A Calgarian is gaining attention online for a video of him completing what he calls the ‘Costco ultramarathon’ – a run between the city’s four membership-only stores that includes a hot dog at each. Last week, Sean Walker jogged from one Costco store to the next, only stopping to scarf down one of the $1.50 franks at every location. He describes the almost-52-kilometre run as a “bizarre” undertaking. “I started at a Costco in the south of Calgary and then ran to four other Costcos and finished in the northwest,” he told CTV News. “And I ran through breakfast, lunch and dinner, so I needed the dogs.” The stunt has grabbed the attention of Instagram and TikTok users, racking up a combined 310,000 views as of Friday. And as fun as going viral is, Walker insists there’s a good reason to be excited about that exposure. “The icing on the cake is, of course, this was for a good cause,” he said. “(After the run), I bought a lot of non-perishables for the Calgary Food Bank.” “It’s about just encouraging people that can, to donate, and when you come to Costco, just grab a couple extra things and drop it off (at the food bank).” As for how the actual run went, the 24-year-old showed some serious signs of exhaustion pulling into the last few stores. When he met with CTV News, however, he downplayed the toll the hot dogs took on his body. “Whenever I got to eat a hot dog, it meant I got to take a break and relax for a bit,” he said. “I love those things. And actually, at the last Costco, I ate two hot dogs. I was pretty hungry after all that.” In total, he covered 51.77 km in just over seven-and-a-half hours. The president of Calgary Food Bank got a great laugh out of the whole thing. “The first thing I thought is, ‘Now I want a hot dog,’” Melissa From said. “Honestly, I just love when folks use their talents and their hobbies and their passions to give back to the community, and that’s exactly what he did here.” She says every penny donated to the food bank counts, as it’s currently helping over 900 families every single day. To donate “your time, talent or treasure,” as From puts it, visit calgaryfoodbank.com.
