Run through the streets of Rio de Janeiro without ever leaving town when you plug into RioRun (riorun.theguardian.com), the Guardian’s new interactive podcast. Just grab your running shoes and your phone!

We’ll take you on a virtual audio tour of Rio from wherever you are, following the route of the 2016 Olympic marathon. What you hear will depend on how far you run and how fast. Your distance will unlock new audio segments at key moments along the marathon route, so the further you go, the more you’ll discover.

As you run (or walk), you’ll hear from the Guardian’s Latin America correspondentJonathan Watts about Brazil’s struggles to get ready for the world’s biggest sporting event. Hall-of-fame track and field coach Bob Larsen will fill you in on the science and strategy of marathon running. And Guardian editor and tour host, Valerie Lapinski, will bring you the stories behind some of Rio’s biggest landmarks – from the shining lights of the Carnival Sambódromo to the city’s dark past as a major slave port.

Our challenge for you: complete all 26.2 miles – or 42.2 km – of the route over the next three weeks.
Ready? Let’s go to Rio!

Here’s how:

1. Open RioRun on your phone
Go to riorun.theguardian.com on your phone and get running! There’s no need to download any apps, just plug in your headphones and go.

Please note: RioRun is a mobile-only experience – after all, it would be a pain to bring your computer along on your run.

 2. Run at your own speed
There are two ways to use RioRun: track your progress with your phone’s GPS in outdoor mode or manually enter your speed in treadmill mode.

You can run the virtual marathon in as many or as few segments as you like. We’ll automatically save your progress and pick up where you left off next time you visit.

 3. Earn awards and compete
Compete against other Guardian readers from around the world. At the end of each run, you’ll see how your pace stacks up against other RioRun users. You’ll also earn badges as you pass landmarks and distance goals. Share your fitness achievements and Rio know-how when you finish running.