\n<\/p>\n
Ahead of one of its signature events, New York Road Runners fielded an unusual email request on Friday night.<\/p>\n
The rapper and singer Lil Nas X, who was visiting New York from Los Angeles, had seen some advertisements for the United Airlines NYC Half<\/a>, a 13.1-mile race that was set to be staged on Sunday morning. And one of his representatives was curious: Did the race have room for one more runner?<\/p>\n \u201cIt kind of came out of the blue,\u201d Rob Simmelkjaer, the chief executive of New York Road Runners, said in a telephone interview on Monday.<\/p>\n The nonprofit, which puts on about 60 races each year, including the New York City Marathon, was happy to oblige. It hardly mattered that Lil Nas X, who will turn 25 next month, had seldom run more than three miles consecutively, let alone a half-marathon. Or that he showed up for the race in a pair of Coach high-top sneakers<\/a>, which are more boot than high-end racing flat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Accompanied by Roberto Mandje, New York Road Runners\u2019 senior adviser for running engagement and coaching, Lil Nas X was among more than 27,000 finishers, completing the race in 2 hours 32 minutes 53 seconds<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe would be running and you\u2019d hear someone shout, \u2018Wait, was that Lil Nas X?\u2019\u201d Mr. Mandje said in an interview. \u201cSo he\u2019d turn around and wave, and they\u2019d freak out.\u201d<\/p>\n Representatives for Lil Nas X did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n Ahead of Sunday\u2019s event, race officials kept his inclusion on the \u201cdown low,\u201d Mr. Simmelkjaer said, as did Lil Nas X, who entered the race using his real name, Montero Hill. He also seemed determined to get the full experience, going so far as to visit the pre-race expo in person on Saturday to grab his race bib (No. 2271) and commemorative long-sleeve T-shirt.<\/p>\n He was wearing the shirt when he met up with Mr. Mandje on Sunday at 6:30 a.m. Mr. Mandje, who described himself as \u201cone of the only people in the world\u201d who was unfamiliar with Lil Nas X, did a quick assessment: Had he been training? (No.) Did he have a goal? (Finish.) Did he want to chat during the race? (Absolutely.) Above all, Mr. Mandje said, Lil Nas X wanted to enjoy the experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to have a good time,\u201d Mr. Mandje recalled telling him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n As Lil Nas X entered uncharted territory about halfway through the race, Mr. Mandje offered valuable perspective: Just about everyone else on the course had spent several months training for the race. Lil Nas X, in other words, was doing something \u2014 how to put it? \u2014 unconventional.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure everybody could pull that off,\u201d Mr. Mandje said.<\/p>\n Lil Nas X\u2019s footwear eventually caused some issues. Coach describes its high-top sneakers as \u201cbuilt for comfort and long wear.\u201d But they are more than twice as heavy as a normal pair of running sneakers.<\/p>\n Sure enough, at around Mile 10, Lil Nas X told Mr. Mandje that his feet were bothering him. He even entertained the idea of momentarily stepping off the course so that he could buy a pair of running sneakers at a Foot Locker. But the store was closed, so he plowed ahead.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, you\u2019ve made it this far,\u201d Mr. Mandje recalled telling him.<\/p>\n