Friday, January 17, 2025
Bill Cassidy of Rockville Centre is a living testament to the power of perseverance, discipline and the relentless pursuit of good health. At the age of 82, Cassidy has battled setbacks and rebounded into an active, fulfilling lifestyle that is built on the very foundation of the sport that changed his life — running.
The former United States Marine turned longtime marathon runner, started his journey back in the 1970s when he was living in Island Park, just two miles away from the boardwalk in Long Beach. Initially, Cassidy explained, he was simply looking to get in better shape, but his passion for running only increased after he was invited to join the Long Beach Sandpipers and the Eisenhower Park Long Island Road Runners.
It didn’t take long before he began to compete in marathons. For nearly a decade, from 1978 to 1987, Cassidy ran 37 marathons.
Within a 10-year-span, from 1977 to 1987, Cassidy ran 37 marathons. He completed the Long Island Marathon for the first time at the age of 35, and a decade later, completed the Boston Marathon at the age of 45. Despite the nearly 17,000 competitors, he was the 1,100th runner to cross the finish line, setting a new personal record as well.
“I had some really, really good experiences, but I had some bad ones too,” Cassidy said. “If you run marathons, you have some bad experiences. It’s inevitable.”
His marathon running days came to an end with the Long Island Marathon in 1987. It was a real full-circle moment for Cassidy, whose time had dramatically improved by nearly an hour. His personal best time stood at an impressive 2 hours and 58 minutes.
But after running courses based only on memory and without the intense level of training he was accustomed to, Cassidy came to the realization that his body was no longer capable of maintaining the same level of performance.
“That’s when I knew I wasn’t going to be able to run faster than 2:58, so I decided that was the end of my marathon career,” Cassidy said.
Even though he decided to stop competing in marathons, Cassidy’s love for running never waned. His commitment to fitness became a lifestyle that would help him sustain his toughest challenges. After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, Cassidy underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatments, which he admitted, “ended my running career entirely.”
Following the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, Cassidy and his wife, Patricia, moved to Rockville Centre. Despite the slight change in scenery, little has changed. He swapped running for walking, setting a goal of three to four miles every day. By early November 2024, he has already traveled 1,200 miles around the village and is on track to meet his goal of 1,400 miles by the end of the year.
“I keep going for a lot of reasons,” Cassidy said. “I’m 82 years old, and I’m keeping the weight off, keeping my heart pumping, and it seems to be working”
Thanks to his continued commitment to proper nutrition an exercise, he said that his doctor describes him as a “perfect physical specimen.” His daily walking routine not only focuses on maintaining his physical health, but his mental well-being as well.
“When you first start running, you try to figure out how you can not run,” Cassidy explained. “You don’t want to go outside. The weather’s bad. The rain. The wind. It’s too cold. But once you really get involved in it, you don’t see yourself not going out.”
For him, the mental health benefits of exercise are just as important as the physical ones — if not more so.
“[Running and walking] clears your head, and you forget about all your problems for however long you’re out there,” Cassidy said. “When you come back, it gets you through the whole day. It’s definitely a mind-clearing experience.”
Throughout his life, Cassidy has maintained a structured day-to-day routine, prioritizing both exercise and nutrition. Today, he remains just as active as ever. He doesn’t miss a single day of walking, and as a result, has stayed remarkably healthy.
“My goal has always been to live long and be healthy for my family,” Cassidy said. “All of this has paid off in the long run. I’ve seen the benefits of hard work and discipline in my life.”
Thanks to his daily regimen, he continues to defy the limitation of age and maintain a positive mindset. His journey serves as a reminder to us all that it’s never too late to break bad habits and embark on a new routine.
