Karlie Kloss on running her first marathon: It’s ‘something I never dreamed I would do’

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Model Karlie Kloss, 25, definitely likes to push herself. She went to school to learn coding at a time when she was one of the most sought after and in demand models in the world. Now she’s running the New York City Marathon on November 5th. She wrote a brief personal essay for Runner’s World about it. According to Karlie it pushed her out of her comfort zone and she grew to love running. She even describes running around New York City to get to places faster and just showing up like that in her activewear to go to appointments. They should make a movie about that, kind of like Run, Lola Run except in New York instead of Berlin. Karlie could be a mom running to save her child from kidnappers. (Nevermind that Halle Berry’s version of that movie was widely panned, if she was running I think it would have done better at the box office). Here’s what Karlie wrote for Runner’s World:

Growing up I was really athletic and played every sport in the book, but I hated running. Each year in school, you were timed for a mile run. It was the worst day of the year.

The first time I really went for a run longer than four miles was only three years ago when I trained for a half marathon in Paris.

I like to do things that take me out of my comfort zone, and the idea of running a half marathon was beyond scary and definitely took me out of my comfort zone.

I definitely have a lot to learn about getting faster and controlling my pace. I think that will be a big thing for me on New York City Marathon day, but I’m hoping that the adrenaline of the crowd will keep me energized.

Sometimes fans notice me when I go for a run, but that’s part of the fun. I’m quick, so they can’t catch me.

In Paris during Fashion Week, I went for a long run along the Seine River. When I go on long runs in new places, I try to make the most of them. It’s a great way to see a beautiful place.

I love to run in the rain. There’s something really romantic about it, especially in New York. When it’s raining, it’s almost like I get the city all to myself.

I bring my sneakers everywhere. If I need to be uptown or downtown, I will actually block out time to run the West Side Highway and go to appointments in my gym clothes. Sometimes, it’s actually a faster way to get around New York City than a taxi.

I’m not into staying on a treadmill. That’s one reason why I waited so long to start running—a treadmill is not the most inspiring way to do it.

I like putting my mind to something difficult and figuring out how to tick it off my bucket list.

Running a marathon is something I never dreamed I would do. As the day gets closer, I’m a bit nervous, but I like to do things that scare me.

[From Runner’s World]

I just started running a few months ago and I could relate so much to this, although my goal was about 1/10th of Karlie’s. I’ve only run one 5k race so far, and that’s about the distance I run now whenever I go out. (I’m registering for another one on Thanksgiving, but I’m kind of worried about the cold as I’ve been exercising more indoors now that it’s chilly out and is still dark in the morning.) It felt really rewarding to finally run after thinking, like Karlie, that it wasn’t for me. In fact I did just about every other exercise and sport and assumed I hated running, but once I finally gave it a chance I was surprised. (I use the Zombies, Run! App, which I love.) If never run a marathon in my life I’ll be ok with that. There’s something amazing about being able to run a couple of miles after you thought that you would never want to do that. I think it’s the endorphins, but it also becomes a metaphor for kicking ass in life and meeting your other goals too. Running makes you feel invincible.

This is Karlie’s like “glamorous Catwoman” costume for a Halloween party. It’s disappointing, right? Do something more creative and/or scary for Halloween. These sexy costumes are tiresome. You can see more photos of her costume on The Daily Mail.

Trick or treat

A post shared by Karlie Kloss (@karliekloss) on

T – 11 days until the NYC Marathon. Holy 💩.

A post shared by Karlie Kloss (@karliekloss) on

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photos credit: Backgrid and Instagram

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31 Responses to “Karlie Kloss on running her first marathon: It’s ‘something I never dreamed I would do’”

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  1. lolamd says:

    This year I am going to be the sensei from Kill Bill.

  2. Milla says:

    Her lifestyle must be very tiresome. She looks way to old for 25.

    • Veronica says:

      Well, she has a shit ton of makeup on for the costume. That’ll age anybody.

      But like a lot of other models, she also has gotten rid of so much of the body fat that softens the face that it gives a certain…harshness to the features. Depending on how structured your face is, you have to be careful with how much weight you lose or it lends a certain gauntness to your features. (Keira Knightley is another celebrity who I think prematurely aged her face with weight loss. Compare the way she looks in the first POTC movie to the later ones. Huge difference.)

  3. marc kile says:

    The top pic looks kinda awful folks just had to say that, sorry
    But hats off to her for the marathon run better than i could have ever done:)

  4. laulau says:

    that costume is not very fun.
    I went to a Halloween party last year where the host asked that no one wear a costume. I was expecting it to be boring but it turned out she (and her dude) got a special effects artist friend of theirs to do everyone’s’ face (obviously not too detailed) and all these vintage clothes/there old costumes for us to try on… it was such a fun night, like those times you have more fun with your friends getting ready to go out.
    Highly recommend.

  5. adastraperaspera says:

    It’s good to be Karlie. Run Lola Run was a great movie!

  6. Hikaru says:

    She would look good in lilac hair. She would look good in literally any hair color but this bleached yellow attempt at platinum.

    • StormsMama says:

      Hikaru
      I agree.
      Good for her with her training and accomplishments
      But the hair color is straw bad

  7. Kitten says:

    Yay. I don’t know much about her but she seems like my kind of woman.
    I do a running commute to/from work and it is by FAR the best way to get into the city and around the city as well. I also agree with her about running in the rain, but it has to be a certain type of rain. Wed morning I was running into work and at mile one I got caught in a vicious downpour and it SUCKED. But light rain is amazing to run in.
    I always say that it’s the not the rain that’s falling that is problematic but rather the rain that’s FALLEN–watch our for those puddles, Karlie!

  8. Molly says:

    Good for Karlie. If I had all kinds of money, time, and access, I’d do things like go to coding school and run a highly sought-after marathon that most runners can’t get into. My long runs are around a boring lake in my sleepy suburb. Sign me up for the Seine River views.

  9. Zondie says:

    Running in the soft rain is really nice. And running outdoors makes you feel so much better than just running on a treadmill. However, if you plan to keep running as you get older, you have to watch your joints and running in cities is really bad for that. I use to always run on high school tracks. Boring, but much better for the joints. It’s probably why I have been able to run for exercise for so many decades.

    • Bridget says:

      You know that it’s a myth that running is bad for your joints? Impact exercise like running triggers physiological improvements that actually strengthen joints. It’s movements that involve cutting, pivoting, and quick changes of direction (like soccer, basketball, etc) that can really do bad stuff to your joints. Runners are actually more susceptible to injuries caused by muscular imbalances, as it’s a repetitive motion exercise (and a lot of runners don’t love to strength train).

      • Zondie says:

        @BRIDGET I didn’t say running was bad for your joints, just that you have to be careful of what surfaces you run on a regular basis. Of course, really excellent running shoes help. And you are correct about some runners not caring for strength training (guilty as charged)

    • Val.the.runner says:

      Eh, running outdoors in cities is not bad for your joints. Running with bad form and without a strength training plan is what leads to injuries to your joints! I have been running for over 7 years. I just recently ran the Berlin Marathon and two week after the Chicago Marathon. I PR’d in Berlin (Sept 24) and PR’d in Chicago (Oct 8) by 6 minutes between the two races. However, I also have a coach and a built in aggressive heavy weights training plan. If people are going to commit to running a marathon, then they have to know that it is not just about running. Shoes, gear, nutrition, rest and recovery all are extremely important. Also, I incorporate treadmills as part of my speed regimen, which has led me to becoming a faster runner. There are so false conceptions about running. I say do your research first, speak to experts, and then lace up!

    • AnneC says:

      While I was walking my dog in the rain last winter I fell and fractured my kneecap. Now I’m scared of slipping although, good news is, I live in calif and we haven’t seen any rain since last May.

      Also left out the most interesting part about her. She’s been dating Jared Kushner’s brother for a long time. I think she used to post photos of them all double dating. The brother is supposed to be a good guy, but still…

  10. holly hobby says:

    That hair color washes her out. She should think about a darker shade.

  11. The dormouse says:

    Totally love her drive to learn coding and to run.

    But that hair color is so awful on her it amounts to self-harm. She’s sending us a signal – what can we do to help?

  12. Ava says:

    I guess running away from Taylor was good prep for the marathon.

  13. Esmom says:

    Love this story. I’ve been running for more than 30 years, it’s my favorite form of exercise and key to my mental health. I try to run a few 5ks per week (not races, just training distance) but mix my week up with other forms of exercise to preserve my knees and other joints. I ran my first and only marathon at 25. It was great to set and accomplish that goal but once was enough for me.

    My husband on the other hand, discovered marathon running when he turned 50 and is running his fourth marathon in three years in a coupe weeks. I wish I could say we enjoy it together but I honestly have no desire to run another one. It’s such a punishing distance and I’m much more about moderation, lol. Even a half marathon is not something I’m interested in doing. And yes, running in a light rain is nice. I also love running in the snow. I’ve never had a problem running in the cold but I draw the line at about 20 degrees F.

    Good luck CB, with your Thanksgiving run! If you layer up properly, you’ll be just fine.

  14. Bridget says:

    I often think that celebrity runners miss out on the best part of running – the community and the cameraderie. When you have the money and the ability to hire a coach or do most of your workouts privately, you miss out on the group runs and the training groups, and the companionship helps those long miles go much, much faster.

    • Esmom says:

      My husband enjoys running with a group or a friend but one of the things I like about running is the solitude. I often use the time to shift gears into work mode and solve work problems better while running than sitting in front of my computer or a blank page.

      • Bridget says:

        I run 6 days a week. Even if I just did my long run with a group, that’s plenty of solitude for me, LOL.

  15. Veronica says:

    Ugh, running. I’ve tried it, guys, I really have. I even have one of those expensive as hell Nordic Track treadmills. But I cannot – and I mean cannot – get myself to do marathon running. I will do interval training but nothing more than that. I hate the feeling. I hate having to strap down my boobs so I don’t lose an eye. I hate the way my knees feel afterwards. I hate having to do it uphill. I hate gasping for breath. I hate the fact that it gives me reflux if I drink too much water. I’ve never got anything like a “runner’s high” before. Give me an hour on high level elliptical or two hours on a bike any day over that.

    I’m not sure about how I feel about the blonde hair on her. It’s not bad, but I do think it takes away from some of her facial intrigue because she loses the dark hair contrast to her blue eyes.

    Catty comment: I feel like she needs to be really cautious with the plastic surgery. The boob job is passable because she has enough body fat on her to hide them when she doesn’t have them intensely pushed up. The lip injections, on the other hand, are starting to edge into duck-face territory.

  16. JA says:

    One of my knees started giving me trouble several years ago so my cut back on running… instead of 4 to 6 every other day I run 3miles 2 or 3x a week. I miss long runs and I miss that feeling of being fast, almost like your flying. Did 3 half marathons but not a full one and doubt I will because so worried ill destroy my knee in the process. Anyways running is the best exercise and I hated it till I saw what a great feeling I got doing it. Peace, calm, releasing anger, therapeutic and best of all keeps your body right! <3

  17. Jayna says:

    I also love running in light rain. My favorite running time is starting out later and running part of it during dusk, and ending the last 15 minutes in the dark. Where I live on a golf course there’s several small ponds I pass on the last quarter of my run with water features that are lit up and lots of trees.

    I get more speed, a better rhythm, and it’s quieter and kind of magical. I’m more peaceful. Living in Florida, it’s all flat land, though. Nothing hilly. Yay.

    I have in the distant past run three mini-marathons, once trained for an 18-mile race. I had trained up to 14 miles and got the flu, so never ran it. I would never have gotten into races on my own, nor become a jogger past a mile on my own. My boyfriend was a marathoner. He was much older. I was only 22 when I first started running. And he was domineering and kind of forced me into jogging more than a mile, where we would do four, six, eight-mile runs together. And once I had done longer runs, going out for a three-mile run seemed like nothing and easy to go do and so easier not to put off.

    It’s the one time I was glad he was domineering. I would never have persevered through the pain of longer distance running without his heavy-handed push. It did teach me how to mentally toughen up and move through the pain or tiredness to get to the great part, the rhythm you settle into of running, and I never would have lasted in the punishing agony of running a race without his insistence I run in races when he ran in a longer one. He was an asshole and I was under his thumb, but running brought a lot into my life mentally and physically long after he was out of it.

    But running on a treadmill is something I try to avoid. Outdoors is where it’s at.

  18. Erica_V says:

    Ok but she wasn’t going to someone’s house party – she was going to a benefit gala which I think calls for a more glam “costume” than a real costume.

    Also, she set up Kode With Klossy – a free summer camp program she holds in various cities that teaches teen girls how to code.

  19. Jegede says:

    Karlie Kloss career is interesting to me.

    She’s a legit high fashion model and has the contracts to back up the hype, but she seems to have somewhat fallen off at the age of 25(?).

    I dunno if its by choice but the Hadids seem to have taken her place.

    There are no more supermodels, but I did believe Kloss would be the one that would come closest.

  20. Amide says:

    She looks better bronde. IMO.😒

  21. hey-ya says:

    …I like the sparkly filter…