There was only one direction for Harry Styles to run this past weekend: across the finish line. The British pop star and former boy band member participated in the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, September 21, completing the 26.2-mile gauntlet in an impressively quick time.
Berlin was not Styles’s first marathon. He participated in the Tokyo Marathon this past March, finishing with an excellent time of 3 hours, 24 minutes, and 7 seconds. At the Berlin Marathon, Styles ran even faster, setting a new personal best by narrowly coming in under three hours, with an extraordinary time of 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 13 seconds. For many marathon runners, a sub-three-hour marathon is an coveted goal, and Styles was able to accomplish the feat with 47 seconds to spare.
Headed toward the finish line, Styles was neck and neck with Richard Whitehead, a two-time gold medal winner at the Paralympic Games. Whitehead is on a quest to run 20 marathons this year. The pair took a photo together, which Whitehead posted on his Instagram with the following caption: “2.58 in Berlin with my mate!! Anyone know him!! 😂” and the hashtag #HarryStyles.
Styles completed the marathon under a pseudonym and a light disguise. The former One Direction band member registered for the marathon under Sted Sarandos. Whether that’s a subtle nod to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos or a made-up name of his own creation is anyone’s guess. Despite wearing a white headband and sunglasses, many marathon watchers instantly clocked that Sted Sarandos was really the former star of One Direction, and took to social media to document Styles’s impressive effort.
Styles has been out and about as of late. Rather than being holed up in a studio making new beat, he’s been spotted going on seemingly romantic walks with Zoë Kravitz and helping former RHONY cast member Carole Radziwill up the stairs at a wedding in Paris. Who knows when Styles’s follow-up to his Grammy Award–winning solo album, Harry’s House, will come, but it’s clear he’s certainly keeping busy.
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