If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Diplo, it’s that he doesn’t do anything halfway. That includes running.
The 46-year-old DJ and producer ran the Los Angeles Half Marathon on Sunday (March 16), alongside his running partner, Olympian and filmmaker Alexi Pappas. But because it’s Diplo, just finishing the race wasn’t enough—he also stopped in the middle of it to spin a live DJ set for fans before running to the finish line.
Meanwhile, over in the LA Big 5K, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker proved he’s more than just a rock star, throwing down a fast and furious race time in the 5K event the day before.
Here’s how the weekend’s biggest music stars turned the streets of LA into their own personal stage—and starting line.
Diplo’s Mid-Race DJ Set
Diplo, real name Thomas Wesley Pentz, has been diving deeper into the running world over the past few years. In 2023, he finished the full LA Marathon in just under four hours (which, for the record, he proudly pointed out was faster than Oprah’s marathon time). That experience led him to launch Diplo’s Run Club, a series of 5K events that mix running with rave-like after-parties.
This year, he took things to another level. He and Pappas completed the LA Charity Half Marathon in under 1 hour and 50 minutes—which is already impressive, considering the official course was longer than a normal half marathon at 13.7 miles.
But then came the most Diplo thing ever.
Around mile 10, near Wilshire Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard, Diplo made a detour to a Diplo’s Run Club tent set up along the course. Instead of just grabbing water or high-fiving fans like a normal runner, he jumped behind a DJ booth and threw on a track—all while running in place to keep his Strava from pausing.
“That pause to DJ was difficult,” Diplo admitted to Runner’s World at the finish line, still catching his breath. “I didn’t want my Strava to stop, and I kind of felt like I was fake DJ-ing. Then to get back up and run again was hard. I was ready to take a break once I stopped, and I thought it was over, but we got back in it, and we finished it.”
After about 90 seconds of DJ-ing, he sprinted back onto the course, rejoined Pappas, and pushed through the final miles, still averaging a sub-8-minute pace—despite the stop.
So, why is Diplo so into running all of the sudden?
For him, it’s more than just fitness. “Running is a great equalizer,” he said to Runner’s World after crossing the finish line. “Anybody can do it, and we can all run together. That’s why I love it.”
His Diplo’s Run Club has taken off, with more than 27,000 people signing up for upcoming events in 2025-2026. He’s expanding the series to eight cities, mixing 5Ks with after-parties featuring—you guessed it—Diplo himself on the turntables.
Travis Barker’s Fast 5K
While Diplo was out here DJ-ing mid-run, Travis Barker was all business in the LA Big 5K the day before.
Barker—who’s been an avid runner since recovering from a 2008 plane crash—took on the hilly, tough 5K course around Dodger Stadium and blazed through it in 22 minutes and 32 seconds. That’s a 7:15 mile pace, fast enough to place him in the top 15% of all runners (he finished 95th overall out of about 6,200 participants).
Dressed in a black Desmadre T-shirt, red Human Made Muay Thai shorts, and black Asics Novablast 5s, Barker tore through the early miles at a sub-six-minute pace before hitting the course’s toughest hills.
After crossing the finish line, he posed for selfies with fans but declined interviews, only saying that he felt fit enough to run much faster on a flatter course. (For the record, his personal best is under 19 minutes, which is seriously impressive.)
Like Diplo, Barker has taken his love of running beyond just personal fitness. His Run Travis Run series, launched in LA and New York last year, combines 5Ks with wellness experiences. He even held an event during Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans this February, with more to come later this year.
