What is the Krispy Kreme Challenge? 2400 calories, 12 doughnuts, 5 miles, 1 hour. The mantra of the Krispy Kreme Challenge epitomizes the test of physical fitness and gastrointestinal fortitude. What started as a challenge among ten friends has transformed into a nationally publicized charity race, and the number one …
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What is the Krispy Kreme Challenge? 2400 calories, 12 doughnuts, 5 miles, 1 hour. The mantra of the Krispy Kreme Challenge epitomizes the test of physical fitness and gastrointestinal fortitude. What started as a challenge among ten friends has transformed into a nationally publicized charity race, and the number one tradition to complete before graduating from North Carolina State University. On February 5th, 2022, we hosted virtually the annual Krispy Kreme Challenge, where we donated $92,000 to the UNC Children’s Hospital, allowing us to complete our $2 million pledge. The Krispy Kreme Challenge is UNC Children’s Hospital’s largest unrestricted donor. Participants begin the Challenge at the Memorial Belltower on the campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. Runners then travel 2.5 miles through historic downtown Raleigh to the Krispy Kreme located at the intersection of Peace and Person Streets, where they attempt to consume one dozen original glazed doughnuts. The hardest part of the Challenge awaits them as they run 2.5 miles back to the Memorial Belltower. This is the Krispy Kreme Challenge.
A Tradition Begins The Krispy Kreme Challenge started in December 2004 as a dare between a few NC State undergraduate students. Sophomore Ben Gaddy took home bragging rights that afternoon, running the race in 34 minutes and 27 seconds. After receiving positive coverage from campus newspapers, Krispy Kreme Challenge was placed as #85 on the “102 More Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate” by Sports Illustrated, and N.C. State Student Government also named it the “#1 Thing to Do Before You Graduate.” It was no surprise when organizers selected The NC Children’s Hospital as the most deserving beneficiary of this ultimate collegiate challenge.
The North Carolina Children’s Hospital The North Carolina Children’s Hospital is a specially-designed hospital that caters to the needs of children that are sick or injured, and their families. This state-of-the-art facility was designed with children in mind, and provides conveniences to the patients that help them to just be kids, such as a 2-story play atrium designed to look like an outdoor park. In addition, the hospital has the state’s only fully accredited hospital school, which keeps patients from kindergarten to 12th grade on top of their studies. The medical amenities include a newborn critical care facility, a cardiac care unit, a comprehensive cancer center, and more. You can feel confident when you participate in the Krispy Kreme Challenge that your donation is supporting a great cause.
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Eat all the Donuts! Support Kids!
Full disclosure, I'm an NCSU Alum, and I have soft spot for any race on Hillsborough Street. I've run the KK Challenge three years (2011-2013), each time successively eating more … MORE
Full disclosure, I’m an NCSU Alum, and I have soft spot for any race on Hillsborough Street. I’ve run the KK Challenge three years (2011-2013), each time successively eating more donuts. Now that I’ve completed the challenge, I’m not sure I would do this again, but Ioved every single one of these races! btw… the challenge is to run to the KK, eat a dozen donuts, and run back in under an hour.
Things to love: (1) This is put on by a great group of NCSU undergrads and grads. They do a really great job organizing, communicating (maybe too much communicating), donating (tons of money goes to the NC Children’s Hospital) – the year I raised money, I even got a hand-written thank you note from one of the students. (2) The costumes! Yes, there are costumes. (3) If you have any connection to Raleigh, you’ll love the run from the NC State Belltower to the Krispy Kreme – but it can be challenging. (4) You don’t have to eat all the donuts, you can just take them to go =)
Things you should watch out for: (1) Non-runners sign up for this race, what do I mean by that? They don’t know how to corral, don’t know how to move over for faster people, don’t care that you really want to run this race, (2) there are SO MANY PEOPLE. it’s you and 7K other runners on pretty narrow streets! (3) People vomit, a lot, you have to dodge it. (4) This race will kill any love that you have for consuming glazed donuts.
However, whenever I have to provide a fun fact, this is it! I ate a dozen donuts in approximately 14 minutes and ran 5 miles (it’s more like 4.8). I came back at about 55 minutes, under the one hour requirement to complete the challenge. And I did not vomit.