Which Celebrities Have The Fastest Marathon Times?
By
3 weeks ago
Surprising star runners
If you were one of the thousands of spectators cheering on runners at the 2026 London Marathon, you may have spotted a famous face or two. A whole host of celebrities took part in this year’s race, but which ones were the fastest? And have they beat the PBs of other notoriously speedy A-listers, like Gordon Ramsay and Harry Styles?
Celebrity Marathon Runners: Who Has The Fastest Times?
Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo is best-known playing Elphaba in the film adaptation of Wicked, but when she’s not defying gravity the star spends her time running. She took part in the 2026 London Marathon and set a new PB, finishing in just three hours and 21 minutes. ‘There was a little rough moment where I thought it was never going to make it, but then I found a little bit of strength,’ she said afterwards. ‘I’m here and I feel really proud.’ Erivo previously told Runner’s World US the hardcore training helps prepare her for performances on stage, which she said can be ‘extremely physical.’
View this post on Instagram
Aaron Ramsey
Former Wales captain and Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey announced his retirement just this month, but rather than taking some well-earned rest time he ran the 2026 London Marathon. The 35-year-old footballer was raising funds for It’s Never You, a charity set up by his friends after their six-year-old son Hugh died from a rare cancer, and finished with an incredible time of just three hours, 30 seconds.
View this post on Instagram
Spencer Matthews
He was once the lothario of Made In Chelsea, but nowadays Spencer Matthews is better known for his achievements when it comes to running, including a mammoth challenge of completing 30 marathons in 30 days in the Jordanian desert. He took part in the 2026 London Marathon, storming to the finish line in just three hours and seven minutes – just one minute slower than his PB in last year’s event. But this isn’t his personal record: just a few weeks before, in March, Matthews achieved the impressive feast of running a sub-three-hour marathon in Tokyo, crossing the finish line in two hours, 57 minutes and 42 seconds.
Harry Judd
Former McFly drummer Harry Judd was another famous face who ran the 2026 London Marathon, completing the 26-mile route in just three hours, five minutes and 25 seconds. This beat his 2025 time of three hours, 15 minutes and 20 seconds – particularly impressive considering just a week before he thought he wouldn’t be able to compete due to calf pain.
Harry Styles
In March 2025, Styles was one of the 37,480 people who completed the Tokyo Marathon, running it in an impressive three hours, 24 minutes and seven seconds. And just six months later, he managed to shave off just under half an hour to secure the coveted achievement of running a sub-three-hour race in Berlin. According to the BMW Berlin Marathon app, the singer finished in two hours, 59 minutes and 13 seconds. He was pictured afterwards with paralympic gold medalist Richard Whitehead.
Gordon Ramsay
He’s one of the world’s most famous chefs, but did you know Gordon Ramsay is also a decorated marathon runner? He has completed more than 15 over the years, as well as three ultra marathons and two Ironman World Championships. His times aren’t to be sniffed at either: the chef’s marathon PB appears to be three hours, 30 minutes and 37 seconds, which he achieved at the 2004 London Marathon. He didn’t compete this year, although he was there to cheer on his daughter Tilly, who completed her first ever marathon in a rapid four hours, one minute and twenty six seconds.
View this post on Instagram
Adele Roberts
In 2023, Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts made history after becoming the fastest woman to complete the London Marathon with a stoma bag. She ran it in three hours, 30 minutes and 22 seconds, taking home not just a medal but also a Guinness World Record. Roberts also marked the achievement by having a tiny replica medal made for her ileostomy bag, which she has nicknamed Audrey.
Oprah Winfrey
Back in 1994, Oprah Winfrey fulfilled her vow of completing the Marine Corps Marathon before turning 40. She ran it in a very respectable time of four hours, 29 minutes and 15 seconds, followed by television crews who were documenting her experience of the race. Apparently, two members of the paparazzi were so set on getting exclusive shots that they ran they whole thing alongside her. She described it as ‘the best feeling I’ve ever had’, adding, ‘it’s better than an Emmy, I tell you.’
Pippa Middleton
Kate Middleton’s sister Pippa has ticked off a whole host of sports challenges, including two marathons. In 2015, she took on one of the world’s toughest marathons, the Safaricom Marathon in Kenya, a hilly, dirt-track course which takes place 55,000 feet above sea level in scorching heat. Impressively, Middleton finished in three hours, 56 minutes and 33 seconds, placing her as the seventh fastest woman overall. The following year, she ran another notoriously tough race, the Great Wall of China Marathon, in four hours, 54 minutes and 51 seconds – a route which involves 5,164 stairs and barely any flat terrain.
Bryan Cranston
Speaking on the SmartLess podcast, Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston revealed he has a secret history as an avid marathon runner – and a fast one at that. He has completed four marathons, securing sub-four-hour times in all of them, with his PB being three hours, 20 minutes and 45 seconds at the New York City Marathon.
