Influencer sorry after doing Brooklyn half-marathon without signing up

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An influencer has apologized after she boasted about running in a half-marathon in New York City over the weekend without registering for the race.

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“I did not realize I would offend so many people,” Alexa Curtis wrote Monday afternoon on X. “The post was meant to be inspirational and I had no intention to take anything from anyone or the race: I was running for myself for my mental health.

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“In the future I’ll be sure to look up the rules if I decide to run again.”

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Curtis, who runs a lifestyle brand and gives motivational speeches, shared a video to social media on Sunday after she said she completed the Brooklyn Half Marathon.

“I just ran 13.1 miles for the Brooklyn half marathon at a 7.43 minute pace,” Curtis wrote. “I didn’t walk at all. I cried during a lot of it. I went to bed at 10 p.m.

“I didn’t sign up for this race. I just asked the security where it started and where it ended and jumped in. No one watched me cross the finish line this year.”

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While Curtis received lots of online praise for her effort, others in the running community were not happy about her choice to not sign up while jogging among other participants.

“Wow. I hope @nycruns sees this so you can connect and pay the entry fee since you stole goods and service,” one person shared.

“Shame on you,” another added. “Banditing a race that people pay for and train for is so disrespectful. If you want to run do it on your own … don’t hop into the race.”

By Monday evening, Curtis released a lengthier apology, describing her participation as a “terrible mistake” with a promise to do better.

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“I am sincerely sorry for any upset my hasty actions by unofficially joining the Brooklyn Half may have caused,” she wrote.

“It was never my intention to hurt or upset the running community, the esteemed team who works feverishly to organize and keep everyone safe, or the incredible nonprofits who benefit from runners’ involvement.”

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Curtis said she made a $150 donation to Tuck Travels, the non-profit associated with the half-marathon, along with a plan to officially run in future races and to double her donations.

“It was a last-minute choice to join in from the sidelines and I did not think how my actions may impact the community in a negative way,” she explained.

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