A Marathon Is Coming to IKEA — And You Get To Assemble Your Own Medal
Jul 15, 2026, 7:36 AM
If you’ve ever felt like you needed a GPS just to find the exit at IKEA, just wait. Try putting together your own medal after 26.2 miles of navigating!
Dozens of runners in England are lacing up their sneakers to tackle a full marathon — inside an IKEA store. That’s 17 laps through the Swedish retailer’s famously winding, maze-like aisles.
Yes, really.
The event, set to take place at an IKEA in the U.K., has attracted runners eager to tackle something a little… different. Organizers say the course winds through the store’s showrooms, past the kitchen displays, through the bedding section, and — presumably — dangerously close to the cinnamon rolls every single lap.
That last part might actually be the hardest part of the race.
For those of us here in Denver who have spent 45 minutes just trying to locate the checkout at IKEA on a normal Saturday, the idea of doing that 17 times voluntarily is both impressive and slightly concerning.
But hey — at least the snack situation is solid.
No word yet on whether a Denver IKEA marathon is in the works, but if it happens, you’ll find me cheering from the café with a plate of Swedish meatballs.
You know, for support.
