On Friday night, New York Road Runners received an unexpected email before a major event.
While visiting New York from Los Angeles, rapper and musician Lil Nas X saw ads for the United Airlines NYC Half, a 13.1-mile event on Sunday morning.
And one of his representatives wondered: Could one more runner join the race?
New York Road Runners CEO Rob Simmelkjaer said, “It kind of came out of the blue,” in a Monday phone interview.
The charity, which organizes 60 races a year, including the NYC Marathon, was pleased to oblige.
Who cared that Lil Nas X, who turns 25 next month, has never run more than three miles, let alone a half-marathon? Or that he wore Coach high-top sneakers, more boot than racing flat, to the race.
Lil Nas X, accompanied by New York Road Runners senior adviser for running engagement and coaching Roberto Mandje, finished the race in 2 hours 32 minutes 53 seconds.
“We were running and someone would shout, ‘Wait, was that Lil Nas X?’” Mandje stated in an interview.