Taco Bell 50K Founders Explain Eat-and-Run Ultramarathon Challenge

Denver is hosting the hottest event of the year — the Taco Bell 50K — taking place this Saturday, and we spoke to the founders who describe this race as “utterly ridiculous!”

We chatted with Jason Romero and Dan Zolnikov, the masterminds behind this wild race that started eight years ago, to understand the rules of this 31-mile journey with 10 Taco Bell stops.

According to Romero and Zolnikov, competitors need to stop at each Taco Bell and consume food at nine out of the ten locations, including one Chalupa Supreme or one Crunchwrap Supreme by the fourth stop, and a Burrito Supreme or a Nachos BellGrande by the eighth stop. Oh, and don’t forget to keep your wrappers — they’ll be counting them!

Those are the essential tasks for competitors, but one rule stands firm: no puking! If you get sick, your run for the title of “Survivor” is over.

As for needing to use the bathroom — that’s permitted as long as it’s in a Taco Bell restroom, or you can make one other stop at a spot in Washington Park. They anticipate around 500 to 600 participants for the event tomorrow.

To clarify, this event is not associated with nor endorsed by Taco Bell in any way — so don’t expect any corporate sponsorships. Jason and Dan have reached out to the franchise for a response, which you can hear about in our interview.

This spicy challenge isn’t for the faint-hearted — it requires unwavering fast-food commitment… best of luck to your digestive system!