The Krispy Kreme Challenge

Well Feb. 5, 2011 was the Krispy Kreme Challenge. If you don't already know this race, it is 4.77 miles of running with a stop in the middle to eat a dozen glazed doughnuts with a goal time of less than 1 hour.

Stephanie and I arrived at the race around 7:45am. I was dressed in my Steeler poncho, shorts and my New Balance 101's. Stephanie was spectating and dressed warm. It was raining and 35 degrees for the race, fun, fun, fun. There were 7500 people signed up but a few less showed up due to the weather. Anyway the race started at 8:30am, it took me 3 minutes just to make it to the start line. Once in the open I settled into a pretty good sub 10 minute pace that would keep me in the 20/20/20 plan. Well as I got within sight of Krispy Kreme the leaders were done eating and heading home, dang they eat fast. Once I made it to Krispy Kreme My problems started.

It started with a road block, well most seemed to be my pace and arrived at the doughnut stand at the same time. It seemed like it took 5 minutes to get past this bottle neck and get my doughnuts. I choose to eat 2 at a time till I made it thru the first 6. At this point the glaze was getting to me and I grabbed a cup of water. Now I'm down to 1 doughnut at a time, and having difficulty even taking a bite. I was not going to eat 12. Anyway some more water and I had 9 down. I thought to myself that there is no way for me to eat 3 single doughnuts so I smushed them together and nibbled my way thru. At this point I looked around and very few of us were still there. I went over to the challenger timer to get my split 54 minutes, it took me 30 minutes to eat the doughnuts but I ate them all. Knowing that the hour goal was out I took my time back, walking up one big hill, although most of the return trip to the Bell Tower on NC State campus was up hill. Surprisingly I had energy, guess a sugar high. Eventually I was done in 1 hour and 17 minutes.


Overall, it was a fun time and I look forward to next year and getting that doughnut eating time down to 5 or 10 minutes like the top finishers.

http://krispykremechallenge.com/

Pictures of the event can be found here:
http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/05/970446/first-look-krispy-kreme-challenge.html