In 2012, a running partner took his runner girlfriend on a run that ended at the place where they first met. When he showed her his GPS tracker, the tracked route read "MARRY ME".
Runner Proposes with GPS Art Spelling 'Marry Me'
Some people get down on one knee. Others hire skywriters. But when you're a runner in love with another runner, you speak in the language you both understand: miles, routes, and GPS data.
In 2012, a British man named Ben Hicks pulled off one of the most elaborate proposals the running community has ever seen. He didn't just plan a romantic jog—he engineered a 6.4-mile route through Bristol that, when traced on a GPS map, spelled out the words "MARRY ME."
A Proposal Years in the Making
The route wasn't thrown together on a whim. Hicks spent weeks studying Bristol's street layout, plotting coordinates, and test-running segments to make sure the letters would be legible. Each letter required navigating specific streets, alleys, and paths in precise order.
The final stretch brought them to the exact spot where the couple had first met years earlier—adding an extra layer of meaning to an already over-the-top gesture.
The Big Reveal
His girlfriend, also an avid runner, had no idea what was happening during the run itself. The route seemed meandering, perhaps a bit unusual, but nothing suspicious. It was only when Hicks pulled out his GPS tracker at the end and showed her the recorded path that the message became clear.
She said yes.
GPS Art: A Growing Movement
Hicks wasn't the first to experiment with GPS art—the practice of creating pictures or messages by tracking movement—but his proposal helped popularize the concept. Today, GPS artists around the world create everything from simple shapes to elaborate portraits spanning entire cities.
Some notable examples include:
- A cyclist in Japan who proposed by biking a route that spelled "MARRY ME" across Tokyo—covering over 150 kilometers
- Runners drawing holiday images like Christmas trees and turkeys during festive seasons
- Athletes spelling out messages of support for causes or loved ones
The activity has been boosted by apps like Strava and Nike Run Club that make it easy to plan routes and share the resulting artwork on social media.
Why It Works
There's something deeply personal about a GPS proposal—especially between two runners. It takes something they both love and transforms it into a shared memory. The effort involved (miles of careful planning, hours of running) speaks louder than any diamond.
Plus, unlike a ring hidden in a champagne glass, there's zero risk of accidentally swallowing anything.
For Ben Hicks and his now-wife, that 6.4-mile route became more than just a proposal. It became the story they'd tell for the rest of their lives—a reminder that sometimes the journey really is the destination.