More than 1,000 runners eat their way through Denver’s Taco Bell Ultramarathon

Most runners spend race week cutting back on junk food. The runners in last Saturday’s International Taco Bell 50K did the opposite. More than 1,000 people lined up at the Taco Bell at 447 S. Broadway for a 7:30 a.m. start. That’s a lot of people choosing to eat Chalupas between miles. This year’s race was the ninth edition, and it was themed “The Loco Strikes Back.” A reporter at the start line said it looked “like a portal straight into Mario Kart.”

The rules are simple, but they’re not easy. The course is a 31-mile loop around Denver with stops at 10 Taco Bells. Runners have to buy and eat a menu item at nine of them, and drinks don’t count. Two stops have extra requirements. Runners must eat a Chalupa Supreme or a Crunchwrap Supreme by the fourth stop, and a Burrito Supreme or Nachos Bell Grande by the eighth. They get 11 hours to finish, and cutting the course is not allowed.

Runners could write whatever they wanted on their race bibs, and they had fun with it. “Chalupa Baby” and “Chunks” were both on the course. Spectators added stomach jokes all along the route. Clair McFarland, a reporter from Wyoming’s Cowboy State Daily, ran the race on assignment. By mile 14, she had eaten two soft tacos, a Chalupa Supreme and a bag of Cinnamon Twists. Her stomach didn’t make it the whole way. Her story ran under the headline “The Race That Made Me Barf On Denver,” so she was a good sport about it. She also said the course offered some striking views of the city.

One more thing: Taco Bell doesn’t sponsor or endorse the race. Every runner was out there just for the love of running and nacho cheese. The race happens every year in early October, close to National Taco Day. If you’re tempted to sign up next year, you have about 12 months to train your legs, and more importantly, your stomach.