The former One Direction star joined 55,000 runners on Sunday. He completed this legendary course in 2 hours, 59 minutes and 13 seconds. The 31-year-old British singer, who rose to fame with the global boy band, has just pulled off a remarkable sporting feat.
This performance is about far more than just a race. Styles improved his personal best by nearly 25 minutes compared with his first marathon, run in Tokyo in March, where he finished in 3:24:07. Dipping under the symbolic three-hour mark is a goal coveted by many amateur runners.
A discreet strategy for running incognito
To take part quietly in this world-renowned event, Harry Styles registered under the pseudonym "Sted Sarandos" — a mischievous nod to Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. The subterfuge didn't stop there: a grey headband, sunglasses, and a black long-sleeved top, despite the heat, completed his disguise.
The day promised to be tough: temperatures started at 18°C and climbed to 24°C, with high humidity. Those conditions affected many participants — which makes the former One Direction member's performance all the more remarkable.
A personal challenge met with flair
Race photos show a focused Harry Styles, in Nike Alphafly 3 "bright crimson" shoes and Tracksmith Van Cortlandt shorts. The stifling heat slowed many elite runners, yet the singer held a steady pace of 6 minutes 50 seconds per kilometre.
This meteoric progress since his first marathon in Tokyo points to intensive training — observers had spotted him running through the streets of Berlin and London in preparation for the race.
At the finish line, the singer posed with Richard Whitehead, a two-time Paralympic gold medallist over 200 metres who is chasing the challenge of running 20 marathons. The encounter captures the camaraderie of the long-distance running community.
An amateur athlete with exceptional performances
A time of 2:59:13 places Harry Styles in the top 5% of all finishers at the 2025 Berlin Marathon. For an amateur, the performance rivals that of seasoned runners — he's just 4 minutes and 13 seconds off the Boston Marathon qualifying standard.
| Marathon | Time |
|---|---|
| Tokyo (previous personal best) | 3:24:07 |
| Berlin | 2:59:13 |
The feat comes during a period of relative media quiet for the singer. Since his "Love on Tour" ended in July 2023, Styles has made a string of surprise appearances — marathons, strolls through New York with Zoe Kravitz, even an attempt to help with parking.
The Berlin Marathon, renowned as one of the fastest courses in the world, gave Harry Styles a stage to show off his hidden talents — one more facet of this multi-talented star that keeps surprising his audience.
