When you’re a world leader juggling back-to-back summits, sometimes the only sane response is to put on your trainers and get out the door. That’s exactly what Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finnish President Alexander Stubb did Tuesday morning in London, swapping conference rooms for a lap around Hyde Park.
The two leaders, joined by their spouses Diana Carney and Suzanne Innes-Stubb, posted a video of the outing on social media. “No ice-hockey rinks available, so a nice morning run in Hyde Park,” Stubb wrote on X. Carney was in London for meetings following a Nordic-Canadian summit in Norway over the weekend.
The president who actually trains
Stubb isn’t just doing this for the optics. The Finnish president is a legitimate triathlete with the race results to prove it. Last year, he finished second in his age category at the Joroinen sprint triathlon in eastern Finland, clocking 1:04:19 across a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike, and 5-kilometer run. In 2023, he raced the Ironman 70.3 World Championships, placing 15th in the men’s 55-and-over category out of more than 250 competitors.
He showed up to Hyde Park in HOKA Cliftons. No notes.
🇫🇮 The President of Finland secretly took part in an amateur triathlon — and took second place
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 12, 2025
Alexander Stubb completed the course — 750 m swim, 20 km bike, and 5 km run — in just over an hour. His final time, 1:04:19, earned him second place in the men's amateur category! 🥈.… pic.twitter.com/EjCUCwRTQ4
Carney’s Tracksmith loyalty is getting hard to ignore
Carney, meanwhile, arrived in his now-signature Tracksmith Eliot Runners — the same pair he wore at a trail race in northern Ontario last summer, and again while cheering on runners at the 2025 Ottawa International Marathon. At this point it’s less a shoe preference and more a personality trait.
Tracksmith confirmed to Canadian Running that he’s a genuine fan, not a paid ambassador — which somehow makes it better. “It’s something we’re happy about,” a spokesperson said, “and I hope we can see PM Carney at one of our Tracksmith Twilight 5K events in Canada this year.”
We have thoughts on the form
The clip did not go quietly into our Tuesday morning news cycle. Carney’s technique was flagged almost immediately — heel striking, short stride, the full package. If you want to know what bad running form looks like, how to improve your running form, or the full breakdown of running foot strike — yes, PM, we’re looking at you — we’ve got you covered. And if you’re in the market for a new pair of running shoes, unlike Carney you don’t have to pick just one brand.
They did the hard part, though. They got out the door.
