When pop superstar Harry Styles crossed the finish line of the 2025 Tokyo Marathon with a surprising time of 3:24:07, fans and runners everywhere took notice.
Known primarily for his chart-topping hits and bold fashion choices, Styles’ latest achievement showed another side of him: serious athletic dedication.
But what exactly went into preparing the pop icon for this impressive athletic feat?
Harry trained under David Thibo, a former British special forces operative turned professional fitness coach, known for his disciplined and intense approach.
Thibo emphasized the importance of consistency, strategic recovery, and building lasting strength—an approach that isn’t just for elite athletes but applies to anyone chasing big fitness goals.
One of Harry’s key workouts each week was notoriously tough.
It began with a gentle warm-up run lasting between 10 and 20 minutes, easing him into a session that quickly ramped up.
After the warm-up, he ran a timed one-mile effort, where he hit an impressive personal best of 5:13.
But the workout didn’t stop there. Immediately following this mile, Styles tackled a demanding bodyweight circuit: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 air squats—all completed within just eight minutes.
After the exhausting bodyweight circuit, Styles wasn’t done yet.
He hit the hills, performing intense sprint intervals designed to build strength, power, and endurance.
To wrap things up, he cooled down with a relaxed run and some thorough stretching. This combination of intense running, strength training, and focused recovery is what gave him an edge come race day.
But it wasn’t all about relentless effort.
Thibo knew the importance of balance, incorporating lighter, recovery-focused days between the tough sessions.
On these easier days, Harry ran 10-20 kilometers at comfortable paces around London, combined with crucial core and mobility workouts. These “lighter” days are essential, providing necessary rest and ensuring sustained progress without burnout or injury.
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Thibo structured Harry’s training through a concept called periodization—breaking workouts into carefully planned cycles to steadily increase fitness levels while allowing the body time to adapt.
According to experts, this method prevents plateaus and significantly reduces injury risks, proving that Harry’s success wasn’t merely due to natural talent—it came from strategic, thoughtful training.
Interestingly, Harry’s strong mile time suggests that he has plenty of potential left to tap into. With targeted endurance work, experts think he could realistically aim for the coveted sub-three-hour marathon mark in the future.
