- Michael Phelps might be the most decorated Olympian of all time, but he decided to stay in his own lane when it comes to racing.
- Last year, he ran a Turkey Trot, and recently told NBC Sports that running the 5K was the “worst idea in the world.”
Swimmer Michael Phelps may have 23 Olympic gold medals to his name, but it looks like he has decided not to expand his racing repertoire.
Phelps recently revealed in an interview with NBC Sports that last year he attempted a 5K on Thanksgiving—and it did not go well. Though he says he won the race, he also said breaking the tape became a battle, between himself and an 11-year-old girl.
“That was the worst idea in the world,” he told NBC Sports.
For one, as he went on to explain, he was pretty sure he was still dealing with plantar fasciitis, and it had been a painful recovery. Additionally, he’s not exactly a runner: “I don’t run, and I don’t do anything outside of the water,” he said.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever do that again,” Phelps told NBC Sports. “I did win it, so I think I’m going to retire on top there.”
Though the swimmer has no trouble fending off world-class competition during sprints in the pool, running races on land did not go as swimmingly.
“I had to push myself to get the win. I had to hold off, I think, an 11-year-old girl. And I’m not kidding. She was flying down the hill coming after me.”
Phelps, who is an advocate for mental health and soon-to-be father of three, said he finished in around 25-and-a-half or 26 minutes for his second running race. His other race went similarly poorly: He was walking, and coach Bob Bowman passed him.
“He didn’t really let me live that one down. I always offer a rematch, but he’s not willing to take it,” he also said in the interview.
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Later in the interview, he added that he is past considering a comeback for the 2020 Olympics. It looks like Phelps is going to retire from both running 5Ks and swimming on top.
