Remember when we said Global Running Day is for everyone? We meant it! Wednesday’s celebrations were recognized by everyday runners, professional athletes, and even famous actors. Tom Cruise acknowledged the holiday by posting a GIF on Twitter of him running in his upcoming “Mission: Impossible” sequel.
He wrote, “Running in #MissionImpossible movies since 1996. #GlobalRunningDay.”
The spry 60-year-old also shared the clip and caption on his Instagram story. His social media bios have long been dedicated to his athletic chops on the big screen, reading, “Running in movies since 1981,” referencing the year he appeared in his first onscreen roles for the films “Endless Love” and “Taps.”
In the seventh “Mission: Impossible” film—and the first to be released since 2018—Cruise will reprise his role as Ethan Hunt, tracking down “a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands,” according to promotional material for the upcoming movie. As in all of the films in the franchise, Cruise will be doing quite a bit of onscreen running.
In one running blog’s count, as of last year, he’d run in 44 out of 52 movies. Cruise is known so much for his athleticism that there are YouTube videos documenting “Every Tom Cruise Run. Ever,” and ESPN has even called in experts to evaluate his form. Writer Ryan Hockensmith wrote, “In ‘The Outsiders’ and ‘Taps,’ Cruise runs quite a bit, and it’s a sloppy, under-developed run. It’s not until toward the end of ‘Risky Business’ in 1983 when Cruise vaults up his high school’s steps and jets through the hallways that the beginnings of a steady, faster form begins to emerge.”
As so many other runners have discovered, running economy, form, endurance, and overall ability really can improve with age and experience.
Abby Carney is a writer and journalist in New York. A former D1 college runner and current amateur track athlete, she's written about culture and characters in running and outdoor sports for Runner's World, Like the Wind Magazine, The New York Times, and other outlets. She also writes about things that have nothing to do with running, and was previously the editor of a food magazine.
