American rapper and singer-songwriter Wiz Khalifa appears to be the latest celebrity to catch the running bug. “Started running recently and I love it,” Khalifa shared in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “Went on vacation and all I did was run: five miles on Sunday and three miles the day before that.”
The Grammy-nominated artist is best known for the hit songs “See You Again,” ft. Charlie Puth and “Black and Yellow.” He’s also collaborated on popular songs including “Payphone” with Maroon 5 and “Young, Wild & Free” with Snoop Dogg ft. Bruno Mars.
Khalifa documented his new routine online, first posting some snaps from the vacation, sporting short shorts and Nike running shoes. He even went out for a night run equipped with a headlamp. Stats from his 8.2-km run showed he completed the distance in 49:26, averaging 6 minutes per kilometre. Another post shows him recording in selfie mode, grinning the entire time.
Support from the running world
The posts quickly caught the attention of major running brands. Strava commented, “Let’s get you verified and help you track your journey,” while Coros added, “Need to get you in a better running watch ASAP.” American runner Emily Infeld also chimed in to show her support.
Even fuelling brands joined the conversation, with GU Energy Labs asking, “Need some fuel?”
Offfield, a cannabis-infused fuel brand, also appeared to embrace Khalifa’s new hobby, writing, “Run High is a movement,” referencing the significant amount of cannabis featured throughout Khalifa’s Instagram posts.
Khalifa’s budding running journey is another example of the growing connection between hip-hop culture and the sport. Gunna, another Grammy-nominated American rapper, is becoming increasingly involved in the running world, hosting Wunna Run 5K races around the world.
Last year’s Super Bowl half-time performer, American rapper Kendrick Lamar, runs daily to help maintain his endurance on stage. Even Drake recently donated $150,000 to his friend’s 100-mile charity challenge.