Held every October for the past six years, and loosely coinciding with National Taco Day (yes, that’s a thing), it’s an unconventional and entirely unsanctioned fun run that has several ridiculous rules—a.k.a. the semi-optional Taco Bell 50K Commandments that are printed on the back of the event’s race bibs—including the need to eat something from the Taco Bell menu at every stop.
While that could mean consuming something small at most of the restaurant visits—like, say, an order of Nacho Fries or Cinnamon Twists—the fourth and eighth aid stations demand a higher level of gastrointestinal fortitude. At those stops, participants must opt for one of the larger and more calorie-intensive “Supreme†menu items, such as a Crunchwrap Supreme, Burrito Supreme, or Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos Supreme.
when i was a younger man with greater gastric fortitude, i participated in something called the “WineMan,” which was sort of like a 10k (or 10-mile?) version of a beer mile. it was taxing, but there was a hot-tub at the finish line.
Half Corked Half Marathon in Oliver, BC. Non-serious, half marathon-ish (somewhere around 20-24 km) length with tasting stops at a dozen or so wineries. Well worth the trip.
Reminds me of RAGBRAI and Iowa’s infatuation with Casey’s convenience store.
Speaking of RAGBRAI, my most prized swag is the Iowa Craft Beer shirt I earned by stopping twice a day during the RAGBRAI ride for a craft beer.
I learned that craft beer works pretty well as ride nutrition.
Which makes one ask: what beverage would go best with a Burrito Supreme? I’m guessing something in the tequila family? Or Modelo?
Depends on distance. A sprint, tequila is ok. A longer race, go with Modelo. After all, you need to properly pace yourself.
But with a burrito Supreme, you’re going to be making a pitstop in an hour anyway.
I don’t know if the Taco Bells along the course offer this, but some of them now serve beer/wine/liqour along with the regular menu of tacos, burritos, tacoritos, etc.
SCENE - A Taco Bell restaurant in Denver, Colorado. The bell rings as three runners enter. Two approach the counter to make an order, while the third sprints to the bathrooms. A customer addresses them with curiosity
Taco Bell Customer <to Runner #1>: Hey, what’s with the numbers? Are you guys in some sort of a race?
Runner #1: We’re doing the legendary Taco Bell 50K
Customer: the what?
Runner #2: the Taco Bell 50K - we run a loop of fifty kilometers, or a little more than 31 miles, between ten Taco Bells
Runner #1: … and we must eat ONE item at each stop, or we are disqualified
Customer <as Runner #3, exits bathroom, emergency alleviated>: Thirty miles? you guys are full of shit!!!
Taco Bell 50K mentioned, as well as Chicago’s Samosa Stumble, which was covered in Ten Junk Miles episode with Craig Woods (of Punk band, The feat)
Woods got into ultramarathons during the pandemic and, inspired by the bizarrely cruel endurance races staged by course designer Lazarus Lake, decided to come up with his own challenge: Eat a samosa and run a 1.1-mile loop every 20 minutes until you drop out. Most of the competitors—there were just north of 50 this year—come from his Rogers Park Running Club. “The first couple of rounds, people are excited and happy and it’s fun,” he says. “People are like, This is cool . And then it gets real sick and gross after a while. I was taking that mindset of making something just fun, but super ridiculous.” One four-time quitter confessed to trying to increase her appetite with pot, but it turns out marijuana is not, at least in this case, a performance-enhancing drug
I signed up for next year Colorado. https://tacobell50k.com/
TB is the only fast food I eat, although I prefer Taco Johns and Taco Tico. I am very spice tolerant not that there is anything spicy there and I’m not overly sensitive to beans or dairy.