By Bobby Panza

Everyone’s a winner who runs the New York City Marathon. Now, runners will have even more reason to make it through all five boroughs, as Gray’s Papaya has announced that all those who complete the 26.219-mile course — which ends in Central Park on the Upper West Side on Sunday, November 5 — will receive a free “Recession Special.”

That’s two franks and a medium tropical drink of either coconut, banana, piña colada, grape, orange, or classic papaya flavor, all for an extra .6-of-a-mile journey from the finish line at 68th Street and West Drive, near the Sheep Meadow, over to Gray’s Papaya, which has proudly stood at 2090 Broadway at West 72nd Street since its inception in 1973, 50 years ago.

“Yeah, I love that!” rejoiced Meg O’Connell, 27, from Hamilton Heights, when we told her about the finish-line franks. Originally from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, O’Connell ran her first marathon in high school after a fellow cross-country and track friend suggested they give it a go. “We were wildly unprepared,” she recalls. “It turns out that despite the pain and grueling effort, I loved the experience of being surrounded by people who were all accomplishing something so huge. Eventually, it turned into a way to explore wherever I was living.”

After suffering an injury in college, O’Connell told WSR that “without running I got a little lost.” She embarked on her path to sobriety approximately five years ago. “I hadn’t really run long distances since then,” O’Connell said. Then, while still living in Colorado, she got involved with an organization called The Phoenix, a free, outdoor recreation community for people in recovery.

“I moved to New York almost two years ago and got involved with The Phoenix here as a volunteer, and the opportunity came up to run the New York City Marathon,” said Meg who now works as a data engineer. “It’s been an incredible experience, because it brought me back to all that running does for my soul. It’s given me a whole new community in New York City, and a chance to explore many of the beautiful trails that surround the city, places I might not have otherwise seen. I love getting to explore miles and miles of so many different places on foot.”

O’Connell looks forward to feasting on two franks with ketchup and mustard after the race. Her fiancé, Baird is also a big fan of Gray’s.

Jenna Addison, 36, from Fairfield County, Connecticut, told the Rag she “spent many a late night,” at Gray’s Papaya while she was studying history at Fordham University nearby. “This is my first-ever marathon so I’m excited,” Addison said. She also shared that she weighed 350 pounds three years ago and underwent a gastric bypass procedure, after which she developed a passion for running. “So, this is a huge deal for me. I entered the lottery to run the marathon on a whim and when I didn’t get in, I got pissed and decided I needed to find a way to do it.” The mother of two, who works as a nurse practitioner, specializing in breast surgical oncology, is running for Aids Foundation Chicago.

Local Upper West Sider Elena Makovskaia also thinks she’ll have room for Gray’s after the race. “It’s actually on the way home,” she noted, before revealing that this will be her fourth marathon in two years. “In 2021, the city was recovering from the pandemic. The marathon had been canceled for two years and two of my colleagues signed up, so I got inspired to join in. It was also the 50th New York City Marathon and I thought it would be a very special way to celebrate and to challenge myself.” Makovskaia called running the New York City Marathon a “rite of passage.”

A financial analyst by day, Makovskaia is running this year for the American Cancer Society (ACS). “They are known to have a great training team and coach,” she said. With her third New York City Marathon approaching, Elena just finished her first Chicago Marathon with the ACS on Sunday, October 8.

One of the many commendable attributes of Gray’s Papaya is its mastery of swiftly moving a long line. And those who’ve observed the Upper West Side scene after a marathon can attest to the rare-air sight of everyone being in a jubilant mood. It’s a testament to the spirit of celebration and camaraderie that events like the New York City Marathon bring to the city.

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