by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Businesses and their staff are being invited to run for charity gold at the Olympic Stadium.

The Gold Challenge on Sunday April 1 will give them an opportunity to share the agony and ecstasy of "proper" athletes by running the 4x100m or 100m.

They will be among the first people in the world to run on the track that later in the year will see history made.

It will be a chance to impress friends, family and an anticipated crowd of 20,000.

Gold Challenge is an independent social enterprise and works with the British Olympic Association, Sport England and other sporting organisations.

It is part of "Places People Play", the official mass participation legacy programme.

It aims to encourage 100,000 people to complete sporting challenges by the end of 2012 and raise £20m for charity.

The challenge gives all ages and abilities the chance to raise money for any one of 150 charities by taking on an Olympic themed challenge.

For example, by travelling 2,012km or 201.2km as an individual or team in an Olympic discipline, or learning an Olympic or Paralympic sport.

Team GB stars will join representatives from more than 150 charities at the April 1 event to recognise achievement.

Thousands of people of all ages will be able to take part in a Gold Challenge Parade as well as other opportunities on the track.

The event will also test the venue and operations ahead of the Games opening on July 27.

Lord Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), said: "We are delighted that Gold Challenge is hosting this event and giving LOCOG the opportunity to test the Olympic Stadium ahead of July 2012.

"It is a fitting way to say thank you to those who have been inspired by the Games to get active and also raise money for charity."

For more details, visit the Gold Challenge website.