I’m a Runner: Kevin Hart

The actor and comedian runs impromptu 5Ks with hundreds - sometimes thousands - of fans in the cities he travels to.


Dana Meltzer Zeped |

The actor and comedian runs impromptu 5Ks with hundreds – sometimes thousands – of fans in the cities he travels to. – By Dana Meltzer Zepeda

Photo by Alex Aristei courtesy of Nike Running
Photo by Alex Aristei courtesy of Nike Running

I started running in the past couple of years because I put a high demand on my body [doing stand-up].
I knew running was a great way to take care of myself. Now, when I land in a new city every morning, I literally hit the ground running.

Last summer, I decided to use social media to see how many people I could get to join me for an impromptu 5K run.
It started out with just 200 runners, but now it’s consistently 3,000 people. I’ve teamed up with a brand to do these runs on a larger scale when I am on tour.

I take my phone out, I go on Twitter, and say, ‘LA, it’s time to make it do what it do!’ Register, ASAP! You do not want to miss this, you do not want me to be great by myself.

With my kids, running is contagious.
It’s about constantly bettering ourselves as a family.

I call these 5Ks ‘races’, but I don’t want them to be misconstrued.
It’s not about who finishes first or last. It’s about running together. What’s great is that not everybody is a runner. These are people who are just coming out and taking their first steps in a direction that they’ve never gone in before.

Once I finish my race, I stay and high-five everybody.
I do not leave until everyone has crossed the finish line. What I love most is hearing why people come out. Those stories make it worth it. It’s affecting people’s lives. You can’t do better than that.

I run in every city I visit.
I do a 5K whether it’s a race or just for the exercise. People see me and respect me when I’m working out. They say hello and keep on moving.

Which one of my co-stars would I love to get out and run with me?
Josh Gad [his co-star in The Wedding Ringer]. Will Ferrell’s a runner. Is he faster than me? No. I’ve tried to get other co-stars to run with me, but not everyone has that good taste in their mouth for running. I tried to get DJ [Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson] out there but he told me flat out, ‘No’.

When I’m running, I’m not competing for a medal.
The reward is telling myself, ‘I’m staying consistent. I’m staying true to something.’ If I continue to set goals and accomplish those goals, I’m doing something right. Who knows where that could take me.

Who do I think would win a race between me and Ice Cube [his co-star in Ride Along and its recent sequel]? Me, 110 per cent.

My favourite…

Event: I’m from Philadelphia, and that 5K event was our biggest turnout so far. We had 5,000 people running, including my staff, my family and my kids.

Reason to run: I’m not a runner who’s out there trying to qualify for marathons or win some major event, I’m doing it just because I found love for it.

Route: When I’m travelling, I love to find places while running where I can see things. It’s about moments – capturing that city while you get your healthy side on.

Kevin Hart’s retro look on the U.S anniversary issue of Runner’s World is getting rave reviews.

kevin_hart_rw_covers_1

Hart appeared on The Tonight Show, where host Jimmy Fallon produced the issue, saying, “This is why I love Runner’s World.”

A couple nights later, Hart showed up on NBC’s Late Night. Host Seth Meyers proclaimed Runner’s World his “dream magazine.”

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