One of the things we were not used to 10-15 years ago was knowing the private lives of stars or celebrities. We knew who they were married to or divorced from and we knew whose friends they were, but the relationship we had with many of them was quite distant. In many ways, their celebrity status made them appear to us as demigods or demi-goddesses: belonging, in short, to a world of luxury and wealth, very differentf rom ours.
With the advent of social media, they, too, began to tell their stories or, as they say today, to “approach” people. With their posts on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter, they have shown us how they live and even, at times, what stages of their lives they are going through. They started a conversation that put them on a different plane, more colloquial in some ways.
Many of these celebrities talked and talk about their other great passions, and we couldn’t help but focus on one in particular, which makes them closer and more “like us”: that for running.
Here is a gallery (strictly non-exhaustive and not in alphabetical order) of celebrities/stars who love running, like you and me.
Ellie Goulding
https://www.instagram.com/p/CK1f0lIDE0X/
The British singer has an excellent PB of 23 minutes in the 5K and completed the 2014 Royal Parks Half Marathon in 1 hour 41 minutes.
Meghan Markle
https://www.instagram.com/p/CV2KcWpsC07/
The Duchess of Sussex, actress of a series we really like (Suits) and wife of… whatever, everyone knows who she is. In short: Megan runs and she does it for two reasons: to stay in shape and to clear her head. In short: for body and mind.
Bear Grylls
The man who in the event of the Apocalypse would outlive all mankind (along with cockroaches) must maintain a perfect physique to endure all the trials he undergoes. To do this, in addition to military training, he runs three times a week for 40 minutes per session among the hills of North Wales where he lives. Maybe together with the bears, you never know.
Mel C
It was no accident that she was Sporty Spice: Mel C is an integral sportswoman and running is just one of her weekly workouts. Among these, however, is her favorite because all she has to do is put on something and lace up her shoes and run.
Jennifer Aniston
The American actress of Friends and the more recent The Morning Show has an enviable physical fitness and, above all, a lot of irony. The way she poses herself in her Instagram profile is always balanced in her expression and very amused and funny. Is it also due to the fitness care of boxing, spinning and running? It certainly works :)
Jennifer Lawrence
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxnB1wcH186/
Lawrence is as beautiful as she is likable, and she doesn’t flinch when she talks about her love of running either. Which she practices but preferring not to be seen because she is convinced she is ungainly while doing it. Honestly it seems impossible to me.
Gordon Ramsay
The chef and TV star (and also Youtuber! He has a very nice channel) not only does he love running and is not only a triathlete: he is also an Ironman! He is doing very well in marathon, with a PB of 3 hours, 30 minutes and 37 seconds. And he is 55 years old (although I don’t know when he did his PB).
Eva Longoria
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVA_LBFLgyi/
Best known for her role in Desperate Housewives, like many celebrities, she is mindful of her body (one of the tools of her work) and does so by nurturing it with cardio workouts, yoga, Pilates and, of course, running.
Victoria Beckham
Another former Spice Girls, after the music experience she founded a fashion house with which she also produces very nice sportswear. Her running routine is daily and involves 3 miles a day, or about 5 km.
Eminem
The American rapper (as well as one of the greatest ever) has had a past filled with addictions to less-than-healthy substances. However, running has helped him regain balance and sleep much better. As he puts it, “it’s about replacing an addiction with exercise.” And he does it very well.
Flea
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea has been running since 2010, which is when he read Christopher McDougall‘s “Born to Run,” one of the seminal texts on natural running. “It struck me deeply,” he recounted, “the concept that by running our bodies are used as they are designed. I thought ‘Shit, I’m doing it! I’m running a marathon to raise money for the Silverlake Conservatory of Music.”
Those unfamiliar with his biography might be surprised to learn that he ran to help a music school, but for Flea, music, as well as a craft and a love, also saved his life. When he was a young boy, learning to play the trumpet saved him from a very abusive family and from straggling that could have been fatal. Besides, Flea is one of the coolest people in the world, no question!
Richard Branson
The master of the Virgin empire (soft drinks, music, airplanes, ships, spacecrafts) doesn’t seem to want to know about quitting sports. After all, age has never been an issue for someone who has always considered dreams to be challenges and never something that belongs to the world of the improbable. When asked what legacy he would like to leave now that he is in the last phase of his life, he replied, “What end? I’m just getting started.”
Alicia Keys
Keys has already run the New York City Marathon and recently designed a line of sportswear for Athleta. As a highly successful and extraordinarily talented singer, she has also distinguished herself in recent times for the passion with which she promotes healthy living and wellness. Inspired by sports, no doubt :)
(Main image credits: Flea Instagram Profile)