How cheaply and fast can you run 100 miles? Let’s find out!
Walmart 100: Spend Less. Run More.
Challenge goals
The goal of the Walmart 100 challenge is to run 100 miles (or more), unsupported, and as cheaply and fast as possible. To do so, you will purchase everything you need for this challenge at a Walmart store of your choice. Yes, everything. Imagine — but don’t do this — you’re walking naked into a Walmart to purchase everything you need to run 100 miles. You will then run a 100-mile route of your choice with the gear and calories you bought. No external support will be allowed. Once you complete the challenge (successfully or not), everything you bought shall be donated to a good cause.
Steps involved in the Walmart 100 challenge: (1) Park at a Walmart of your choice. (2) The clock starts when you enter the store. (3) Shop for all the things you need to run unsupported 100 miles. (4) Change in your car (or in the Walmart bathrooms). (5) Run 100 miles without any external support. You choose you own route. (6) The clock stops when you are back at the Walmart front door.
The rules and regulations
- This is not a race. You do not need to register or qualify or anything. There are no fees. Anyone can do it anytime of the year.
- You pick your own Walmart location and your own 100-mile route.
- Your time only counts if you run 100 miles or more.
- The route must start from the Walmart of choice and end at the same Walmart.
- The clock starts when you enter the Walmart front door to start the shopping spree. I.e., shopping and changing is part of the overall elapsed time.
- The clock stops when you are back at the Walmart front door after running a 100-mile route.
- The challenge can be done individually or in teams. If completed in a team, all team members must do all parts of the route. Relays do not count.
- You can change in the Walmart bathroom or in/by your car.
- All clothes you wore when you entered the store must be left at your car. See list of items that are exempt below.
- The clock does not stop if the individual or team sleeps, rests, etc.
- The challenge must be completed in a single push. Sleep, rest, etc. along the route are allowed. No leaving the route and returning.
- The challenge must be unsupported according to the FKT guidelines. I.e., no external support of any kind, carrying all gear and calories from the beginning to the end (except water), etc.
- Announcing your intentions is encouraged, but not mandatory.
- The challenge must be tracked and documented. You will also need to save and submit your Walmart receipt.
- If applicable, all wilderness regulations as well as Federal, State, and Local laws must be strictly followed.
- Strict leave-no-trace backcountry ethics must be followed.
- At the completion of your challenge (successfully or not), everything you purchased shall be donated to a good cause.
Items you may want to buy
There are no mandatory items. But you must buy everything you need to run 100 miles (except the items listed in the next section). Here’s a list of things you may want to buy:
- All clothing you will wear, including socks, underwear, bra, hat, gloves, etc.
- Shoes
- Pack to carry your stuff
- Poles
- Water bottles and/or hydration system
- Headlamp
- Batteries
- First aid/medical kit
- Non-prescription medication
- Toiletries of any sorts
- Makeup
- Hairdryer
- Toilet paper
- Condoms
- Female hygiene products
- Calories for 100 miles
- And whatever else you may need…
Items you do not need to buy
You do not need to buy the following items if they are essential for you to complete the challenge:
- Prescription glasses or contact lenses
- Prescription medication
- Your sports watch used to record your activity
- Your phone
- SPOT tracker
- GoPro or other action camera
- inReach or other satellite messenger
Ranking metrics
The following two metrics will be used to list and visualize Walmart 100 completions:
- Elapsed time [h]: the clock starts when you enter the Walmart and stops when you are back at the door.
- Cost per mile [$/miles]: the total $ amount you spent at Walmart divided by the total number of miles you ran.
The goal is to run 100 miles (or more) as cheaply and as fast as possible. How far can you push these limits? Can you run 100 miles under 20 hours in flip flops, shorts, and a fanny pack that cost you a total of $34? It’s all about trade-offs!
Walmart 100 finisher chart and metrics: Cost per mile and elapsed time.
FAQs
- Why Walmart? It’s one of the few stores that will actually carry everything (shoes, clothing, gear, calories, etc.) you will need to run 100 miles. In addition, Walmarts tend to be in locations where it will be easier for you to start your run and to venture out. It’s also easy to leave your car overnight in a Walmart parking lot.
- Why not REI 100? Because it wouldn’t be cheap.
- Is this challenge sponsored by Walmart? Nope.
- What if I don’t support Walmart? Then you probably shouldn’t do this challenge.
- This sounds like a waste of money! Well, if you would run a 100-mile race, you’d probably spend $400 or more just for the registration. And none of that goes to a good cause. You can think of the Walmart 100 as a way to buy stuff for a good cause.
- Is it ethical to shop at Walmart? It depends on your personal values and priorities.
- Is shopping good or bad for the economy? Shopping generally supports economic activity, though its effects are nuanced.
- Is this all silly and/or stupid? Probably. Probably not worse than the Pistachio 100, the Tunnel 200, or finding books in the woods on the Barkley marathon. It’s all relative.
- Can I run loops around the Walmart until I reach 100 miles? Sure, yes, if that floats your boat, by any means, go for it!
- Can I place an online order for specific gear and supplies at the Walmart of my choice? E.g., for a size or type of shoe they likely won’t have in stock. The spirit of this challenge is to go with what they have in stock at that store. You may not be able to buy your favorite shoe in your desired size. But they may have some pink Crocs in stock instead. Embrace the challenge!
- Can I visit a store to check if they carry all the gear I will need before I start the actual challenge? Absolutely. And if they don’t have what you need, you could for example wait a week (or whatever it needs) for the item(s) to be back in stock.
- Can I go back into the store if I forgot to buy something? No, you have to buy everything in one shopping push, then leave the store without coming back. Make a list! If it were allowed to go back, you could do 1-mile runs around the store and go back in after each loop to purchase additional calories, for example.
- Can I stash supplies and gear if I run loops of some sort or out-and-backs? Yes, that is allowed according to the unsupported FKT rules. However, you can only stash things you bought at the Walmart and you cannot abandon anything.
Location and route idea
As an example, I mapped out a 100-mile route that starts at the Hood River Walmart (Walmart #1876, 2700 Wasco St, Hood River, OR 97031). You can download the GPS track here: gpx | kml.
However, this challenge can be done pretty much from any Walmart. All you have to do is to come up with a 100-mile route of some sorts that floats your boat.
The 100-mile example route that starts from the Hood River Walmart.
Ideas on where to donate your purchases
- A local high school who needs athletic gear for their students
- Someone who lives in the street
- Salvation Army
- Goodwill
- etc.
Submit your attempts and completions
Click here to get to the form.
Results
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Disclaimers
- Records are not verified. The burden of proof is solely on the individual or team. Thus, the more documentation you can provide, the better. See http://fastestknowntime.com/verification for more info.
- The information provided on this website does not identify possible dangers. When you are attempting one of these challenges, you assume responsibility for your own actions and safety.