As if running a marathon wasn’t hard enough, Vancouver runner Amir Nikravan decided to do it on a full stomach. On Saturday, Nikravan and a group of dedicated runners covered 42.2K across Metro Vancouver, visiting five Costco locations–while enjoying classic Costco menu items along the way.
To make things even more memorable, Nikravan ran the entire route dressed as a hot dog–talk about being a dedicated customer.
“What a turnout today!” Nikravan wrote on Strava. “Thanks to all who joined me on this silly idea. We got greeted by three managers who hooked us up with free water, and they said our photo will go on their next corporate meet in Seattle.”
The group completed 43.29 km in four hours, 14 minutes and 39 seconds, averaging a 5:53/km pace.
The route began in Port Coquitlam, B.C., stopping at two locations in Burnaby, passing through downtown Vancouver and finishing in Richmond. Nikravan vlogged the adventure on Instagram, sharing each snack he chose: chicken strips and fries to begin, followed by pizza, a hot dog, ice cream and finally, a chocolate chip cookie.
“It was a challenge [to keep the food down],” Nikravan told Canadian Running. “I had a few close calls but managed to keep everything under control. Toward the end, my my stomach had settled down, but my legs were starting to feel tired.”
“The toughest section was a few of the hilly sections we went through,” he continued. “But we kept it at a moderate pace and took additional breaks when needed. Running in the costume wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. It was a warm day, but once I broke a sweat, it was fine–I was committed to the outfit.”
Twenty-seven runners participated at some point during the run, many completing a half-marathon or 30K, with five completing the marathon. The feat has already inspired an even longer Costco challenge–a 58.5-km ultramarathon planned for September in Calgary, hitting four locations within the city limits.
Nikravan, a member of the Canada Running Series West community team, is no stranger to unusual running stunts. Just two days after the Costco run, he attempted to break five minutes for the mile–while wearing jorts. Last June, in a challenge he dubbed the “Off the Rail run series,” he also completed full-length runs of all three Skytrain transit lines in Metro Vancouver.
“This Costco marathon has become way more popular than I expected–I might have to make it an annual event from here,” he said.
