NYC Runner Wins OSR30 Urban Ultra Around Manhattan with Boost from Dry Needling and Acupuncture

NEW YORK, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Jamie Morrissey won the women's division of the 2026 OSR30 on March 28, finishing in 3 hours and 13 minutes (6:27 per mile pace) in the roughly 30-mile checkpoint-driven urban ultra-marathon around the perimeter of Manhattan.

She did it just one week after sustaining a calf strain, the second soft tissue injury in her recent training block, following a hamstring strain weeks earlier. Her recovery was supported by weekly dry needling and acupuncture treatments at Morningside Acupuncture, an Upper West Side clinic specializing in sports injury recovery and performance optimization for runners and athletes.

The OSR30, organized by Orchard Street Runners, is one of New York City's most distinctive races. Founded by Joe DiNoto in 2014, the unsanctioned event gives runners no set course or road closures. Instead, each runner and their required bike escort must navigate their own route between a series of checkpoints, blending endurance with urban strategy and real-time decision-making. This year's edition featured the race's largest field to date, with 150 runners.

Runners left from Broome and Orchard Street on the Lower East Side at 10 a.m., then hit three checkpoints: Randall's Island, beneath the Henry Hudson Bridge, and the Staten Island Ferry Terminal before returning to the start for the finish. The stretch between the Henry Hudson Bridge and the Ferry Terminal was expected to be the crux of the race, a roughly 12-mile segment where runners chose between the flat West Side Highway greenway and shorter but hillier routes cutting through the interior of Manhattan.

Morrissey had been managing a hamstring strain through her training buildup when a calf strain hit just seven days before the race. Weekly dry needling sessions at Morningside Acupuncture targeted both injuries, keeping her on the start line and on the podium.

"I wasn't sure I'd be able to race, let alone compete for the win," Morrissey said. "The dry needling sessions at Morningside kept me moving through the hamstring issue, and when my calf went a week before the race, they got me to the start line feeling like I could push. To come away with the win after all of that is something I'm still processing."

Theodore Levarda, L.Ac., licensed acupuncturist at Morningside Acupuncture, explained how the treatments addressed the back-to-back injuries. "When you're dealing with a hamstring strain and then a calf strain in quick succession, the priority is reducing local muscle tension and restoring neuromuscular function so the tissue can tolerate load again," Levarda said. "Dry needling targets the specific muscles involved. The treatments helped Jamie maintain enough function to race 30 miles through the city on a compressed timeline."

The OSR30 has drawn Olympians, professional triathletes, and elite club runners since its founding. More information about Orchard Street Runners and their events can be found at orchardstreetrunners.com.

About Morningside Acupuncture

Morningside Acupuncture is New York City's highest-rated acupuncture and dry needling clinic, specializing in pain relief, sports injury recovery, and athletic performance. Located on the Upper West Side, the clinic's licensed acupuncturists provide evidence-based care tailored to athletes and active New Yorkers.

Photo credit: Aisha McAdams (@ai.shoots)

SOURCE Morningside Acupuncture PLLC