Friday, November 7, 2025
Matt Nolan, of Rockville Centre, will once again run in the New York City Marathon next month — in memory of his mother, Arlene, who died of breast cancer in 2017 at 64 years old, and to raise funds for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
The 41-year-old Nolan will join Fred’s Team, MSK’s official marathon team, in what will be his eighth NYC Marathon overall since his first in 2015, marking his first time back since 2022.
Supporting the cancer center holds deep meaning for Nolan, since both of his parents were longtime patients there. His father Joseph Nolan successfully underwent throat cancer treatment in the 1980s and is still a survivor today, and his mother lost her 14-year battle with stage-four breast cancer.
“While it’s sad she’s no longer with us, I prefer to think of it as a blessing that because of the care she got, we had all that extra time with her that otherwise we might not have,” Nolan said. “I’m equally thankful that I have one parent who’s still here, one who has passed on but to say that I owe countless gratitude and thankfulness to a place like MSK for what they do.”
Nolan’s mother was a familiar presence throughout the Rockville Centre school community and was very involved in her children’s activities, including the PTA, soccer club and her daughter’s Girl Scout troop. She helped plan prom parties, fashion shows and other South Side High School events.
“She was part of groups and organizations, and was just always a fixture all around town,” Nolan said. “All over so many different people knew her and still asked me about her. So she was somebody that many people had memories with all throughout town, so it’s nice to be back in town.”
A South Side High School graduate, Nolan was a runner throughout school and was crowned the New York State champion in the pentathlon in 2002. He went on to attend Binghamton University, graduating in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, politics and law, with a minor in history. During his college career, he played several sports, including soccer, track and field and lacrosse. Despite his active background, he pursued a career in Broadway following graduation.
“I toured the country with different Broadway shows,” he said. “I was on the national tour of ‘Hairspray.’ I did the national tour of ‘Grease’ as Danny Zuko. And then I met my wife when I did the national tour of ‘Rock of Ages.’ So we did that show together. And then when I was done performing, I started working at Barry’s (Bootcamp).”
Nolan was born and raised in Rockville Centre, and after living in Queens with his wife, Welsey, they decided to move back in 2021 to his hometown with their two children Eli, 6, and Lucille, 3. They moved into a house not too far from where Nolan grew up, which was on his old running route from his childhood.
“I always remembered it,” he said. “So it was this weird moment of seeing the house and having memories of growing up and running past it.”
Nolan is currently in training for this year’s marathon, which will be held on Nov. 2. Even though he has not participated in a marathon since 2022, he has stayed fit and active as a result of working at Barry’s Bootcamp, a fitness boutique with locations across Long Island. He’s been able to pick up right where he left off three years ago, practicing for the grueling 26.2-mile, five-borough event with a 21-mile run last weekend.
“With marathon training, in particular, it’s been very important for me to just make sure I’m finding that nice balance of running four days a week, which is my schedule, hitting the appropriate amount of miles I need to hit in a certain week, while also, with kids now, being able to be flexible,” he said.
Nolan’s running goal is quite different from most runners taking part in the marathon. This year’s earning goal is $16,000, since 16 is his lucky number, and thus far, he has raised more than $14,000. Throughout the years, he has raised more than $50,000 for Fred’s team running for MSK.
“It’s a no-brainer of just how important MSK has been to myself, my family, and will continue to be to others,” he said.
Nolan finished his last NYC Marathon in 3 hours, 30 minutes, with a personal best of 2 hours, 54 minutes in 2019. But what is more important to him than his running times is the experience.
“The last marathon I did, my goal was to take as many selfies with as many of the people I knew on the race course as possible,” he said. “So I definitely did that, and I took my time. I enjoyed myself, and that’s my goal again this year. I’m no longer interested in trying to hit a particular time. I’ve hit some fast times in the past that I’m proud of. Now I just really want to enjoy it. They say the New York City Marathon is a party, and I believe that.”
For more information on Matt Nolan’s run, visit MSKCC.Convio.net/goto/mattnolanruns2025.
