<\/p>\n
As runners, we get buckets of motivation from seeing other people run. There\u2019s something about sharing everything, from the tough times to the sheer joy, with a supportive community that understands why someone would get up at the crack of sparrows to run in the rain.<\/p>\n
I get this inspiration from all over the place \u2013 most often from every day runners that I come across on social media or in my copy of Women\u2019s Running magazine<\/a>. But after spotting a few famous faces sharing their run journeys on Instagram recently, I thought I\u2019d do a deep dive and find out if any of my favourite female celebs were fellow pavement pounders. And, as it turns out, plenty of celebrities share in the joy of running. Here are just a few\u2026<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Alicia Keys\u00a0<\/strong>| Musician<\/p>\n US singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, who has sold over 90 million records worldwide, is an accomplished runner. After running a marathon in Greece in 2007 she swore to herself that she\u2019d never run 26.2 miles again \u2013 until she took on the New York Marathon to raise money for her non-profit Keep A Child Alive<\/a> in 2015 and got her mojo back. \u201cThis is my city,\u201d she told Refinery29<\/a>. \u201cI thought about all the times I rode a train through the boroughs or drove through the boroughs, and it occurred to me that I\u2019ve never run through the five boroughs. So why not?\u201d She crossed the line in 5:50:52 and encouraged her fans to get out there and run.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Amanda Holden\u00a0<\/strong>| Actress and TV personality<\/p>\n ITV regular Amanda Holden took on the London Marathon<\/a> in 2008 for a wildlife charity, with an impressive finishing time of 4 hours and 13 minutes. She continues to run regularly to this day, and often posts her about her favourite running gear on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Andrea McLean\u00a0<\/strong>| Journalist and TV presenter<\/p>\n Loose Women\u00a0co-presenter Andrea McLean took part in the Vitality London 10,000<\/a> in 2019, running in her pants to support a body positivity campaign that we absolutely loved. The Celebrate You team all had their reasons for getting involved with the movement, and Andrea was particularly focussed on supporting women post-menopause. \u201cI want to represent women who are turning 50, who\u2019ve had a hysterectomy or hit menopause,\u201d she told her Instagram following. It\u2019s about reminding people that the body is just the outer skin, and it\u2019s what\u2019s underneath \u2013 the soul, the heart, the brain that are important. I turn 50 this year and I will not go quietly into the night and say, \u2018oh I\u2019m an old lady now.’\u201d She continues to run regularly and documents her progress online.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Bryony Gordon\u00a0<\/strong>|\u00a0Journalist and author<\/p>\n We\u2019ve been following writer Bryony Gordon\u2019s journey since she ran the London Marathon in 2017. In 2018 she released her book Eat, Drink, Run: How I Got Fit Without Going Too Mad, chronicling her experience and making marathon running feel more accessible. She also went on to be part of the Celebrate You team, taking on 10K in her pants in 2019, and has been spotted on plenty of other start lines since. Esther spoke to her on the podcast<\/a> earlier this year about mental health, her charity work and what motivates her to run \u2013 you can find the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Carrie Hope Fletcher\u00a0<\/strong>| Theatre star<\/p>\n From the stage to the start line,\u00a0Les Miserables\u00a0star Carrie Hope Fletcher ticked running a marathon off her bucket list this year in London. In an emotional post to her Instagram following, she wrote: \u201cAs soon as I crossed the finish line I burst into tears and I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever stop crying about this. It is without a doubt my biggest achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Chandra Wilson\u00a0<\/strong>| Actress<\/p>\n Grey\u2019s Anatomy\u00a0star Chandra Wilson got stuck into running after her daughter was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, tackling the Rock\u2019n\u2019Roll Pasadena 5K in 2013 to raise money for the CureMito<\/a> charity.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Christy Turlington Burns <\/strong>| Supermodel<\/p>\n US model Christy Turlington is a long-time marathon runner: after completing the New York Marathon in 2011, she\u2019s been spotted taking on 26.2 miles several times since. Most recently, she crossed the New York finish line at the 50th anniversary race in November 2021. In 2013 she directed a documentary film called\u00a0Every Mother, Every Mile, exploring how her charity Every Mother Counts has drawn attention to women\u2019s healthcare inequality through long distance running.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Cynthia Erivo\u00a0<\/strong>| Theatre star<\/p>\n Tony award-winning actress Cynthia Erivo, who has just been cast in the upcoming feature film version of Wicked\u00a0alongside Ariana Grande, regularly shares her love of running on social media. Back in 2016, she ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon in just 1 hour and 48 minutes before rushing straight off to perform in the Broadway production of\u00a0The Colour Purple\u00a0\u2013 pretty impressive!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Eddie Izzard\u00a0<\/strong>| Comedian and activist<\/p>\n Long-time runner Eddie Izzard completed 31 marathons in 31 days<\/a> back in January, after taking on a similar feat in 2009 for Sport Relief<\/a> and in 2016 in honour of Nelson Mandela. She\u2019s no stranger to a tough challenge, and uses her platform to raise funds and awareness for charitable causes. Esther spoke to her on the podcast<\/a> earlier this year while she was in the middle of running her twentieth marathon of the challenge \u2013 a virtual Helsinki 26.2 \u2013 about plodding, politics and coming out as trans.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Ellie Goulding\u00a0<\/strong>| Singer<\/p>\n British pop artist Ellie Goulding has been spotted out running numerous times, and took part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon<\/a> in 2014. She told Outside<\/a> in 2013 that she regularly runs while on tour, stating: \u201cI\u2019m not diva-ish about anything apart from always having tea and always being able to fit in a run!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Fearne Cotton\u00a0<\/strong>| TV and radio presenter<\/p>\n Fearne Cotton may well provide the soundtrack to your runs with her popular mental health podcast Happy Place<\/a>, but did you know she\u2019s a keen runner herself? Fearne ran the Bath Half<\/a> back in 2011 to raise money for breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!<\/a> and continues to use running as a way to manage stress and anxiety.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Giovanna Fletcher\u00a0<\/strong>| Author and\u00a0I\u2019m a Celeb\u2026\u00a0winner<\/p>\n Author, podcaster and TV personality Giovanna Fletcher is another member of the brilliant Celebrate You team, completing the Vitality London 10,000 in her pants back in 2019. She often posts about her running journey on Instagram<\/a>, but has recently turned her attention to multi-day treks to raise money for CoppaFeel!<\/a>, for which she\u2019s an ambassador.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Jada Sezer\u00a0<\/strong>| Model and influencer<\/p>\n Another Celebrate You runner, British model Jada Sezer joined the 700-strong team to run 10K in her pants back in 2019. In the same year, she and Bryony Gordon took on the London Marathon together, and she ran the virtual 40th anniversary race again this year. She\u2019s a firm advocate for fitness at any size, and encourages her followers to get active \u2013 you can listen to her talking about this on the podcast here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Jenni Falconer\u00a0<\/strong>| Presenter and podcaster<\/p>\n Jenni Falconer is long-time friend of Women\u2019s Running, having appeared on our podcast<\/a> and on the cover of the magazine<\/a>. She ran the Royal Parks Half this year, and continues to keep her followers updated with her run progress. You can keep up-to-date with her running on her podcast, RunPod<\/a> \u2013 Esther\u2019s even been a guest!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Jennifer Lawrence\u00a0<\/strong>| Actress<\/p>\n US actress Jennifer Lawrence has been spotted out running several times. She reportedly caught the bug while training for\u00a0The Hunger Games\u00a0films.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Karlie Kloss\u00a0<\/strong>| Supermodel<\/p>\n Model Karlie Kloss ran the New York Marathon in 2017 in just 4:41:49. She told Popsugar<\/a> that she\u2019d always had her eyes set on competing 26.2 miles: \u201cIf I could do that, then I could literally do anything.\u201d She\u2019s run several races since stating: \u201cI love just what running does in my life and the freedom and flexibility to be able to do it anywhere, anytime.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Laura Whitmore\u00a0<\/strong>| TV presenter<\/p>\n British TV personality Laura Whitmore has always been a fitness fanatic, but caught the running bug in 2020 when she took on Couch to 5K<\/a> over lockdown.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Lorraine Kelly\u00a0<\/strong>| TV presenter and journalist<\/p>\n Scotland\u2019s Lorraine Kelly participated in the 2010 London Marathon, telling Closer<\/a> magazine that she wasn\u2019t sure she\u2019d be able to complete the full 26.2 miles and was thrilled when she crossed the line. \u201cI wanted to do something that would really test me, to see if my old knees could stand running another 26 miles!\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Meghan Markle <\/strong>| British royal and actress<\/p>\n American member of the British royal family Meghan Markle told Shape<\/a> in 2015 that she\u2019d often used running in the past to clear her head and manage her mental health: \u201cI love running [and] I think you have to find a work out routine that really speaks to you beyond trying to get goals for your body.\u201d She wrote on her public blog The Tig<\/a>, now closed, in January 2016 that she wanted to run a marathon within the year \u2013 before she was catapulted into the public eye. Let\u2019s hope she can achieve this someday without the need for too much security!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Mel C\u00a0<\/strong>| Singer<\/p>\n Former Spice Girl Mel C wasn\u2019t just Sporty Spice for show \u2013 she lives up to her name in her free time, too. She\u2019s taken part in numerous races and running events, including triathlons, telling BBC Good Food<\/a> in 2016 that sport helped her to recover from an eating disorder and develop a healthy relationship with food.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Natalie Dormer\u00a0<\/strong>| Actress<\/p>\n Game of Thrones\u00a0actress Natalie Dormer took part in the 2016 London Marathon, telling The Guardian<\/a> that she\u2019s been a keen runner since childhood. \u201cI like the quietness of running,\u201d she says. \u201cI like that I\u2019m not verbalising, not talking, just going into my inner self.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Oprah Winfrey\u00a0<\/strong>| TV personality<\/p>\n American TV legend Oprah Winfrey famously ran the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington in 1994 and, although there\u2019s little evidence that she\u2019s taken part in a high-profile running event since, she still gets a notable mention here: she\u2019s credited with encouraging a huge amount of ordinary people to take on the 26.2 mile distance. Reportedly, two paparazzi members were so intent on getting a photo of her running that they ran the entire distance with her!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Pamela Anderson\u00a0<\/strong>| Actress<\/p>\n Baywatch\u00a0star Pamela Anderson completed the New York Marathon in 5 hours and 41 minutes back in 2013, sharing a photo of herself in her hotel room covered in ice packs afterwards! She ran with a group raising money for Haiti following a devastating earthquake.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Pippa and Kate Middleton\u00a0<\/strong>| British royals<\/p>\n Pippa Middleton has taken on numerous tough challenges, including the Great Wall Marathon <\/a>in China in 2016. Her sister, the Duchess of Cambridge, hasn\u2019t had such a public running career due to her role in the British royal family, but would reportedly love to run a marathon one day. Close friend Bryony Gordon revealed on Loose Women that the Duchess had told her she feared a marathon would be off-limits due to the security risk, but that she dreamed of taking on 26.2 miles.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Reese Witherspoon\u00a0<\/strong>| Actress<\/p>\n Legally Blonde\u00a0star Reese Witherspoon shared her love of running on Instagram<\/a> over lockdown, encouraging her followers to join her on a 30-day run challenge. She even shared her favourite running playlist for inspiration and her treadmill routine for chilly days \u2013 a great example of the sense of community that running gave us all during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Ruth Langsford\u00a0<\/strong>| TV presenter<\/p>\n This Morning\u00a0presenter Ruth Langsford tackled Couch to 5K earlier this year, documenting each run on her Instagram as she progressed. She finished the programme in August, thanking all of her running friends and giving props to the popular app that got her started.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Saffron Barker\u00a0<\/strong>| Youtuber and\u00a0Strictly\u2026\u00a0star<\/p>\n Former Strictly Come Dancing\u00a0contestant Saffron Barker ran the London Marathon this year. \u201cIt\u2019s really about believing in yourself and telling yourself you can do it,\u201d she told Heat World<\/a> during her training. \u201cSomething I do, if I know I need to get the miles in, I tell myself exactly how far I\u2019m going to run. Otherwise, if I don\u2019t have a goal, I\u2019ll give up. I\u2019m definitely someone who needs targets and goals.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Scummy Mummies (Helen Thorn and Ellie Gibson)\u00a0<\/strong>| Comedy duo<\/p>\n Podcasters and comedy legends Helen and Ellie, better known as the Scummy Mummies, have become keen runners in recent years. Back in October of this year they took on their biggest challenge: the 40th anniversary London Marathon. They took to Instagram to thank their fans, run coaches, family and friends, stating: \u201cYou made us feel like bloody heroes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Shareefa J\u00a0<\/strong>| Model and influencer<\/p>\n Women\u2019s Running cover star Shareefa J<\/a> is another member of the wonderful Celebrate You team who took on 10K in their pants in 2019. She also ran the London Marathon this year \u2013 her first marathon \u2013 and has recently ventured into the world of triathlon. She keeps her followers updated with her body-positive, mental-health focussed fitness journey on her Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Suzanne Shaw\u00a0<\/strong>| Singer and actress<\/p>\n Suzanne Shaw is an accomplished runner: she ran 60 miles in a night earlier this year to raise money for charity, and is a Mizuno<\/a> ambassador. \u201cI am most proud of my running achievements,\u201d she told her Instagram<\/a> followers. \u201cGetting out the door when I had zero motivation, wanting to stop running on long distances, crying through pain when I was taking on a challenge, putting one foot in front of the other. I did that!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Tanya Franks\u00a0<\/strong>| Actress<\/p>\n Eastenders\u00a0actress Tanya Franks also took on the 2021 London Marathon, sharing the joy with her followers on social media. \u201cThe city came alive again in a huge way,\u201d she said. \u201cBig thanks as well to all the stewards, marshalls, volunteers. Without you this event is impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n Uzo Aduba\u00a0<\/strong>| Actress<\/p>\n Orange is the New Black\u00a0star Uzo Aduba ran the 2015 Boston Marathon in 5:03:24 and told The Guardian<\/a> earlier this year that she\u2019d recently caught the running bug again, as well as enjoying cycling.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n