If your idea of a “runner’s high” includes a Cheesy Gordita Crunch and possible vomiting, then the International Taco Bell 50K Ultramarathon is for you. It’s a race that’s equal parts endurance challenge and stupidity.
Held annually in Denver in early October, the Taco Bell 50K dares its participants to run 31 miles while stopping to eat at 9 out of 10 designated Taco Bells along the way. Let’s be honest, that sounds like a form of torture that should be considered a war crime.
Runners have to keep their receipts to make sure everything’s on the up and up. They have to eat specific menu items by the time they reach certain stops.
For instance, by stop four, they should’ve already eaten a Chalupa Supreme or a Crunchwrap. By stop eight, they should’ve eaten a Burrito Supreme or a Nachos Bel Grande. By stop nine, they should be dead.
And yet, they continue to live in defiance of all that is sacred in this world: 31 miles, nine Taco Bell pitstops, and all in 11 hours. Nearby hospitals must consider this their version of Black Friday.
Can You Eat Taco Bell and Run a 50K Without Throwing Up? This Ultramarathon Invites You to Try.
The event started in 2018. Like all great bad ideas, it began as a joke that someone took way too seriously. Or, in this case, someone—Denver ultrarunners Dan Zolnikov and Michael Oliva—who took a bathroom break at Taco Bell during the long run.
Only seven people ran the race in its first year. Only five made it to the end, and one of them was blind. Since then, the race has exploded, thanks in part to TikTok and the seductive allure of bad choices.
The New York Post reports that this year’s event drew around 1,200 registrants from 40 states. Some are serious ultramarathon runners looking for a novel, if stomach-churning twist on their favorite hobby. In contrast, others are casual runners who want to take part in something absurd.
No matter who joins up, they go into it knowing there are no medals and no prize money. They’re only walking away with the glory of having survived something so dumb. And maybe some mild to severe diarrhea.
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