Diplo and Travis Barker Bring Star Power to Los Angeles Marathon Weekend

photo via Kevin Morris

The Los Angeles Marathon weekend has always been a celebration of athleticism, community, and personal achievement. But this year, it had an extra dose of star power as two music icons—DJ and producer Diplo and Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker—laced up their running shoes and took on their own races. Their performances were more than just celebrity sightings; they highlighted the growing trend of artists embracing endurance sports and bringing their fans along for the ride.

Diplo's High-Energy Half Marathon

Two years ago, Diplo made headlines for running the Los Angeles Marathon in under four hours—a solid performance, especially considering he admitted to microdosing LSD at the start. This year, the Grammy-winning DJ returned, but this time, he ran completely sober and fueled only by the energy of the crowd, the music along the course, and his running partner, Alexi Pappas, a former Olympic runner and filmmaker.

Diplo and Pappas ran the Charity Half Marathon, which followed the same course as the full marathon but ended earlier. However, the official course was longer than a standard half marathon (closer to 13.7 miles), making their sub-1:50 finish even more impressive.

But running wasn't the only thing on Diplo’s mind—he had another mission during the race. Near the Wilshire Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard section, he took a detour to jump into a DJ booth, spinning a quick track for a cheering crowd before rejoining the race. Even as he mixed music, he kept running in place, making sure his Strava app wouldn’t pause and break his streak.

“I’m exhausted, but that was fun,” Diplo said at the finish line. “LA is amazing because the diversity is crazy. We ran through so many different neighborhoods. It was beautiful, and that’s why running is beautiful. Running is a great equalizer. Anybody can do it, and we can all run together, so that’s why I love it.”

via kevin morris

The Evolution of Diplo’s Running Journey

Diplo has always been active, but his dive into running has been a recent passion. After his Los Angeles Marathon finish in 2023, he became hooked, launching his own Diplo’s Run Club, a nationwide running series that blends fitness with music. These events, which started in San Francisco and Seattle, quickly sold out and expanded to eight cities across the U.S. for 2025-2026.

His goal? To make running cool, fun, and accessible—a place where people can not only run together but also celebrate afterward with a high-energy music experience.

Travis Barker’s Impressive 5K Performance

Diplo wasn’t the only musician making waves at LA Marathon weekend. Travis Barker—the legendary Blink-182 drummer—took on the Big 5 LA 5K the day before the marathon and showed that he’s not just about punk rock and drum solos.

The 49-year-old musician crushed the course in 22 minutes and 31 seconds, averaging an impressive 7:15 per mile pace. That placed him 95th overall out of more than 8,000 runners—an incredibly strong finish for someone known more for headlining rock tours than endurance races.

Barker has been a dedicated runner for years, using the sport as both therapy and training after surviving a horrific 2008 plane crash that left more than 70% of his body burned. Running became part of his recovery, and now it’s a major part of his life.

He even launched Run Travis Run, a running and wellness series similar to Diplo’s, hosting events in Los Angeles, New York, and most recently, New Orleans during Super Bowl weekend. Barker has hinted that more events will be announced soon, making him another musician-turned-running ambassador.

Running and Music: A Growing Trend

Diplo and Barker’s presence at LA Marathon weekend isn’t just a cool celebrity moment—it’s part of a bigger movement. More and more musicians, actors, and influencers are getting into running, breaking the stereotype that endurance sports are only for elite athletes or lifelong runners.

With the rise of celebrity-led run clubs, music-driven races, and social media platforms like Strava making running more interactive, the sport is becoming more mainstream, inclusive, and, most importantly, fun.

Final Thoughts

At a time when running is evolving beyond just competition and becoming more of a cultural movement, Diplo and Travis Barker are proving that you don’t have to be an elite athlete to find joy in the sport. Whether it’s DJing mid-race, launching national run clubs, or simply running for the love of it, they’re helping reshape the way people view distance running.

So whether you’re a first-time runner, a seasoned marathoner, or just someone who likes a good post-run party, one thing is clear: running isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a lifestyle.