New York Marathon: The Big Apple is back and cannabis came with it

By Maureen Meehan

This Sunday, November 7th, the 50th edition of the New York City Marathon will take place, the largest in the world. Approximately 33,000 runners from around the nation and around the world will soar in waves from various locations around the city at 8:00 a.m. EST. Although attendance was capped at nearly half this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, the race is particularly significant after the 2020 cancellation when New York City was closed and at one tragic point recorded nearly 800 COVID-related deaths were per day.

Kerin Hempel, Chief Executive of the New York street runners, the organization running the marathon, said the marathon is bringing a sense of normalcy back to the city ready to welcome tourists and their dollars back to the Big Apple.

Photo by Ferdinand Stöhr via Unsplash

As the national economy begins to recover from the pandemic, New York City is among the slowest returning cities as it has suffered more job losses than any other major city in the country. A report by the Center for New York City Affairs found that while the city received $ 272 billion in federal COVID-19 aid, most benefits have been depleted and New York is still running a deficit of more than 500,000 jobs .

Although there is an industry that is doing well … extremely well, actually.

Cannabis: the race is on

The 10 largest cannabis companies in New York State – all but two of which are publicly traded – are part of the state’s medical marijuana program. This gives them a significant head start in what will become a multi-billion dollar industry for the Empire State after cannabis was signed for adult use last March.

Grass and Running: What’s the Connection?

When Sha’Carri Richardson was denied a seat at the Tokyo Olympics last summer after testing positive for cannabis, a debate sparked among athletes, experts, lawyers and lawmakers over whether weed was a performance enhancer. The consensus was no, it isn’t.

RELATED: Olympic Cannabis Prohibition Re-Examined After Sha’Carri Richardson Disqualified

Dr. Peter GrinspoonBenzinga, an instructor from Harvard Medical School and cannabis expert, confirmed at the time that there were no studies that prove marijuana as a performance enhancer, which is why more and more professional sports teams are avoiding it.

Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU / Pexels

What does grass do for athletes?

Pretty much after Josiah Hesse, Author of “Runner’s High”, by exploring what he calls the “hidden culture” of cannabis use among recreational and elite athletes who use it for exercise to relieve muscle pain and improve sleep. However, the most common reaction from athletes has been for it to calm their nerves and relieve anxiety.

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Rosie Mattio, a dedicated bodybuilder who runs the marathon on Sunday, agreed. “Cannabis was an integral part of getting me first place in my first bodybuilding competition,” said Mattio. CEO and founder of MATTIO communication, one of the first and longest running cannabis PR firms in the field.

“The stress and inflammation associated with strenuous competition preparation would not have been manageable for my rest and relaxation without cannabis. I’ve used an Incredibles Snoozeberry Gum many times to sleep at night, ”Mattio told Benzinga, adding that sleep is critical to muscle building and recovery.

Mattio, an award-winning bodybuilder and mother of four, said she was forced to cut calories in order to stay lean for competitions.

So she traded cocktails for cannabis and is now off to run her first marathon. “I also pack a few carbohydrates. PB&J before I start. I can’t run hungry! ”Mattio laughed.

To see the New York Marathon, whose rallying cry is “Half a Century of History is Only the Beginning,” visit the NY Road Runners website.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and was republished with permission.