Celebrities Who Ran Marathons: Chip Gaines, Al Roker, More

Running marathons takes perseverance, stamina and above all, heart! Several celebrities have laced up their running shoes and ran marathons during their years in the spotlight. Chip Gaines, Al Roker and more decided to become long-distance runners.

Chip ran his first marathon in 2018. The Fixer Upper host had no prior experience running long-distance before signing up. He and his wife, Joanna Gaines, have hosted the Silo District Marathon ever since, with the dad of five running for a great cause. All proceeds of the event have gone to cancer research and treatment.

He was trained by Gabriele “Gabe” Grunewald, a professional runner who was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. She died in June 2019 at the age of 32. While he has admitted that training for the marathon each year is tough, Chip has made it clear that he is doing it for a cause that means a lot to him.

“We host this race because I believe when we do hard things together, we can accomplish the impossible!” he wrote on the Magnolia blog after his second marathon. “Whether it’s to push our bodies further than we ever have before or raise a boatload of money to help find a cure for this thief called cancer.”

The home renovation star lost 10 pounds while preparing for his first marathon in 2018. Al also went through a noticeable weight loss transformation of his own before gearing up for his first marathon. The Today personality weighed 340 pounds before he underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2002.

He lost over 100 pounds during his weight loss journey and had the support of his wife, Deborah Ann Roberts, every step of the way. In May 2022, he participated in the 13-mile Brooklyn Half Marathon. When he crossed the finish line after three hours and 19 minutes, Deborah placed a medal around his neck. She too is a marathon runner and was joined by her hubby on many runs and walks throughout his fitness journey.

“There is a sense of accomplishment,” he said over the phone during a Today segment. “It’s like, ‘Wow, this is something 22,000 people did. Not everybody can do it.’ And you do feel like, ‘Oh, OK, I did that!'”

Keep scrolling to see which of your favorite celebrities have become marathon runners.

Andrea Barber

Fuller House actress Andrea Barber opened up about her love for running in her 2019 memoir Full Circle. She ran Disney’s Tinker Bell Half Marathon in 2012 and never looked back.

“One of the best parts of the race was all the spectators cheering for us runners and seeing all of the creative, handmade signs they waved to encourage us,” she wrote in the book. “Most were inspirational, like, ‘Don’t give up! Remember all the reasons why you’re running!'”

Valerie Bertinelli

In April 2010, Valerie Bertinelli ran the Boston Marathon. She completed the race in a little over five hours just days ahead of her 50th birthday.

“When I turned the corner and saw the finish line, I turned the music off and just enjoyed the crowd,” she told People after the accomplishment. “I am blissful! It’s like each day gets better in my life. I got to ask, ‘What have I done to deserve so much grace and so many gifts?’”