cheerleader.
And for Morrissey, Pat’s diagnosis hits close to home, and just another reason to run for a charity that is near-and-dear to her heart.
She welcomes you to join her in supporting MSKCC. Donations to “Fred’s Team” are accepted at fredsteam.org. To find her page, enter her participant last name, Morrissey.
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