Donut Dash 2018

What could be more fun than competitive eating mixed with running??  OK, I’m sure there are a LOT of things that are more fun than just thinking about that concept, but hear me out – it’s actually a good time!

Alan and I participated in our 3rd annual Donut Dash Crazy 8 challenge recently.  (Technically Alan didn’t eat the first year, he was just my photographer and running companion)  The inaugural event in 2016 was the Dirty Dozen.  Run 4 miles.  Eat 2 donuts at each mile.  8 donuts + 4 miles = dozen.  The variable that was unexpected (even by the race director!) was the size of the donuts.  Those things were freaking HUGE.  I am not joking.  It was cruel!

And it was cold. SO COLD!  Windy, snowy cold temps. Due to the amount of time it took to just eat one donut, I called it quits after 4 donuts.  Geez, I give up easy, right?  It would have taken me hours to finish the race.  Eating those huge donuts was wearing out my jaws!  This race picture shows I was clearly enjoying myself that year….

For 2017 and 2018 the challenge has been changed to be only ONE regular sized donut at each mile.  4 donuts + 4 miles = crazy 8.  I was hoping for fluffy Krispy Creme variety, but they ended up being more cake-like.  When given the choice, I avoid the cake donuts.  They are just too “heavy”.  Free donut eaters can’t be choosy, so you get what you get.  The actual winner of this race was the first male and female to cross the line in the donut challenge.  We were far from being the first, so really we’re just out there for fun.  The lady who did win must have been inhaling those donuts because she finished in 36:20.  Kudos to that crazy fast speed -eating AND running!! Top male finish time: 29:34.  Wow!! I am seriously impressed by that.

This year it was still cold – I mean, it is January in Ohio! – but at least it was sunny and not too windy.

I was certainly not the speediest eater out there.  We had to eat the first donut at the start. I was almost the last one to leave!   Luckily our running pace between the miles was a bit faster than other many participants, so I gained a little there.  The first two donuts went down a lot easier than those final two, that’s for sure!

Luckily having all of those donuts in my stomach was not an issue running.   It didn’t feel as awful as you think it might.  The challenge was actually just eating the donuts!  It quickly changed from “I love donuts” and savoring the flavor, to “Must chew.  Must swallow.  Repeat!  Go Faster!”

My race was a little slower than last year.  My finish time:  46:31  The Donut Dash event also included people who just wanted to run the 4 miles, and it was a prediction race.  We were also participating in the prediction race, and I predicted our finish would be 45:02.  Our predication was off by quite a bit, so no winners here.

After all of the donut eating craziness, I will admit – those pretty frosted beauties did strike my fancy!  I know, I know, ewww, I just ate 4 donuts… BUT, those were strictly a means to an end, and they weren’t “enjoyed” as they should have been.  One caught a ride home with me 🙂

I got home, ran one more mile – (you gotta earn those donuts, right??) – and enjoyed a treat.  Then I had sugar shock for the rest of the day and wished I hadn’t.  hahaha!  I’ll easily  forget that next year and do it again!

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Q:  Have you ever done any competitive eating?

You won’t find me signing up for any beer mile races either – I can’t chug beer!

Q:  Are you good at predicting a finish time without wearing a watch?

Q:  What is your favorite donut variety?

I go for the heavily frosted choices – Long Johns, frosted with sprinkles. (why are they called Long Johns??  That’s another question for you!)