James Milner completes New York City Marathon in 3:09:04

James Milner traded his football boots for running shoes on Sunday, completing the New York City Marathon in a remarkable three hours, nine minutes, and four seconds. Just months after hanging up his professional soccer boots at the end of the 2025-26 season, the 40-year-old midfielder proved his stamina has not faded.

From Premier League Pitches to the New York Boroughs

Milner cruised through the 26.2-mile course on Sunday, drawing spotted sightings from fans as he sped around New York City. The former England international, who celebrated turning 40 in January, spent a 24-year career earning a reputation as one of the hardest-working players in professional soccer. From Leeds United, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa to Manchester City, Liverpool, and Brighton, he routinely topped preseason fitness tests.

Milner ran the event to support the James Milner Foundation, a charity that has raised over £1.3 million for organizations like the NSPCC and Help for Heroes. His splits reveal a controlled approach to the race. He wrapped the first half in 1:31 before recording a 1:38 split for the final 13 miles, maintaining an average pace of 7:13 per mile. That average pace is remarkable; it makes us tired just reading it. OLSC Brooklyn noted on X, YNWA ❤️ alongside congratulations to him and all members running. What’s next for Milner: climbing Mount Everest or playing in the NFL?

Training with AI and Adjusting to Retirement

Preparing for his debut marathon required a shift in routine for a player who spent a quarter-century following strict club schedules. Speaking to Let’s Run before the race, Milner revealed an unconventional preparation method.

Milner explained that his longest training run was just over 32 kilometers, noting he hit 30 kilometers a couple of other times. He added that he used AI for a training program, saying, That’s how it started, yeah. I know a few other people and stuff, but yeah, just bounced things off that really and went from there.

Milner admitted that maintaining a rigorous training schedule has helped ease the transition away from professional football. He noted that having a specific goal to train for keeps him grounded. He stated, I think I’d find it hard to not have a goal to train for, and I think this has been really important for me in terms of retiring and having something to aim for and training and still having that importance.

During his career, Milner won 11 major honors, including two Premier League titles with Manchester City and a Champions League trophy with Liverpool in the 2018-19 season. He holds 61 caps for England and stands as an all-time Premier League appearance holder with 658 games.

Whether the 40-year-old will tackle another marathon remains undecided. When asked about his future racing prospects, Milner told Let’s Run that he expects to either catch the bug and want to tick off loads of marathons or walk away entirely to try triathlons.