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Harry Styles running in the Berlin Marathon.

Harry Styles has impressed us yet again—but this time, it wasn't with an acoustic cover of "Ultralight Beam" or on the red carpet with his audacious fashion choices. The three-time Grammy winner proved that when it comes to athletic achievement, he's not another celebrity dabbling in fitness for Instagram likes. He's the real deal.

His marathon-running prowess is nothing short of phenomenal.

In early 2025, fans and athletes were stunned by Styles' performance at the Tokyo marathon, where he finished with a time of 3 hours and 24 minutes. Even more impressive, he demonstrated impeccable even split-timing: one of the most coveted and analyzed aspects of distance running, in which the runner maintains consistent pacing throughout the entire race.

Now, six months later, Styles has beaten his own marathon time by nearly 25 minutes.

In September 2025, the "Watermelon Sugar" singer ran in the Berlin Marathon and clocked an absolutely mind-blowing time of 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 13 seconds. And it's not just his millions of fans who are impressed: athletes and seasoned marathon runners are also quick to praise Styles' expertise.

"Running a marathon in under three hours is considered an incredible accomplishment in the running community. Statistically, fewer than 5% of all finishers worldwide can run [sub-three-hour] marathons," explains Dr. Joey Masri, in an exclusive interview with Upworthy.

Dr. Masri earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in 2016 and holds Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist credentials (CSCS). He's also the owner of Vice City Sports Medicine in Miami, Florida, where he develops personalized treatment plans that help patients achieve performance goals.

harry, harry styles, berlin, marathon, running Harry Styles achieved his historic run time through hard work and intentional training.Photo credit: Canva

"It may seem that Harry Styles just ran faster, and while that's true, the reality is more complex," he adds. "To reduce run time dramatically in such a relatively short period, careful planning and intentional training are required."

The numbers don't lie: This is elite-level performance

Let's put Harry's achievement into perspective. Sub-three-hour marathons are the holy grail for recreational runners, a benchmark that separates serious athletes from the pack.

To achieve this, Dr. Masri says that Styles would have had to maintain a pace of six minutes and 50 seconds per mile for the entire marathon, which is "incredibly fast" for many recreational runners.

"This feat requires strong mental discipline, cardiovascular endurance, and running economy. The slightest form of inefficiency can cost precious minutes and compound over the course of a 26.2-mile run," Dr. Masri reveals. "Additionally, pacing can matter a great deal, as starting out too fast means burning out sooner, while starting too slow unnecessarily wastes time."

Valuable stats to know:

  • Styles finished in 2,245th place out of more than 48,000 participants at the Berlin Marathon, placing him in the top 5% of finishers.
  • On average, marathoners cross the finish line in 4 hours and 34 minutes, which translates to an average of 10 minutes per mile. The average male marathon runner finishes in 4 hours and 51 minutes.
  • Styles finished the Berlin Marathon with an average pace of 6 minutes and 50 seconds per mile, and 8.77 miles per hour. This was a vast improvement from his previous finish at the Tokyo Marathon, where he ran 57 seconds slower per mile.

However, what makes his performance even more remarkable is the consistency. During his Tokyo Marathon debut, Styles ran the first half in 1 hour 42 minutes and 3 seconds, then completed the second half in 1 hour 42 minutes and 4 seconds—achieving nearly perfect even splits. This level of pacing precision is something that takes even experienced marathoners years to master. In Berlin, he maintained this incredible consistency, running the first half in 1:29:08 and the second half in 1:30:06.

For running coach and personal trainer Amanda Grimm (who is a part of the WeRun Network, an online portal that connects runners in the U.K. with running coaching), the conditions Harry ran in also add to his remarkable success.

"It's worth noting that the Styles' sub-3 marathon was achieved in quite tough conditions," she tells Upworthy. "It was a warm and humid day in Berlin, making his achievement all the more impressive… [and] Harry ran with remarkably even splits, demonstrating a discipline and maturity as a runner that has served him well."

The training regimen that built a marathon machine

So, how does a global superstar find time to train for marathon excellence while maintaining a full-fledged career that spans music, film, and sold-out worldwide tours? By training with the right people and approaching workouts with the same dogged intensity he brings to his art.

Styles trained under the guidance of Thibo David, a former British special forces member and professional fighter who specializes in peak performance training. David, who worked with Styles from 2018 to 2021, preparing him for his Love On Tour shows, designed a comprehensive program that would make even elite athletes sweat.

harry, harry styles, berlin, marathon, running Harry's strength training included kettlebells.Photo credit: Canva

"When I first started training Harry, I wasn't thinking 'marathon finisher,' but peak performance was always the goal,' David told Running Magazine. "Whether training for a world tour, a film role, or a marathon, the same principles apply: structure, smart recovery, and long-term resilience."

The training wasn't solely focused on logging miles. David incorporated boxing-inspired workouts, kettlebell swings, jumping lunges, and sprint intervals—all designed to build the kind of power and endurance needed for marathon success. One marathon-specific workout included a 10- to 20-minute warm-up jog, followed by a fast one-mile run (Harry's personal best: 5 minutes and 13 seconds). This was followed by an eight-minute challenge consisting of 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 air squats, completed with hill sprints and a cool-down.

Phew. Aren't you tired just reading that?

The science behind such dramatic improvement

Trainers and exercise physiologists are captivated by Styles' 25-minute improvement in such a short timeframe.

"Harry Styles' jump from three hours and 24 minutes to under three hours is remarkable because that kind of improvement gets harder the faster you are," says Dr. Masri. "Once you're in the mid-3s, every extra minute shaved off takes real discipline, smart training, and resilience. This feat simply does not happen by accident or luck."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

He believes that, to achieve such a dramatic improvement in less than half a year, Styles' training schedule would have likely included:

  • Progressively building up his weekly mileage
  • Strategically implementing speed work to get comfortable at faster paces
  • Not skipping longer runs to build physical stamina and mental fortitude
  • Strength training
  • Mobility work
  • Proper recovery (via nutrition and sleep)

Dr. Masri adds, "expert coaching likely played a role as well, as marathon training is complex and requires a series of building, peaking, and tapering phases, which need to be meticulously planned to prevent overtraining and ensure the best possible position to succeed come race day."

What this means for aspiring runners

Styles' journey offers practical inspiration for anyone with marathon dreams. His success stemmed from innovative training, consistency, and a supportive environment.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Key takeaways for marathon runners:

  • Build your aerobic base first. A large portion of Styles' training was at a comfortable, conversational pace.
  • Consistency beats intensity. Regular training trumps occasional heroic efforts.
  • Get professional guidance. Working with an experienced coach accelerated his process.
  • Invest in proper gear. Quality running shoes can enhance efficiency and reduce the risk of injury.
  • Make it enjoyable. Finding ways to make training enjoyable improves long-term adherence.

Hats off to Harry

Styles' marathon success is validation that with the right approach, dedication, and support, dramatic athletic improvements are possible for nearly everyone. And his journey from pop stardom to sub-three-hour marathoner proves that excellence in one field can translate to greatness in another when approached with the same tenacity and level of commitment.

The timing couldn't be better, too. Marathon participation has been growing steadily, and having a beloved global icon like Harry Styles could spark an even further interest in the sport among millions of young people who never considered distance running.

Achieving a sub-three-hour marathon finishing time doesn't happen just by luck. "Doing it in just six months, while juggling the demands of touring and public life, makes it even more impressive. It shows he wasn't just dabbling in running; he committed fully and embraced it," shares Dr. Masri. "As a strength coach, this result shows me that he brings real intention, genuine commitment, and a strong work ethic, and his results speak for themselves."

So, whether it's running your first marathon, learning a new skill, or making a significant life change, the next time you're wondering if you have what it takes to chase a seemingly far-off goal, remember Harry Styles lacing up those shoes and putting in the miles. One step at a time, again and again, until he crossed the Berlin Marathon finish line in under three hours.

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After the Orlando shooting, the world came together to make sure love can still win.

In response to the tragedy in Orlando, people came together in grieving and solidarity.

Hate is a hard feeling to get past. Tragedies like the shooting in Orlando remind us that hate — true, poisonous hate — not only exists, but can exist so potently as to snuff out human life.

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images.


In the wake of such tragedies, however, we also see images that help restore humanity to a world constantly under attack.

We see images of solidarity, tears, and held hands. We see candles and flowers laid on the ground by strangers. We see images of people from all walks of life, across oceans and international borders, coming together to show that hate is vastly outnumbered by the acts of love and compassion that fight it.

Photo by Dario Pignatelli/Getty Images.

In the coming days, you’ll find endless discussion about where we go from here. How do we prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future? How does this affect policy? What president should we elect? How do we win the fight against hate?

Here are some of the most iconic responses to the Orlando shooting from around the world.

In New York, members of the LGBT community and their supporters gathered outside the Stonewall Inn, site of the 1969 riots that helped launch the modern gay rights movement.

Photo by Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images.

Many cities, like San Diego, flew the gay pride flag at half-mast above and outside landmarks.

Photo by Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images.

New York City's One World Trade Center was among the buildings lit up in rainbow colors as a tribute to the Orlando victims.

Photo by Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images.

But perhaps the most powerful statements were ones made by ordinary people, brought together by a flood of emotion.

In cities around the world, people gathered in solidarity with the victims of the shooting and with the larger LGBT community itself.

Dallas:

Photo by Laura Buckman/AFP/Getty Images.

Chicago:

Photo by Nova Safo/AFP/Getty Images.

Washington, D.C.:

Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images.

Mumbai, India:

Photo by Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images.

Sydney, Australia:

Photo by William West/AFP/Getty Images.

Berlin:

Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images.

Seoul, South Korea:

Photo by Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images.

Hong Kong:

Photo by Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images.

Bangkok:

Photo by Dario Pignatelli/Getty Images.

Wellington, New Zealand:

Photo by Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images.

Love is stronger than hate. Telling ourselves that is important, but it means little if we don't believe it and act on it too.

It's easy to feel as though the world is beyond saving or to give in to cynicism. But there's a lesson to be learned here, a lesson that exists in the images of flickering candles, flags, and lit-up monuments from all over the world.

Love has already won. We’ve already won.

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Germany is a champion in welcoming refugees inside its borders.

A recent global survey even confirmed the people of Germany as having some of the most welcoming attitudes toward refugees in the entire world.

Awesome work, Germany!


This one's for you!

Once refugees make it to Germany (or any country) and apply for asylum, their next crucial hurdle arises: getting a job.

Keep in mind, these are people who have left their entire lives back home, undergone an arduous and dangerous journey, and arrived in a foreign country to create a brand new life. So, where do they even start?

Enter Anne Riechert, digital strategist and founder of Berlin's Peace Innovation Lab.

When the shirt says it all. Image via TEDx Talks/YouTube.

Riechert wondered whether her tech experience could help newly arrived refugees, so she visited their homes to better understand the problem. That's when she met Muhammed, a talented IT student from Baghdad who wanted to develop his skills, but had no access to a laptop.

This inspired the idea for Refugees on Rails, a grassroots movement designed to teach refugees the programming language Ruby on Rails. But again, the whole no-laptop thing was still an issue.

Unfazed, Riechert took to social media and got to work.

This may be how things started. GIF from "You've Got Mail."

With a little Facebook magic, Riechert was able to secure 100 laptops from her friends. And the numbers don't stop there. She also recruited 15 teachers, 30 volunteers, and 30 possible partners. She even found two UX designers to help create their website.

Clearly, they were off to a booming start. The program had 50 students in Berlin, and they were expanding into other cities.

That's when the movement split into two: Refugees on Rails and the ReDI School of Digital Integration.

Anne and her ReDI co-founder, Ferdi van Heerden, found that nothing beat actually working with the students in person. It also allowed them to train an important job-hunting skill: networking.

Students and teachers hitting the ground running. Image via TEDx Talks/YouTube.

Since starting in February 2016, the school has provided its growing student body with the resources they need in order to be successful: computers, access to co-working spaces, mentors from the local startup scene, courses in business intelligence and digital entrepreneurship, and most importantly, a connection to potential internships and jobs.

No doubt this program will help solve the shortage of IT professionals in Germany. Couple that with the plan of local lawmakers to pass the first-ever bill integrating refugees into the country's economy, and you have a recipe for success.

But more than just helping with their professional lives, ReDI is giving refugees a chance to find creative solutions to everyday problems.

One of the students, Rami Rahawi, even came up with an ingenious idea to help fellow refugees learn to speak German: an educational karaoke app.

This could be how we learn other languages. GIF via "Top Gun."

That kind of idea has the potential to help anyone, anywhere. Imagine what ReDI's students will think up next!

Opportunities like this have the potential to benefit not only refugees but also society as a whole.

When we come together and welcome all members of the human race with open arms, we're rewarded with valuable insights and ideas that can help the entire world.

What an inspiring bunch! Image via TEDx Talks/YouTube.

"Libraries Transform"

That's the theme of this year's National Library Week, an annual awareness celebration sponsored by the American Library Association.

You might be wondering why something as ubiquitous as a library would need more attention, considering the fact they've been pretty major staples of civilization since at least 2600 B.C. But that's because you live in a time and place where information resources are readily available, so it's easy to take them for granted. And of course, the only reason we have books and knowledge and guidance right there at our fingertips is — you guessed it — libraries.


Here are some physically transformative libraries from across the globe to show you just how transcendent they can be.

Tree of Knowledge? Books are like trees turned into knowledge! Photo by Alfred Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images.

1. Geisel Library — University of California, San Diego

This beautiful brutalist spaceship was named for Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Seuss Geisel), and plenty of Seussian statues litter the gardens around it.

Photo by Belis@rio/Flickr.

2. Admont Abbey library — Admont, Austria

The largest monastic library in the world dates back to 1776, and contains thousands upon thousands of historical manuscripts and records from throughout the monks' history.

Photo by Jorge Royan/Wikimedia Commons.

3. The AD White Reading Room at Uris Library — Cornell University

This reading room was named for one of the co-founders of the university, but it looks more like something out of a Lemony Snicket story. The library's collection also claims one of the only extant copies of the Gettysburg Address, plus first editions of "Origin of Species," the "Book of Mormon," and "Pride and Prejudice."

Photo by eflon/Flickr.

4. Bibliotheca Alexandrina — Egypt

The original Ancient Royal Library of Alexandria was built in the third century B.C., but the newest building to commemorate it was inaugurated in 2002. The original structure was destroyed and burned frequently during historical conflicts, so while the library's latest iteration might not be that old, it's still pretty stunning.

Photo by Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images.

5. Arma de Instrucción Masiva — Buenos Aires

Why yes that is an armored tank that travels the world giving out books. OK, technically it's a converted Ford Falcon designed by an Argentinian artist named Raul Lemesoff, but this "weapon of mass instruction" (get it?) is still awesome.

Photo by Carlos Adampol Galindo/Flickr.

6. Mobile Beach Library — Tel Aviv

Who cares about a beach bod when you can flex your mind? The Tel Aviv Municipality cultural department set this cart up at Metzitzim Beach for the enjoyment of locals and tourists alike.

Photo by Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images.

7. Levinski Garden Library — Tel Aviv

Also found in Tel Aviv, this stand was setup in 2010 as a "social-artistic urban community project" specifically designed to appeal to the city's immigrant and refugee populations.

Photo by Itzuvit/Wikimedia Commons.

8. Biblioteca Vasconcelos — Mexico City

Speaking of knowledge, Wikipedia leads me to believe that this $100 million project is totally definitely not a glitch in "The Matrix." OK, sure.

Photo by Eneas De Troya/Flickr.

9. The Bibliobus, Bookmobile, or other motor-powered information vehicle

Easily accessible information is a key tenet to democracy. But not everyone can get to a physical library (or a computer with internet access). So these bookbuses bring the words to the people (or at least to underserved communities in their respective municipalities).

This particular one is run by the Ottawa Public Library system. Photo by SimonP/Wikimedia Commons.

10. Kudapustaka (translated: "horse library") — Indonesia

The mobile libraries above are cool and all, but they're not so useful for remote locations like Central Java Indonesia. Like a knight in paperback armor, Ridwan Sururi and his trusted steed, Luna, spread knowledge across the communities of the island, helping to educate its many residents.

Photo by Putu Sayoga/Getty Images.

11. Biblioburro (translated: "donkey library") — Colombia

Similar to the kudapustaka above, the biblioburro is run by a primary school teacher named Luis Soriano and his donkeys, Alfa and Beto, and it brings literature and adventure to children in poor and remote parts of the country. They even have their very own documentary!

Photo by Acción Visual/Diana Arias/Wikimedia Commons.

12. Tiny Free Libraries — everywhere

We've already written about these and they're still every bit as wonderful as they were then.

Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images.

13. The Long Room at Trinity College — Dublin

Ireland has a long history of maintaining written records and copies of, well, everything. The history of the Trinity College library goes back to the late-16th century, but since 1801, it's served as an archive collection for any copyrighted material printed in Ireland or the U.K., making it a massive trove of intellectual property.

Photo by David Iliff/Wikimedia Commons.

14. National Library of Kosovo — Pristina

Kosovo has a long and complicated history, but it's still pretty remarkable they were able to take golf balls lodged in a chainlink fence as inspiration for a reference space full of private reading rooms. Yes, it's been called one of the ugliest buildings in the world — but in truth, that shouldn't distract from the incredible fact that a central hub of information like this has remained intact throughout all of the country's conflicts.

Photo by Fitore Syla/Wikimedia Commons.

15. National and University Library — France

Located in Strasbourg near the Eastern border of France, this library was actually founded by the German Empire after the city's original municipal library was destroyed by Prussia. In a testament to the power of information, the new library received an overflow of book donations from countries across Europe and the United States, and it now holds France's second largest collection at 3 million volumes.

Photo by Frederick Florin/AFP/Getty Images.

16. The National Library of China — Beijing

Sometimes reading a good book is like spiraling down an endless hole of awesomeness. That's also how it feels to stare down the levels of China's immaculate National Library, which contains the largest collection of Chinese literature and historical documents in the world, as well as one of the largest overall collections in the world, spanning more than 115 languages.

Photo by IQRemix/Flickr.

17. Community Bookshelf — Kansas City, Missouri

OK so technically this a parking garage next to the Kansas City Public Library, but it still counts. 'Cause c'mon, that's awesome. Each of the 22 books (which you can imagine endured a daunting selection process) measures approximately 25 feet tall by nine feet wide.

Photo by Tim Samoff/Flickr.

18. Philippines neighborhood library — Manila

After his parents passed away, Nanie Guanlao wanted to find a unique way to honor their memory. So he put a few dozen books outside his house for free and encouraged people to borrow them — which they did and brought back new book donations with them. 15 years later, his home library boasts thousands of books, and some locals consider it the true "national library" of the Philippines.

Photo by Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images.

19. Stockholm Public Library — Sweden

This place is just plain ol' gorgeous. Maybe "Stockholm syndrome" should mean getting lost in these stacks.

Photo by Chibi Code/Flickr.

20. Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart — Germany

Stuttgart's original public library at Wilhelms Palais was the converted home of King Wilhelm II. The new location, which opened in 2011, is less of a castle, more of a spaceship come from the future to transport our brains beyond the stars. (I always wondered why my friend who grew up in Stuttgart was so well-versed in literature; now I understand.)

Photo by O Palsson/Flickr.

21. The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library — New Haven

One of the world's largest libraries devoted entirely to rare books and manuscripts, they have an original Gutenberg Bible! And if that's not amazing enough, just look at those glass columns. It's like the past and the future converged in one place. Books will blow your mind, man.

Photo by Lauren Manning/Flickr.

22. Metropolitan book vending machinea — Tokyo

Looking for cigarettes, soda, or maybe snack? Japan's got a better idea — use your imagination. (Please note: Thoughts do not contain calories and Upworthy is not responsible for any damage caused by supplementing your nutritional intake with books.)

Photo by Pedro Layant/Flickr.

23. This converted phone booth — Prague

Can you think of a better way to brighten up a hospital waiting room? If you're a book fiend with a crippling fear of hospitals, like me, it's perfect. Phone booth libraries like this have also been known to pop up in places like London and Berlin, particularly as mobile phones have increased in popularity and stationary phone booths have otherwise lost their purpose.

Photo by Michael Cizek/AFP/Getty Images.

24. National Library of Brazil — Rio de Janeiro

The largest library in Latin America has been on the cutting edge of science education and technology since it opened in 1810. And like the Mexico City library above, it is definitely totally not a scene from "The Matrix."

Photo by Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images.

25. National Digital Library — Seoul

Also known as the "Dibrary," this building boasts plenty of advanced information technology facilities, offering a wide range of e-books and magazines, and digital movies and music — just no actual physical media of any kind. But that's OK; information access still counts in kilobytes as well as in paper (wrote the writer on the website).

Photo by Mosman Library/Flickr.

So yes, libraries transform.

They transform minds. They transform cultures. They even transform the world, both metaphorically and physically. If libraries can transform spaces like this, imagine what they can do to your mind.