Spencer Matthews sparks a huge social media backlash for claiming 'running a marathon is easy'

Spencer Matthews has caused uproar after claiming running a marathon is 'easy'. 

The former Made In Chelsea star, 38, holds the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive marathons run on sand and is now trying to break the two hour and 45 minute barrier. 

Appearing on the We Have A Meeting podcast, Spencer said: 'Without sounding like a k**b, running a marathon is easy. Like like most people can run a marathon. 

'Running a marathon as fast as you can possibly run a marathon is something completely different. That's not the same thing. You know, trotting 5k with your dog is great. Trying to break 17 minutes is the 5k isn't great. It f*****g sucks'.

Spencer's tone deaf comments didn't go down well with viewers, with the clip going viral on social media. 

Former X Factor star Jake Quickenden said: 'Marathons ain't easy.' 

Others wrote: '‘Running a marathon is easy’ I really dislike the way sport influencers try to normalise amazing achievements like marathons / half marathons. 1% of people run a marathon in their lives. It’s a massive thing to celebrate, even more so if it’s for charity. Think egos take over a bit with these guys.'

'So out of touch it's actually incredible. The whole issue with running in 2026 in 1 video.' 

'Easy when you have nannies & no 9-5, keep it real pal! But yes cracking times Spenny!'

'One video that single handedly shoots down peoples achievements. Doing a marathon is hard and an amazing achievement - that should be the end of it. There should be no this is easy and it’s only hard if you did this or that.'

'Horrendous take' and 'Running a marathon isn’t easy, and it also isn’t normal. This has got to be one of the worst statement ever.' 

Spencer has transitioned from reality TV into extreme endurance sports.   

He completed 30 marathons in 30 days across the Jordanian desert in August 2024. 

He has since shifted his focus to elite-level road racing, recently clocking a personal best time of 2:49:46 at the Berlin Marathon.

It comes after Spencer admitted that he has been sleeping in the spare room since the birth of his fourth child with Vogue Williams.

The couple welcomed their son Remy last month and are also parents to Theodore, eight, Gigi, six, and Otto, four.

Nine days after Remy's birth, Spencer co-hosted the latest episode of his friend Jamie Laing's Newly Parents podcast and has spoken about how he and Vogue have been navigating life as parents of four. 

'I'm not complaining, but we are in that lovely bubble with three other young kids in a rental house because we're building, so to be honest the bubble feels a bit disturbed there's a lot going on,' Spencer confessed.

'Vogue and I both in our own ways feel a bit lonely at the moment,' he added, explaining that he misses one-on-one time with his wife as he is currently sleeping in the spare room because 'for us both to have broken sleep is unhelpful to the rest of the family flow'.

'We don't sleep next to each other. I'm out. I'm working. Vogue's more at home at the moment. I come home in the evening and we might have an hour together,' he continued.

'We'll eat something and maybe put something on TV, but she's tired and so am I. So, she goes to bed separately to me.' 

'I don't really like sleeping separately to her. We like being next to each other. Even if you're not communicating, you're together. At the moment it feels a bit fractured. It sort of feels like you've fallen out because you're staying in [another] room.'