Darby Allin Plans to Run 2026 NYC Marathon Despite Zero Running Experience

Darby Allin isn’t content limiting his death-defying pursuits to the wrestling ring. The AEW star has announced plans to compete in the 2026 New York City Marathon — an event scheduled for November 1 — marking what will be his first-ever marathon and, by his own admission, his first real foray into distance running altogether.

Allin acknowledged he has no running background heading into the challenge, which makes the undertaking about as on-brand for him as anything he’s done in his career. The man has thrown himself off scaffolding, wrestled in sub-zero conditions on the side of a mountain, and taken bumps that make most athletes wince just watching. A 26.2-mile run through the five boroughs of New York City, apparently, is the next box to check.

The NYC Marathon is one of the most prestigious road races in the world, drawing tens of thousands of participants each year along a course that winds through all five of New York’s boroughs before finishing in Central Park. Elite runners train for months or years to compete seriously, though the event also welcomes first-timers and charity runners. For Allin, the lack of experience doesn’t appear to be a deterrent — if anything, it seems to be part of the appeal.

Allin has built his entire persona around embracing physical punishment and attempting things others wouldn’t dare. Whether that same fearlessness translates to endurance running remains to be seen, but November 2026 will provide the answer. It should be a fascinating subplot to follow as the date approaches.