After a dip in participation levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marathons are finally seeing an upswing in popularity. This year, you had a better chance of getting into Yale University (5 percent) than having your name selected in the New York City Marathon lottery (4 percent).
Some celebrities are getting in on the fun.
While certain big shots prefer to stick to 5Ks or half marathons—or just like running to blow off some steam, like Kendrick Lamar—we’ve spotted stars in the crowds of some of the world’s largest races. The NYC Marathon, especially, is a popular destination for VIPs, with many celebrities choosing to raise money for charities.
Here are some of the top marathon times—and most inspiring stories—from celebs in 2024.
Colin Farrell, 4:06:45
This wasn’t Farrell’s first marathon—he ran 3:53:14 at the 2021 Brisbane Marathon—but it sure was the most memorable. At October’s Dublin Marathon, the Irish actor finished in 4:06:45. But the time wasn’t important. Farrell, during the last 2.5 miles of the race, pushed his friend, Emma Fogarty, in a wheelchair. Fogarty has epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic skin condition, which can cause painful skin blistering. The pair raised nearly $1 million for Debra Ireland, a charity that helps fund research for the disorder.
Jennifer Connelly, 3:45:47
The actress, who won an Academy Award for portraying Alicia Nash in A Beautiful Mind, took on her first marathon on the streets of New York City in November. While she admitted she was nervous before the race, the Top Gun: Maverick alum looked like she had a blast, posing with other celebrity runners and thanking the famously boisterous New York crowd in a post-race Instagram post. She raised money for the cancer research organization Fred’s Team MSK.
Chelsea Clinton, 3:45:51
Just behind Connelly in New York was the former first daughter. Clinton was low-key about running the five boroughs. She didn’t publicly announce her participation; instead, she told the world after the race, posting a photo with her mother, Hillary, who met her at the finish line. Clinton ran with her friend, Jen, in support of the nonprofit Every Mother Counts.
Casey Neistat, 2:57:48
One of the most moving videos of the year was Neistat’s 12-minute documentary, “Sisyphus and the Impossible Dream.” In the video, Neistat, who has grown a massive following on YouTube since joining in 2010, chronicles his quest to break 3:00 in the marathon—ultimately a 17-year journey. He finally achieved his goal in December 2023 at the Tucson Marathon, where he ran 2:57:34. Before this year’s NYC Marathon, Neistat semi-jokingly asked his fans to refrain from waving to save him some precious seconds. It apparently worked; he nearly PR’d, running 2:57:48.
Go watch the Sisyphus video if you haven’t already. Goosebumps.
Matt James, 3:00:41
Matt James has worn a lot of hats: Wake Forest football player, Bachelor star, and now chronic marathoner. The 33-year-old is a regular at the World Majors. This year, he nabbed a personal best of 3:00:41 at April’s London Marathon and followed it up with a 3:29:26 at the New York City Marathon. He told Runner’s World his dream marathon partner would be Gordon Ramsay, who owns an impressive 3:30:37 PR himself. “After the marathon, you’re guaranteed a fire meal,” James said.
Phoebe Robinson, 5:53:19
The comedian and writer started running in March 2023 and bookended her 2024 with the Boston Marathon (5:53:19) and NYC Marathon (6:06:52). After Boston, Robinson posted on Instagram a thought that most people have after completing their first 26.2:
“I CAN. F***ING. DO. ANYTHING.”
Nev Schulman, untimed
Like Matt James, Schulman is a regular on the marathon circuit. He owns a PR of 2:58:54 from 2018, but lately, the host of MTV’s Catfish has focused on giving back to the running community.
At Boston in the spring, Schulman was a guide for blind para-athlete Francesco Magisano, who finished in 4:29:43. But in August, Schulman broke his neck after a truck hit him while he was biking. Incredibly, Schulman recovered in time to guide Magisano at the New York City Marathon, where Magisano crossed the finish in 4:02:31. (Since Schulman was a guide, he’s not listed in the official results.)
Theo Kahler is the news editor at Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
