Lawrence Nguyen from Vancouver stopped at 21 McDonald's while running 55 kilometres, visiting nearly every location in the city during his run. CTV
Lawrence Nguyen, a 28-year-old runner, set out on a fun and bold mission: to run through Vancouver and stop at every McDonald’s in the city. His goal wasn’t just about fast food, though. He wanted to explore the city in a way most people wouldn’t.
Originally from Calgary, Nguyen moved to Vancouver three years ago. He loves running and wanted to see parts of the city he wouldn’t normally visit. While planning his route, he thought of combining his love for running with something familiar and fun — McDonald’s.
“I think the best way to explore a city is just getting off the beaten path, and McMarathon just had a good ring to it,” he said.
He called his challenge the “McMarathon.” The plan was simple: visit as many McDonald’s locations in Vancouver as possible, all on foot. The night before the big run, he realized he’d be covering over 50 kilometres. Still, he went ahead with the plan.
Once he started, the excitement kept him going. He ran across many areas of Vancouver — from Gastown to East Hastings, then to Marpole and Kitsilano. The journey took eight hours and covered 55 kilometres. He stopped at 21 different McDonald’s locations, convinced he had visited them all.
Later, some Reddit users pointed out he had missed three. The worst part? Those three were actually along his route. “I just ran right past them. So I might have to do it again,” Nguyen said with a laugh.
Along the way, he started a fun side mission — checking if each location had a working ice cream machine. McDonald’s machines are known for being out of order, but to his surprise, every single one was working.
Even more surprising was how well the snacks helped him during the run. “I learned that small fries at McDonald’s digest super well. During a run, I had no stomach issues at all and no nausea, to my surprise. The orange juice was a great source of fuel,” he said.
When the run ended, Nguyen took time to stretch, rest, and eat good food to recover. He then shared his adventure on social media with a map of his running route. The reaction was mixed — people were amused, amazed, and curious.
“I originally posted it online as a way to ask other people if they had any similar experiences with unique ways they have found to explore a city, and the reception was just mostly ‘This is so crazy.’ ‘This is bizarre.’ ‘Why did you do this?’” he said.
Still, most of the responses were positive. Inspired by the attention, Nguyen now wants to redo the McMarathon. But this time, he hopes to raise money for charity. He’s considering a few causes and may focus on his own group, Onedonate. This group helps other charities with better technology and smoother donations.
Next time, he also wants to team up with a Canadian-owned food brand. That way, he can support local businesses while doing what he loves — running and exploring cities in his own creative way.
