How ‘Outlander’ Star Sam Heughan Is Raising Money For Charity

Sam Heughan is launching his new whisky, starring in action movies, producing his projects and promoting “Outlander” Season 5, but he is still trying to find time to support worthwhile causes. That’s why he is running in the TCS New York City Marathon.

Heughan has been announced as one of the NYC Marathon’s charity runners. The event is massive, featuring over 9,000 charity runners and more than 50,000 runners overall.

The Scottish actor will run through all five boroughs of New York City—Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan—to complete the 26.2 mile course. The marathon, now in its 50th year, will take place on Nov. 1, so Heughan has plenty of time to train for the televised event.

The 39-year-old (who will turn 40 in April) will be raising money for My Peak Challenge. Heughan, who stars opposite Vin Diesel in “Bloodshot” later this month, founded the fitness organization, which gives members training programs, meal plans and a community of members to help motivate them. My Peak Challenge’s members, called Peakers, also raise money for various charities. In 2020, MPC is supporting the Environmental Defense Fund, Bloodwise (funding leukemia research), Marie Curie (providing end-of-life care). Half of all membership fees are distributed among the charities.

It’s no surprise that as the founder of MPC and an actor who regularly has to take his shirt off on “Outlander,” Heughan stays in shape. He ran the Los Angeles Marathon in 2015 as well as the Stirling Marathon and Edinburgh Marathon in 2018.

Last month, Heughan told the audience on “Live With Kelly and Ryan” that this is his second attempt at completing the New York City Marathon. He previously enrolled pre-“Outlander” in 2012, but the official event was canceled after Hurricane Sandy.

His “Outlander” co-star Caitriona Balfe, meanwhile, is also willing to work up a sweat for a good cause. She ran the London Marathon in 2018 for World Child Cancer.