Running influencer turns NYC marathon into personal content mill, receives lifetime ban

In a week when the concept of people facing any sort of consequences for their actions seems to have gone completely out the window, here’s a heartwarming tale of instant karma to break up your afternoon. This story has everything: an influencer, e-bikes, dropped sponsors, pissed-off runners—you name it. It might not be the carriage of justice we were looking for, but it’s certainly better than nothing.

The major player here is Matt Choi, a running influencer who a marathoner friend of this writer’s called “notorious for being a total asshole” when she asked him about this story. Choi ran last Sunday’s New York City Marathon in under three hours, which would be a more impressive achievement if he didn’t seriously compromise several other people’s races to get there. According to The New York Times (as well as several TikTok and Reddit accounts from frustrated runners), Choi brought along two unauthorized e-bike riders to film his precious content, blocking other athletes just trying to run the race for themselves. (It’s not the first time he’s done it either, which certainly hasn’t helped the whole “total asshole” reputation.)

In response to the outcry, New York Road Runners, the organization that runs the marathon and other races in the city—not only disqualified Choi’s impressive time from the official results but also hit the influencer with a lifetime ban. One of his sponsors, a training app called Runna, cut ties as well. 

“I fucked up,” Choi said in an Instagram video posted in response to the ban, in which he admitted that “I have no excuses. Full stop. I was selfish on Sunday… and it had serious consequences. It endangered other runners, we impacted people going for PBs, we blocked people from getting water… I made it about myself and for anyone I impacted, I’m sorry.” He goes on to explain that there’s an opportunity to appeal the ban, but he’s chosen not to. He also promises not to use e-bikes again in the future. “I made my bed, so I’m gonna lay in it.” In the immortal words of Jojo Siwa, karma’s a bitch. He should have known better.