Participants paid up to £49.95 to take part in the event which sold out in minutes
A supermarket in Wales is set to host what is believed to be the UK’s first ever “supermarketathon” -– and it has already sold out.
The event will take place at the Tesco Extra store in Bridgend, where 140 runners have signed up to take part in the unusual six-hour challenge organised by Phoenix Running.
Participants can complete anything from a 5km to a marathon or ultra distance by running repeated laps in and around the store.
The quirky course will start in the store foyer before heading outside to loop around the car park.
Runners will then head back inside and pass through the foyer and onto the travelator – although they’ll have to slow things down at that point as walking is mandatory for safety.
From there they will complete a lap of the first floor before heading back down and starting the whole process again.
Organisers say the final lap distance is still to be confirmed but is expected to be between 0.4 and 0.5 miles meaning competitors could find themselves repeating the same route dozens of times over the six-hour limit.
Runners will be free to complete as many or as few laps as they choose within the six-hour time limit. All participants will also receive a finisher’s medal regardless of distance completed. Stay informed on Bridgend news by signing up to our newsletter here
Tickets were priced at £47.95 for affiliated runners and £49.95 for unaffiliated entrants with all places now taken.
The event was met with a wave of excitement on social media with one person commenting: “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard, I’m definitely interested.”
A second said: “The two loves of my life. Running and supermarkets”, while a third wrote: “This has to be one of the daftest runs I’ve ever seen. I’m checking my diary and setting an alarm to enter.”
Officials from Tesco confirmed the Bridgend store will be hosting the event on June 28 to raise funds for the UK Armed Forces charity Help for Heroes. It will take place outside normal opening hours starting at 4.30pm.
A full risk assessment has been carried out prior to the event with staggered start times planned and safety measures in place including the requirement to walk on the travelator.
A Tesco spokesman said: “Our Bridgend Extra store is hosting this unique event to raise funds for our armed forces network partner charity Help for Heroes.
“It’s not every day that runners get to follow a course that goes through a supermarket so we are not surprised it has proved incredibly popular.”
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