On Saturday morning, a man in a hot dog costume jogged out of the Port Coquitlam Costco parking lot and began running, on purpose, toward another Costco.
Behind him, a loosely organized pack of runners followed, most unaware they were about to become part of one of the most bizarre and joyful endurance events Vancouver has seen all year, a marathon linking five Costcos across the Lower Mainland, complete with food court pit stops and more than a few confused stares from weekend shoppers.
Dubbed the “Costco Marathon,” the unofficial event was the brainchild of Amir Nikravan, a local runner known for pulling off chaotic-good stunts with just the right balance of absurdity and athleticism.
Last year, he ran the full lengths of all three SkyTrain lines as part of his “Off the Rail” run series. This summer, he wanted to do something even more unhinged.
“The Costco Marathon was a fun little run idea that had been brewing in my head for the past few months,” Nikravan told The Straight. “Costco has a big fan following, so how can I create an event that’s fun enough for people to join in on my crazy run idea?”
Originally conceived as a 30K route connecting four warehouses, the plan evolved when Nikravan realized a fifth stop, Richmond, would bring the total distance to a marathon. He plotted the full course, Port Coquitlam to Burnaby (Still Creek), Burnaby (Willingdon), then Vancouver, with a final stretch to Richmond.
The whole thing kicked off at 9 a.m., timed to coincide with Costco’s opening. At each location, runners stopped to eat something from the food court, chicken strips and fries at the start, followed by pizza, hot dogs, ice cream, and chocolate chip cookies.
The pace was moderate, an average of 5:53/km for Nikravan, but digestion, not speed, was the bigger challenge.
“It was a challenge [to keep the food down],” he told Canadian Running. “I had a few close calls but managed to keep everything under control. Toward the end, my stomach had settled down, but my legs were starting to feel tired.”
The route had its hills. The weather was warm. And, again, Nikravan was running the entire thing dressed as a hot dog.
Twenty-seven runners took part in some portion of the route, according to Nikravan’s Strava. Five completed the full distance.
Along the way, they were greeted by honks, cheers, and curious questions from passersby.
At three of the Costcos, managers offered them water and even took photos with the group. One manager liked the idea so much he called ahead to the next warehouse to let them know the runners were coming. Nikravan later learned their photo might be featured at an upcoming corporate meeting in Seattle.
“What a turnout today!” he wrote on Strava. “Thanks to all who joined me on this silly idea.”
Silly or not, the event struck a chord. Social media lit up with photos of runners mid-bite, jogging past pallet stacks or collapsed in food court booths. A longer version, a 58.5K “Costco Ultra,” is already being planned for Calgary in September.
For Nikravan, who attempted to break five minutes in the mile two days later (this time in jorts, not a hot dog suit), the weekend’s marathon was proof that running doesn’t always need a timing mat or a race bib to be meaningful or memorable.
“This Costco marathon has become way more popular than I expected,” he said. “I might have to make it an annual event from here.”
Because in a world of Boston qualifiers and chip-timed 10Ks, there’s something kind of perfect about finishing a marathon with mustard on your shirt.
