From stage to finish line: Styles’ marathon journey

British pop star Harry Styles, 31, captured global attention last month by completing a “sub-3” marathon at the Berlin Marathon. Finishing the 42.195-kilometer course in under three hours is a coveted milestone for amateur runners, a benchmark of endurance and precision. Styles first ran a full marathon in March at the Tokyo Marathon, finishing in three hours, 24 minutes, 7 seconds. In Berlin, he crossed the finish line in two hours, 59 minutes, 13 seconds.

The running shorts he wore that day also became a focus of fascination. From a little-known independent brand, the shorts saw sales surge by more than 50 percent after the Berlin race. The attention was not merely because of Styles’ fame. He had worn the same shorts in Tokyo, without any promotion from the brand. The founder only realized the connection after friends pointed it out. The same runner, the same shorts, and yet only this time did they capture the imagination of so many.

The difference between “marathon finisher” Styles and “sub-3 achiever” Styles is striking. Running a sub-3 requires maintaining a pace of 4 minutes 15 seconds per kilometer, just one second slower per kilometer pushes the finish time past three hours. That pace equals roughly 14.12 kilometers per hour, the speed you could sustain on Seoul’s public bike, Ddareungi, nonstop for three hours. Only by keeping that pace can a sub-3 be achieved.

Completing a full marathon in the three-hour range is achievable for anyone who trains consistently. Breaking three hours, however, is a barrier that even a decade of running may not overcome. Styles, meanwhile, shaved nearly 25 minutes off his full marathon time in just six months. The feat inspired runners to rush out and buy the same shorts. People were not cheering the pop star, but the runner who had poured unseen sweat and effort into every training session.

In truth, the relentless effort needed to achieve a sub-3 marathon comes down, step by step, to something almost ordinary. Completing the race relies on stacking these small, repeated actions. What seems simple is actually extremely difficult to sustain, which is why finishing a full marathon remains beyond most people.

Anyone can sprint briefly, but overreaching in passion often leads to a DNF—Did Not Finish. Only those who accumulate steps at their own pace, guided by steady breathing and rhythm, reach the finish line. The reward goes to those who maintain a sustainable pace. There are two ways to earn it: run at the pace your current ability allows, or build the ability to sustain the pace you aim for.

It begins with showing up at the starting line, even before sunrise. Even marathon hero Hwang Young-jo cannot run a single kilometer without taking that first step.