SHINee's Minho has once again proven that he's more than just a K-pop powerhouse; he's a serious athlete too.
The 34-year-old singer recently took part in the Dubai Run, one of the city's largest mass participation races, and emerged as the top finisher in his category. His participation was revealed in a video uploaded on comedian Park Myung-soo's YouTube channel on Saturday (Dec 20). The annual event, which weaves through iconic landmarks such as the Dubai Water Canal and the Burj Khalifa, attracted an estimated 307,000 runners this year.
According to CNA, the race offered two routes: a relaxed 5km option and a more demanding 10km run. Minho joined Park Myung-soo in the 5km category and crossed the finish line in first place with an impressive time of 19 minutes and 56 seconds. To put that into perspective, the mens 5,000m gold medalist at this year's SEA Games clocked around 14 minutes and 46 seconds, highlighting just how competitive Minho's pace was for a public race.
Despite the strong result, Minho admitted he didnt intend to push himself at the start. Things changed when another runner surged ahead near the end of the race. "I wasn't planning on running fast," he shared. "But someone suddenly passed me, and I thought I had to show the power of Korea. I sprinted like crazy at the end." Meanwhile, Park Myung-soo completed the same route in 35 minutes and five seconds.
The Dubai Run took place on Nov 23, just a week before Minho appeared at Singapore's Hyrox competition. There, he teamed up with Physical: 100 star Hong Beom-seok and finished second overall across all age groups in the mens Hyrox Doubles division. The duo powered through eight workout stations and eight one-kilometre runs in a remarkable time of 55 minutes and 15 seconds, further cementing Minho's growing reputation as an idol with elite-level athletic stamina.
Source: CNA Lifestyle
