The good, bad, and ugly of creators running marathons

The stars were out during the 2024 New York City Marathon, and many of the celebs who toed the starting line on November 3 are known for their online presence. Creators like Casey Neistat and Haley Kalil were among the 55,646 entrants who embarked on a 26.2-mile journey through New York’s five boroughs, and they are part of a growing — and controversial — movement that empowers influencer voices within the running community.

Both Neistat and Kalil accomplished their NYC Marathon goals in 2024, though their respective missions were quite different. Neistat, who arguably kicked off the creator distance running trend with his marathon vlogs, finished in under three hours for the first time. Kalil’s time was not as fast, but as the creator/model put it, her goal was just to finish (so that she could stick it to the haughty runners in her life).

Influencer participation in marathons is part of broader growth in the running world. During the first six months of 2024, videos related to running hauled in more than three billion views on YouTube. At the same time, the rising phenomenon of run clubs added a social element to the sport. As a result of that community aspect, running has been discussed as the “next golf.”

Internet-famous runners like Neistat and Kalil make long-distance races more appealing to amateurs who would otherwise be intimidated by a 26.2-mile course. Unfortunately, the rise of creators-as-runners comes with some complications as well.

Take, for example, the Boston Athletic Association‘s decision to give Boston Marathon bibs to influencers who fell short of standard qualifying times — a choice that earned criticism on running boards and in the equivalent YouTube community. It’s a complicated balance. On one hand, creator participation brings attention to a sport that has historically struggled to attract crowds and viewership at elite events. But if that participation comes at the expense of runners who have trained their whole lives for a crack at a famous marathon course, is the tradeoff worthwhile?

The influencers who participated in the 2024 New York City Marathon had to qualify through more traditional means, such as sponsorships, lottery drawings, or places reserved for charities. That’s how Morning Brew producer and Hoka partner Macy Gilliam earned her place, and her resulting vlog provided an insightful look into the world of race training.

Other creators drew headlines for ignominious reasons. Influencer and entrepreneur Matthew Choi earned a permanent ban from the New York City Marathon — and a disqualification in the 2024 race — after a camera crew followed him through the course on e-bikes, breaking multiple race rules in the process.

With the success of American distance athletes at the 2024 Summer Olympics, running looks good to continue its glow-up in the coming years. That will create even more opportunities for creators, but they’ll have to make sure to properly pace themselves along the way.