
Krispy Kreme Challenge
Five miles. Twelve doughnuts. One hour. Discover the daring delight that’s become one of Raleigh’s fastest-growing traditions.
Trailglazers
On a brisk winter morning each year, runners gather at NC State’s campus to embark on a quest of guts, glory and glaze: the Krispy Kreme Challenge.
The student-run event dares participants to dash two and a half miles from the Belltower, eat 12 doughnuts and then — with stomachs bursting — finish with another two-and-a-half-mile run back to their starting point. All in one hour.
What began as a weekend jaunt among Park Scholars has grown into a nationally recognized race, drawing in thousands of participants — and earning a spot on every NC State student’s bucket list.

A Reason to Run
This isn’t just a show of gastrointestinal fortitude. The Krispy Kreme Challenge is an NC State tradition rooted in an NC State value: philanthropy.
Since its inception in 2004, the Challenge has raised more than $1.5 million for the University of North Carolina Children’s Hospital, making it the hospital’s largest unrestricted donor. Another $500,000 has been pledged by the year 2020.
Explore some sugary stats racked up over 15 years of the Krispy Kreme Challenge:
950,000+ Doughnuts Consumed
399,020 Miles Run
$1.5M Raised
79,804 Runners Participated
