Over 200 runners will take on Ülemiste Centre this Friday night

On Friday, 24 April, in the late hours, the second floor of Ülemiste Centre will turn into a running track, where 220 endurance runners will, for the first time, take on a 552-metre loop. Their challenge is to hold out for up to three hours.

According to the organisers, the public sporting event known as Ülemiste Grit is the first competition of its kind, where endurance running takes place entirely inside a shopping mall. The centre’s corridors will turn into a running track for one evening, comparable to a stadium loop, and participants can put their stamina to the test over one, two or three hours.

The chief organiser of public sporting events and of Ülemiste Grit, Marko Torm, says it is a unique challenge, because, as far as they know, people have never before been able to run under controlled conditions in any shopping mall. “The running season has gathered pace with the arrival of spring. Active people are always on the lookout for memorable sporting events – and what could be more unusual than taking Ülemiste Centre under your control and embracing the motion,” he said, adding that, although the race is timed, chasing prizes and records is not the point. “This is a chance to put your mind and body to the test.”

According to the director of Ülemiste Centre, Guido Pärnits, Ülemiste Grit shows just how creatively the centre’s space can be used in the late evening hours. “We didn’t have to think long about whether to back this idea. Ülemiste Centre has always been more than just a place for shopping, and Friday's event will bring a completely different energy in here,” he said.

Ülemiste Grit is an event by Night Run Estonia, the organiser of Tallinn’s night run, bringing together recreational athletes whose aim is the joy of movement and a unique experience. Previous Grit events were held across the capital’s urban space. In 2026, Grit moves indoors for the first time, with 220 participants from Estonia and abroad taking part.