r/popculturechat • u/mcfw31 • Feb 14 '26
Main Pop Boy 🕺 Harry Styles on why he has ran marathons: It showed me that I could do difficult things by myself. Running wasn’t about being perfect, or the best, and it has been really rewarding.
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u/Macabalony Feb 14 '26
Runner here. He's also an insanely good runner especially considering how new he is in the sport. He recorded a sub 3 hour marathon which puts him in the top 5 percent of all runners.
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Feb 14 '26
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u/prettyboylee Feb 14 '26
It’s probably more like, the training he would’ve done to get fit for that would carry over
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u/grantgarden Feb 15 '26
To literally dance onstage and sing, that's lung power. The first thing on my body that usually gives out
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u/birthdaycheesecake9 Feb 14 '26
Total noob here, would him achieving this time as a new marathon runner be purely effort on his part, or are there maybe some physiological advantages he has that make him a natural runner?
Like how some swimmers do better because their body doesn’t make as much lactic acid, for example.
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u/HiHoRoadhouse Feb 14 '26
He's probably got a strong heart and lungs and good stamina from touring
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u/birthdaycheesecake9 Feb 14 '26
Yeah was gonna say. He’s been touring on and off since he was like 16/17 years old.
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u/BardTrumer Feb 15 '26
one direction toured for three or four years straight basically. they released an album every year and toured that album. they worked out a lot touring back then, they showed some workouts during their 8 hour live stream during some filler stuff between "events". hes doing the rope throwing shit and sprinting on that treadmill. they weren't jacked, but they were strong and lean from a lot of cardio. I went to a concert, they sang the entire time. you could always hear them over the backing track and they weren't winded even after sprinting down a long ass runway while singing. I doubt he stopped working out completely during his time off so id say it definitely helped.
my 1d fan account on Tumblr was popular, yes.
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u/ChefDell Feb 14 '26
Maybe a little bit of both but it’s mostly just time and hard work. A lot of people could get to that level, it just takes years of building the running base. No way to skip the effect of more miles on the road.
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u/killereverdeen hope u can find peace within yourself before u go to that grave Feb 14 '26
it helps that he doesn’t have a traditional career and can train more
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u/Yuhyuhhhhhh Feb 14 '26
He probably has a natural affinity for/ talent for running but also no one is running a sub 3 without a pretty serious training regimen of some sort
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u/prettyboylee Feb 14 '26
Some people are born with their body favouring their fast twitch muscles (think short bursts like sprinting, jumping, etc) and others slow twitch (long endured output like a marathon)
I’m not sure if he did growing up but I noticed that Brits have a better propensity to long distance running because a lot of them grow up with football which has the best translation to long distance running out of all the major sports in the world.
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u/LeotiaBlood Feb 14 '26
Yeah that time is amazing.
We know he’s an insanely hard worker and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a perfectionist. I think he’s probably being more casual about his running in the interview than he was in real life.
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u/neoncolour Music unencumbered by the redundancy of seasoning Feb 14 '26
People don’t realise just how good he is. I know a literal multibillionaire heir, who’s the same age and picked up running two years before him, with the best coach money can buy, the best refuel, the best treatments and all the gear and everything, who still can’t break sub 3h and can’t consistently run a sub 3:30.
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u/BreweryRabbit The bird is NOT for sale. Feb 14 '26
Yeah I’m blown away by that time. Started running 2 years ago, ran 2 marathons last year and a 3rd in April. I just want to get below 5
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u/h_danielle jesus was a carpenter 💋 Feb 14 '26
Right?! Like his marathon time is my half marathon time 😩 granted I had a sprained ankle but STILL
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u/SparkyDogPants Feb 14 '26
I wonder if the average person could get sub three if we had the same resources as him. Not putting him down, just curious
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u/Macabalony Feb 14 '26
The average male runner? Probably not. If you look at all reported marathon times, sub 3 hours is in the 3-5 percentile range of all runners. Even with extra resources that a celebrity has, there's an element of physiology at play.
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u/SparkyDogPants Feb 14 '26
Idk. I dropped from low 4 hours to 2:57 pretty “easily” when I (late 20s/woman) was training pretty much full time with a trainer. Humans are natural long distance runners and I think you would be surprised what we can do if we have the time/resources and training.
Sub three might be top 5% but it’s nowhere near competitive for marathon runners. I feel that sub 3 is something that most humans could achieve.
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u/priyarainelle Feb 14 '26 edited Feb 14 '26
Tbh, yes… probably. He’s young and healthy with both the time and resources to eat well, train physically/mentally with great consistency, get proper shoes and professional advice.
I don’t think that takes away from him being a very good runner, but it is certainly an advantage that would lend itself to him being better than average.
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u/catmomlifeisbestlife Feb 14 '26
Most runners I know (I am a runner) has gotten into running (or returned to running after years) after experiencing deep grief. It really gives you something to lean into. He did lose a band mate in a traumatic way while struggling with addiction.
Running has been the best treatment for my CPTSD.
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u/SparkyDogPants Feb 14 '26
I could be wrong. I just feel like somewhere in that ballpark is the actual human average if we were closer to our roots. It doesn’t make it less of accomplishment for him.
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u/priyarainelle Feb 14 '26
Agreed that he is still a great runner and again, above average. But, no - I would not say his accomplishments are due to being physically gifted in a way others are not.
He’s a healthy young man who has had far above the average amount of time, resources, and money at his disposal for nearly half his life. On top of that, he trains well and enjoys running.
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u/SparkyDogPants Feb 14 '26
Yeah I had a summer to run as much as I wanted and a marathon training plan. So I was running 70ish miles per week and it was pretty easy to get my time down to that ballpark. And I was a very average upper 20s female runner.
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u/restckvrflw Feb 14 '26
If I had unlimited time and money I could probably run that fast too
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u/Outrageous-Bet8834 Feb 14 '26
You don’t need unlimited time and money that’s just an excuse lol. You don’t want to put in the effort that’s fine but non celebrities run marathons all the time. I’m just a regular woman who definitely doesn’t have unlimited resources and I’ve run 4, and my last was in 3:07.
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u/maronimaedchen Olivia Wilde’s salad dressing 🥗 Feb 14 '26
Lol no you couldn‘t, some of it is physiology and some of it is just putting in the work, going out and running and following a training plan
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u/ducksturtle Feb 14 '26
Yeah agreed, like sure having unlimited free time makes it easier to plan and execute an optimal training plan without fitting it around a 9 to 5 job, but gaining speed in an endurance race is not something you can buy with great coaching or whatever. I wish!
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u/IpsoFuckoffo Feb 14 '26
Money doesn't really do anything to improve your running, and I'm not really sure he does have unlimited time.
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u/restckvrflw Feb 14 '26
He does if he wants. Money buys better gear, food and trainers
Edit: I just realized what sub I’m in. That explains why everyone is falling over themselves to give him a rim job
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u/IpsoFuckoffo Feb 15 '26
Lol I don't know what sub you thought you were in but if they think gear, food and trainers are the key to running a sub 3 hour marathon then you'd be better off discussing training here.
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u/IfatallyflawedI Big is moving to Paris Feb 14 '26 edited Feb 14 '26
Unrelated but only 4 people in my life know that I recently started running after watching this subway interview of Desiree Linden and it changed my view on running completely.
I realised that I don’t really have to run long distances and it doesn’t have to be for accomplishments or whatever. I’m not running to be a track star or to run my country’s famous marathon. Plus it’s cut down my cardio time by 40% bec I’m still doing the same distance that I used to walk in a lesser time
Two days after I watched that reel, I ran 3.5km for the first time in my life and I enjoyed it. Ofc I started by alternating between 1.5min of running and 1min of walking but I still did it. I never thought I’d look forward to going on runs.
I’ve signed up to run my first ever 5K next month and am looking forward to just completing ❤️
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Feb 14 '26
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u/IfatallyflawedI Big is moving to Paris Feb 14 '26
Thank you! I really like this little strip where I run - it’s next to the farms where I live and the sunrise is beautiful so it’s just me, the occasional dogs I encounter and a really pleasant weather.
That’s so amazing of your mom btw!!! Running 42km seems like such an impossible task to me right now and she’s killing it!
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u/bamaluz Feb 14 '26
Good luck in your 5km! It is such a gift to be able to run - any distance and any time. I hope you have a great run and enjoy yourself.
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u/footiebuns I think I've done enough Feb 14 '26
Love this comment, and thank you for that video. I used to think I hated running until I accidentally tried it recently. Now I find it so cathartic and enjoyable. But I've been so confused by the obsession with marathons by running influencers, so it's nice to see a long distance runner respect shorter distances.
And your flair is great...I got the reference!
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u/IfatallyflawedI Big is moving to Paris Feb 14 '26
I know right? To hear an Olympian say that is so encouraging. I’ve never thought about running the way I do now because I was conditioned to think there’s no fucking way I’m doing a marathon so why bother
But running any distance is great!
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u/ayacardel get a job stay away from her Feb 14 '26
Good luck on your 5km and I'm sure you will have more in the future. Enjoy!
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u/Fantastic_Turtle_17 Feb 14 '26 edited Feb 14 '26
There are ea few interesting quotes about his time off in this article:
This shoot happened at a time when I was really struggling with trying to be as private as possible. I felt like that was becoming increasingly difficult.
(...)
At the end of the tour the idea of taking time out felt insane. I didn’t know if I could do it. But it was the right time for me — we’d finished the tour in July and I was turning 30 in February. It was time for me to stop for a bit and pay some attention to other parts of my life. (...) Italy became so important to me because I was so used to everything moving so quickly and being on the go, but then I remember going to a café and sitting and having a coffee and thinking, “I don’t remember the last time I sat down and had a coffee — if I’ve ever sat down and just had a coffee.” I was suddenly learning, through my friends, that eating a meal is more than just sitting down and refuelling. I realised the pleasure in just being in the moment of what you’re doing. The Romans are the best at that — that’s their speciality. The pace they’ve taught me has been so special.
(...)
Also, in that time my sister [Gemma] had a baby — and at any other time in my life I would have missed a lot of that. To be there to get to know my niece as she’s growing up, it’s so obvious to me what’s real. It was really obvious that was where I wanted to be.
(...)
I’d always thought, or hoped, that I was the kind of person who didn’t need the dopamine hits that doing this job often gives you. But I hadn’t actually removed myself from it and it’s hard to eliminate the doubt that maybe if it all went away, I’d really miss it. That’s always been a fear for me. So living my life in a way where I could really like who I am away from this world has been so powerful for me. Without question that has influenced the work I’m now making because it came from a place of pure freedom.
(...)
It was important to get away from the image I had of myself. Since I was young I’d been seeing this version of me that other people see and that was constantly being mirrored back at me. That’s especially the case in the way we use social media now — for everyone — and I’m not immune to that. In having time away from everything, it’s allowed me to have conversations with myself on a deeper level that I didn’t have time to explore before.
(...)
I’ve made small changes, like not having Instagram on my phone any more. I feel so much healthier in my relationship with this world that I’m stepping back into.
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u/chund978 Feb 14 '26
I like these quotes. He seems like a thoughtful, reflective guy.
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u/bad_apricot Feb 14 '26
Shockingly well adjusted for someone who has had the crazy life he did. It’s really refreshing to hear.
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u/greee_p Feb 14 '26
If you want to read more, I really recommend this interview he did for this last album. I think it's the most insightful one he's ever done:
https://www.bhg.com/better-homes-and-garden-magazine/harry-styles/
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u/Fantastic_Turtle_17 Feb 14 '26
I recommend reading his interview for better homes and gardens ge did a few years ago. He really seems really reflective and talks a lot about going to therapy
https://www.bhg.com/better-homes-and-garden-magazine/harry-styles/
Edit: Lol, I jsut saw that someone else recommend this as well
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u/ecclecticstone it would be a cool experiment if you stopped talking Feb 14 '26
wow look at what happens when men actually go to therapy
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u/velvetvagine trust fund baby (frozen chicken fortune) 🍗 Feb 15 '26
😂 😂
Jonah Hill also went to therapy, though. We gotta be careful which men and which therapists. 😬
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u/PlentyDrawer We Should All Know Less About Each Other Feb 14 '26
It was important to get away from the image I had of myself. Since I was young I’d been seeing this version of me that other people see and that was constantly being mirrored back at me
I love this quote. It;s very telling.
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u/Key_Tree9363 Feb 15 '26
These are the type of thoughts on fame that I was kind of hoping to see more of on life of a showgirl
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u/mes051 Feb 14 '26
He also ran it during a heat wave in Berlin.
Fellow runner who did it and his time is insanely impressive
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Feb 14 '26
He really does live my dream life of just being rich, travelling, and focusing on all my hobbies😩
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u/Separate-Bullfrog734 Feb 14 '26
sometimes physical achievements are the only thing i cant take away from myself. Regardless of how i feel, i still did it
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u/syfimelys2 Feb 14 '26
Harry seems really down to earth and grounded, and his approach to running- not being perfect or the best- is humble. Even though he’s actually a bloody good runner! Sub 3 hr marathon is insanely good.
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u/tenderourghosts What is your damage, Heather? Feb 14 '26
Highly recommend Haruki Murakami’s novel “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” for anyone who enjoys both running and good books. I’m currently going through some not-so-insignificant health issues related to my heart, but I cannot wait to start running again once I get the all clear.
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u/TizzyBumblefluff girl what the fuck Feb 15 '26
One of my personal delusions is if I could jog/run for exercise, it’d eliminate half of my personal problems. Unfortunately my body is the opposite of evolutionary prowess so I can’t and remain intensely jealous of anyone who can. 🥲
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u/CheckTechnical6300 Feb 14 '26
Love this for him but it's interesting how different the conversation is when it's a male entertainer versus a female entertainer taking time off and doing stuff like this. Men get praised so much more easily. Not that the running isn't impressive in itself, but would a female singer get the same grace for taking all this time off and traveling the world?
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u/chadthundertalk Feb 14 '26
Outside of during covid, I don't really see anybody criticizing Dua Lipa for being on vacation like nine months out of the year when she's not promoting an album. People seem pretty onboard with that.
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u/go-bleep-yourself Feb 14 '26
people keep saying that Dua is on vacation but she was touring for 18 months or something.
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u/CheckTechnical6300 Feb 14 '26
You’re right, someone like Dua Lipa does seem to get grace for taking vacations and downtime, but I think she’s more of an exception than the rule. The broader pattern still clearly shows that men are generally praised more easily for taking breaks, traveling, or pursuing personal projects. Dua even addressed this herself in an SNL skit, joking about how people constantly say she’s always on holiday.
It’s not just about overt criticism; it’s about the way these actions are framed in public discourse. When a male artist like Harry is spotted traveling the world, the narrative tends to be: “He must be working on his new album, finding inspiration, expanding his creative horizons…” It’s assumed that his time away is purposeful, productive, and even admirable. But when a woman is seen in a similar context (even something like having dinner in another country) the assumption is often that she’s just relaxing, vacationing, or taking time off for leisure. The same action gets interpreted entirely differently depending on gender. Men are given the benefit of the doubt when they step away from the spotlight, while women are often expected to justify their absence or have their time off scrutinized.
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u/Purpleonyxx Feb 14 '26 edited Feb 14 '26
I mean Dua Lipa is traveling all over the world and I constantly see people talking about how fab it is. Sure there was a lot of (deserved) criticism when she travelled during Covid and some people mention carbon emissions, but the large consensus is rather positive when it comes to her traveling and taking time off. Her bookclub is also very popular and she gets praise for dedicating time towards it. And she has different business ventures and no one gives her shit for that.
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u/prisonerofazkabants Feb 14 '26
when was the last time a female celebrity was criticised for taking a couple of years out? that's not something i see. it's usually the opposite and they want them to go away
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u/CheckTechnical6300 Feb 14 '26
Lola Young faced harsh criticism and ridicule for taking time off for her mental health, when she even fell onstage, the video went viral in a cruel, mocking way. Meanwhile, Lewis Capaldi, who has struggled with performing as well, was applauded for stepping back and welcomed back with warmth and empathy. Then there’s Taylor Swift: after years on the road, she took time away to rest and focus on her personal life, and the media immediately launched into speculation about where she’d gone, what it meant, and whether she was planning a family. Beyoncé experiences a related type of scrutiny: her silence between album cycles has been labeled “the Beyoncé strategy,” as if her only possible reason for disappearing is a calculated career move, when in reality, she could simply be resting or protecting her mental health. Women rarely get the benefit of that interpretation. Sure, people complain when men take time off (fans want Harry’s new album, for example) but the broader conversation rarely spirals into speculation about their personal lives or motives the way it does for women.
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u/FudgeLegal1006 Feb 14 '26 edited Feb 14 '26
his obsessive fans (i’m saying this as if i’m not a fan of his lol i am but i’m not parasocial) were constantly complaining about how he’s doing everything BUT writing and coming out with an album. it was so annoying to hear especially since whenever we see a photo of harry, he just looks like he’s chilling and living life
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u/CheckTechnical6300 Feb 14 '26
Sure, fans might complain about any artist taking time off, but the broader conversation is where the difference shows. When a man like Harry travels or takes months off, the media and general discourse frame it as creative growth or recharging, even if some fans grumble. If a woman did the same, the commentary would likely focus on her absence as a problem or question her professionalism. There’s a big difference between online chatter in fan spaces and more generalized media that the average person consumes.
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u/greee_p Feb 14 '26
What female artists got that kind of criticism recently? I genuinely don't think I've ever seen that.
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u/CheckTechnical6300 Feb 14 '26
Lola Young faced harsh criticism and ridicule for taking time off for her mental health, when she even fell onstage, the video went viral in a cruel, mocking way. Meanwhile, Lewis Capaldi, who has struggled with performing as well, was applauded for stepping back and welcomed back with warmth and empathy. Then there’s Taylor Swift: after years on the road, she took time away to rest and focus on her personal life, and the media immediately launched into speculation about where she’d gone, what it meant, and whether she was planning a family. Beyoncé experiences a related type of scrutiny: her silence between album cycles has been labeled “the Beyoncé strategy,” as if her only possible reason for disappearing is a calculated career move, when in reality, she could simply be resting or protecting her mental health. Women rarely get the benefit of that interpretation. Sure, people complain when men take time off (fans want Harry’s new album, for example) but the broader conversation rarely spirals into speculation about their personal lives or motives the way it does for women.
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u/greee_p Feb 14 '26
Interesting, maybe I'm in other online spaces, because I only saw overwhelming support for Lola everywhere.
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u/CheckTechnical6300 Feb 14 '26
Lola herself adressed the hate she got. She literally asked people who are mean online to take the day off (while also thanking people who did support her of course).
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u/Lavender_rain_2000 He’s a raised-by-4chan edgelord bully 💡 Feb 14 '26
Its exhausting to see how much praise men get for the smallest things. This is a very rich person who hasn't worked for several years. He is not "doing something difficult" when exercising.
Now, in order to keep his level of wealth in a very short amount of time he is charging insane ticket prices and made his concerts only for the ultra rich (while being praised, of course, for "togetherness" in his lyrics).
I don't mind him running or whatever but its cringe to see this level of admiration for male celebrities for doing regular things.
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u/Fantastic_Turtle_17 Feb 14 '26
What are you talking about lol? Nobody is saying he's doing something insanely difficult when he's exercising. He talked about why he loves running (which is totally fair) and people acknowledge how his time is pretty great, because most people won't achieve that, even with a lot of training. It's crazy that someone can find something negative in this lmao
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u/Lavender_rain_2000 He’s a raised-by-4chan edgelord bully 💡 Feb 14 '26
He is able to achieve that because he is young, healthy, has long legs and abundance of money and time.
I don't mind him running I'm just not over the moon impressed by a rich man having a hobby.
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u/Superb_Extension3169 Feb 14 '26
I love Harry and I get what he is saying but also from the age of 16 (I’m in my 40s now) I have always been working and I have no choice but to have a constant schedule or I can’t have any of the basic resources needed to survive like food, warmth and shelter. I’m sure he didn’t mean it to sound the way I read it.
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u/Jug-o-rum Feb 14 '26
pretty sure he’s talking about the inhuman hours artists are expected to put in while they’re working. He said he had never just sat down for a cup of coffee. that’s definitely not normal.
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u/talk-spontaneously Feb 14 '26
Running is just a very normal person's thing to do right now lol. It's not like it's something obscure or reflective of an alternative lifestyle.
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u/hashbrowneggyolk0520 We Should All Know Less About Each Other Feb 14 '26
And who said it was lmao?
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u/ben121frank Feb 14 '26
Weird comment. Neither OP in the post nor Harry in the interview is claiming that running is some kind of obscure alternative hobby. In fact he’s saying almost the opposite, that it’s nice to have a “normal person” hobby that he can approach normally/in his own way rather than the constraints/pressures of fame
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u/IlexAquifolia Feb 14 '26
Sure but running a sub-3 marathon is way above average in pace. He clearly has talent and commitment to the sport.
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u/screensaversealions2 Feb 14 '26
Yeah people don’t realise how insane that time is! I’m training to hopefully run a sub 2-hour half marathon and that is hard enough!! Can’t imagine running double the distance at an even faster pace
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u/Bl1nk1nUR4r34 We Should All Know Less About Each Other Feb 14 '26
yeah my dad is a runner and when i told him harry’s time he reaaally opened his eyes and said “oh, that’s good”
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u/stellarplanetary Feb 14 '26
Harry Styles running these marathons with these insane times have actually put me off running. I've been running rarely for over a decade and I don't see any world I could come close to his times.
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