Krispy Kreme Craziness!

Did you barf?

That's what everyone wants to know when I tell them that this past Sat, I participated in the 10th Annual Krispy Kreme Challenge.

For those of you who don't know, here's what Wikipedia has to say about the Krispy Kreme Challenge:

The Krispy Kreme Challenge is an annual charity event in which participants run a several mile road course leading to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts shop, eat one dozen doughnuts (totaling 2,400 calories and 144 grams of fat), and run back to the finish line in under 1 hour.
 

Several miles means 5 miles. I ran 2.5 miles from the Bell Tower at NC State to the Krispy Kreme in downtown Raleigh. I ate a dozen donuts and then ran 2.5 miles back to the Bell Tower.

This is a huge event that is pretty well known here in Raleigh. People dress up and it's loads of fun. I decided to dress up as Where's Waldo. (no suprise there!)

Here I am before the madness!

 

I made it to the race with about an hour to wander around before it started. I got my picture taken, signed up for the costume contest (I didn't win) and just took in the sight of so many people dressed all crazy.

 

People kept smiling when they saw me. I heard so many people say "There's Waldo! I found her!" LOL. I even had one mom run up to me and ask me to take a picture with her and her kids! I love attention so this was awesome.

 

Finally we all lined up and got ready to get down to business. We were crammed into the street and the first couple of feet past the start line were packed. Then we spread out and it was on! I always forget how hilly Raleigh really is until I'm running it! After pausing to hitch up my tights (it was cold!) I kept running and finally made it to the donuts...

 

 

Donuts 1-2: I could barely get them down - I had trouble swallowing!

Donuts 3-5: All I could think was that this was a horrible idea and I would never finish them all

Donut 6: My gag reflex threatened to make an appearance and I really thought I wouldn't make it

Donuts 7-11: I just chewed and swallowed. I didn't even think anything. Chew. Swallow. Repeat.

Donut 12: Never been so happy to finish a donut!

 

 

So. Many. Donuts!

 

 

My method was to dunk the donut into the water cup and eat it as fast as possible. Then take a tiny sip to wash the last bite down. I didn't even drink a whole cup of water. I was so covered in sugar that I used the rest of the water to sort of clean my hand and face off.

 

I tossed my empty box onto the giant pile of empty boxes and started running back. That was a hard run. It wasn't my stomach that I had trouble with...it was my legs. They just didn't want to run anymore! I had to walk some short stretches but I tried to run as much as possible.

 

I'm sad to say that I didn't make it in an hour. My official time was 1:08:46.

 

I'm thinking that it just took me too long to eat the donuts. My split time after eating the donuts was 43:04 which means I was running right where I wanted to be. It was the dang donuts that slowed me down. Eating a dozen donuts is a huge mental game. Your body just isn't used to all that sugary dough. But I was proud to have finished and even more proud to not have barfed!

 

 

All smiles to be finished!

 

This race was so much fun. I will run again next year and I WILL make it in under an hour!