The five-mile National Lottery Olympic Park Run will take place on March 31, 2012 and will involve a short route around the Olympic Park before runners enter the Olympic Stadium for the finish.

The ballot for entry will open later this month and people from across the UK will be selected completely at random to take part.

"As a celebration of the £2.2 billion ($3.5 billion/€2.5 billion) National Lottery players will contribute towards the staging of London 2012, we have secured the chance for people with all abilities to be the first to grab a piece of the Olympic Games action," said a National Lottery spokesperson.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to run on the track that the world's elite athletes will compete on against a stunning backdrop of venues which Lottery players have part-funded.

"Watch out for more information on the ballot launch date to make sure you're in with a chance to grab your place in this historic event."

The £2.2 billion ($3.5 billion/€2.5 billion) funding that the National Lottery is putting towards the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games includes finance for the venues and infrastructure on the Olympic Park itself.

The Park hosted its first competitive action last month when the London 2012 Olympic basketball test event took place but the Olympic Stadium will not host an Olympic test event until May 4 next year with the British University and Colleges Sport Championships meaning that the National Lottery Olympic Park Run will be the historic first event for the venue.

From 2006 to 2013, The National Lottery is providing in excess of £310 million ($500 million/€352 million) to support potential Team GB and Paralympics GB athletes as they prepare for London 2012 and beyond.

In total, The National Lottery has given away over £38 billion ($61 billion/€43 billion) in prizes and created more than 2,600 millionaires or multi-millionaires since its launch in 1994.

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