While many assumed Harry Styles was locked in the studio working on his long-awaited fourth album, the British singer-songwriter had other plans: quietly training for one of the world's most demanding athletic events.

Over the weekend, Styles was spotted among the approximately 55,000 participants in the Berlin Marathon 2025, organizers confirmed to DPA, following the first report in local newspaper Der Tagesspiegel.

In an attempt to fly under the radar, the former One Direction member did not register under his real name. Instead, he used the pseudonym “Sted Sarandos”—a clever play on the name of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos—and completed Sunday's race wearing a headband and sunglasses as a discreet disguise.

But what truly wowed fans wasn't his attempt at anonymity, but his impressive performance: Styles crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 13 seconds, thus achieving one of the most coveted goals among amateur marathoners: finishing in under three hours. An even more remarkable achievement considering that the race winner, Kenyan Sabastian Sawe, set a record time of 2:02:16, followed by Japan's Akira Akasaki in 2:06:15.

Athletes share photos with Harry Styles

The feat didn't go unnoticed by his fellow runners. Paralympian and gold medalist Richard Whitehead shared a photo on Instagram alongside Styles, joking: "2:58 in Berlin with my friend. Anyone know him?" accompanied by a laughing emoji.

The Berlin Marathon, part of the six Abbott World Marathons, is famous for its flat, fast course, which allows runners to reach their full potential. The competitors passed iconic monuments such as the Victory Column, Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate — scenes that Styles covered at full speed, far from the flashes and the screams of the fans.

This was not his debut in the elite of races: in March 2025, Styles had already run the Tokyo Marathon, where she completed the course in less than 3.5 hours, beating more than 20,000 competitors. But in Berlin, she didn't just improve her personal best: she set the fastest time ever recorded by a celebrity in any marathon,according to the specialized magazine Runner's World.