On February 1, over 4,400 runners took on the 21st Krispy Kreme Challenge, starting at NC State’s Memorial Belltower. Participants ran 2.5 miles to Krispy Kreme Challenge on Peace Street, ate 12 donuts and ran 2.5 miles to the finish line. This year, the race raised $140,000 for the UNC Children’s Hospital.
This year’s race directors were Anna Doggett, Bri McMillan and Pranav Kale.
Anna, director of logistics, sponsorships, merchandise, pre-race and fundraising, was excited about the success of the event.
“We are incredibly happy with how the race went,” said Anna. “We loved seeing everyone dressed up in their costumes and there is so much excitement that surrounds race day. The Krispy Kreme Challenge is incredibly important to NC State. It helps build connections within the community and brings the Pack together for a great cause. It’s a tradition that has been around for years, so many students have heard about it long before they participate, making it an exciting milestone to take part in.”
The Krispy Kreme Challenge relies on many volunteers to be successful. Anna stressed how grateful she and her team were for all of the support.
“I truly cannot express enough gratitude toward our team, who comes together to make this event possible. I could probably talk about it for hours, but to put it into perspective, our race directors spend about 10–12 hours a week planning the race. On top of that, this year, we had about 25 students helping us. Every single one of our members is fantastic at supporting each other and bouncing around ideas. While this race requires a divide-and-conquer approach, at the end of the day, every one of our volunteers is willing to step up and help for a good cause.”
The Krispy Kreme Challenge was started in December 2004 as a dare among a few Park Scholars and their friends. Ben Gaddy ’07 took home bragging rights that first race, completing the challenge in 34 minutes, 27 seconds.
