How 'Summer House' Star Carl Radke 'Raw-Dogged' His First New York City Marathon: 'No Headphones, Just Vibes'

Carl Radke didn’t just cross the New York City Marathon finish line — he did it completely unplugged.

"I raw-dogged the marathon," the Summer House star admits to OK! at Soft Bar, his brand-new non-alcoholic oasis in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, during a Marathon Monday "Rest & Recovery" Pop-Up hosted in partnership with Samsung Galaxy on Monday, November 3. "Not a headphone in sight."

Radke, whose appearance at the annual race marked his first-ever marathon, says the bold choice to skip the music wasn't just for bragging rights — it was intentional. "A friend told me, 'Don’t bring your headphones. You’re going to feel the crowd, you’re going to hear it, you’re going to be present,'" he recalls. "So I took him up on that offer, and it was amazing. For New York City, if you really want to lean in — no headphones."

That decision helped him tune into the true spirit of the race. "The energy of the city was incredible," Radke says. "There were people of all ages and abilities out there — runners in wheelchairs, people missing limbs, older folks, kids. It was emotional. You realize how lucky and grateful you are just to have your legs working."

Still, the 40-year-old admits the experience pushed him to his limit. "Someone filmed me crossing the line and asked, 'How do you feel?' and I said, 'Not good,'" he laughs. "It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done physically. The last four miles, I was running on fumes."

Luckily, the Bravo star knows a thing or two about endurance — and not just on the track. Since getting sober in 2021, Radke has made fitness and mental health cornerstones of his recovery. "When I stopped drinking, I needed something to channel my energy," he explains. "My brain doesn’t stop — I used to drink and use drugs to turn it off. Running became that outlet. It’s therapy."

Radke partnered with Samsung Galaxy to highlight the importance of balance — both before and after the race. The "Rest & Recovery" event, which was open to the public, treated guests to B-12 injections, compression boot therapy, antioxidant testing and electrolyte-packed mocktails from Soft Bar, all designed to help runners recharge after race weekend.

"I'd never owned a smartwatch before," Radke shares of using the Galaxy Watch during training. "It tracked my mileage, my sleep, my recovery — I could even send my results to my running coach. I burned almost 4,000 calories during the marathon and averaged an 8:58 pace. She was proud."

Despite declaring mid-race that he’d "never do it again," Radke now says the opposite. "As soon as I finished, I was like, maybe I’ll do another. And now I’m like, yeah — I’m doing it again."

As for what he thinks about for 26 miles with no music? "Everything," he admits. "My family, my friends, my upcoming memoir, my business — you work through your stuff out there. It's meditative. It’s therapy while running."

And with Soft Bar thriving — his sleek Brooklyn-based sober lounge offering matcha, mocktails and mindful connection — it’s clear Radke's found his stride both on and off the pavement.