Anthony Ramos Just Told Us What Sneakers He’s Wearing To Run His First Marathon

Ever since his rise to stardom in the original cast of Hamilton, Anthony Ramos has been gracing our screens, stages and playlists as a true savant of the arts. But over the past few months, when Ramos wasn’t on set for his new film A House of Dynamite or helping to run Milly’s (his family’s Brooklyn bar and restaurant), he was lacing up his sneakers to prepare to run this year’s New York City Marathon. 

With the help of Brooks, Ramos is planning to run his first 26.2 mile race. We got to sit down with him in this exclusive interview to talk about all his go-to Brooks sneakers, training tips and his favorite breakfast—whether he’s preparing for a marathon or not. 

As a runner, what makes a Brooks running shoe ideal?

I mean, they feel like you’re running on pillows. My feet are really comfortable. People talk about blisters, I don’t have any of that. They’re built to last, built for endurance. I’ve been running all over the world. Italy, Canada, wherever I travel, and I see the same pattern. People are rocking Brooks. They’re just the premier kicks to wear. I’ve tried different ones, but I’m gonna rock the Glycerin Max to run [in the New York City Marathon]. They’re good for endurance, 26 miles. I wear these to hang out, too. I wear them every day. I love them, honestly.

Brooks Glycerin Max

In your marathon training, what is something that you wish you started doing sooner? 

Drinking water. I don’t drink enough water. I’m getting more sleep, not drinking alcohol. I’m not doing anything that’s gonna slow me down, and I think running helps in all the other facets of life. If I do something that slows me down on my run, it’ll slow me down in life. It’s been amazing to have this tool now. I wasn’t a runner before, but now it motivates me to stay in shape. I’m more diligent about getting to bed at a reasonable hour and getting enough sleep. Even if I get six hours, I can still operate at a high level. As for eating, I’m not gonna sit here and lie to you and act like I’m eating salads every day. I just had a burger and fries before I came here, but I’m carbing up before the race. If you’re running, you can burn it. I do watch what I eat and try to eat as clean as possible. I had fish last night with broccoli and potatoes. 

What does your typical breakfast look like when you’re training?

Lately, even when I’m not training for a marathon, my usual breakfast is pancakes, two scrambled eggs and bacon, or French toast, two scrambled eggs and bacon. That’s when I’m shooting, running, walking, whatever. I just like to have that breakfast. If I’m feeling healthier, I sub out the French toast and pancakes and have scrambled eggs, no bacon, with smoked salmon, avocado and a piece of toast. That’s my usual rotation. If I want something sweet, I have one; if I want something healthy, I have the other. Usually, if I’m on the move, I have yogurt or an açai bowl. I live in Miami, and there’s a spot called Ojo de Agua that I think has the best açai bowl in the world. It’s got all kinds of fruit, two scoops of açai and almond butter, and it holds me off for a few hours. I’ll have a juice—orange or a mix with ginger—and always my coffee, a hazelnut or vanilla latte to get me going.

Are you bringing any snacks in your pocket or belt during your race? 

I’m gonna have the gels with electrolytes and caffeine to keep me going. I might bring a protein bar in case I get hungry. There are people along the way too, so if I get hungry, I might grab a banana real quick, say what’s up, have a little lunch and keep going. I probably won’t hold anything in my pocket except the gels. I like to run light.

I’m sitting at Milly’s, what do I try first? 

I think you get the Pineapple Rhythm if you drink, which is a little tequila with pineapple, and then the food is banging. Our chef, Chef Clark, is incredible. Lynette Marrero, our beverage director, is one of the top bartenders in the world. She killed that entire menu. Chef Clark is a star—he came from a Michelin-starred restaurant in Manhattan. The branzino is incredible. The burger is one of the best in Brooklyn, maybe New York. I’m really grateful for his commitment to that. The menu changes out seasonally. We had oysters, then he did a shrimp roti, which is fire and inspired by Caribbean influence. The steak is amazing—he really does a great steak frites. One of my favorite things is the chopped cheese egg rolls, so I get that to start for the table, then whatever entrée I’m having after that. He’s really talented.

What does eating well mean to you?                                               

For me, eating well is a balance. Eating well is not having salads every day—I can’t eat leaves every single day. I have to switch it up. It’s really about being mindful of what you’re eating. Don’t eat red meat all the time, switch it up for some chicken or fish. Surprisingly enough, a lot of people don’t like vegetables, but I love vegetables, so it’s not hard for me to eat them. I’ll always have a veggie with something—I know I keep talking about how I don’t eat salads, but I do like salads. I just don’t eat it every day, but I try to have greens with every single meal. Every meal I eat for lunch and dinner usually has a veggie with it.  

At the time of publishing, the price was $200.