A thousand people have applied to take part in the Puffin Run in May, a 20km race through the environs of Heimaey.
The race loops around Heimaey, the largest of the The Westman Islands. It takes place mostly on wild trails that are close to the sea.
A record number of runners, despite the pandemic.
In 2019, only 100 people took part in the race, while in 2020, at the start of the pandemic, about 300 people took part.
The organiser of the event, Magnús Bragason, has managed the race since it first debuted in 2018.
When speaking with RÚV, Magnús said that the number of participants was something he had never dreamed of before.
Screenshot / thepuffinrun.com
A COVID kind of race.
The race will have staggered starts so that there is less chance of individuals mixing and a similar protocol will be followed at the finish line.
Magnús told RÚV that the race will have to be postponed if the COVID restrictions are tightened, but as of now, the race is in line with the current measurements.
If the race is cancelled, all participants will be reimbursed.
Great increase in popularity of trail running since COVID hit.
Over the past few years there has been a sharp increase in the popularity of off-road running and an even bigger increase since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Laugavegur Ultra Marathon sold out within half an hour of registration opening in January. This is in stark contrast to the same race four years ago where people could still apply for the race three weeks after registration opened.
The most popular distances in the Hengill Ultra Race sold out shortly after registration began in November. This race will take place in June.
The Puffin Run is set to take place on May 8th.
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