Some of the most common questions are answered below. If you cannot find your question here, please contact us. 

General Race Information

The Race Location:

2011 Hillsborough St Raleigh, NC, 27607

The NC State Memorial Belltower is the start and end of the Krispy Kreme Challenge - It's also a great spot to cheer on friends and family!

WHEN IS THE 2025 KRISPY KREME CHALLENGE?

The 21st annual Krispy Kreme Challenge race will be held on the first Saturday of February, February 1, 2025!

The race starts at 8:00 AM and race bibs can be picked up by the Memorial Belltower from 6:30 AM - 7:30 AM that morning.

Registration will be open until 7:30 AM on Race Day. However, we encourage you to register as early as possible. On-site registration does not guarantee a race t-shirt.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CHALLENGER, CASUAL, and no doughnut RUNNER?

The Challenger category is for runners who wish to take on The Challenge and claim victory by consuming all twelve doughnuts and completing the race in under one hour.  Only runners registered as Challengers will be considered eligible for winning.

The Casual category is for runners who wish to take a more leisurely approach to the Challenge and enjoy as many or as few doughnuts as they wish.

The No Doughnut category is for runners who wish to run the race but not eat any doughnuts.

Challenger, Casual, and No Doughnut runners all begin the race at the same time and receive a race shirt. Only Challenger and Casual runners receive a box of doughnuts. There is no penalty for runners who register as a Challenger but do not complete The Challenge. Registration fees are the same for all categories.

DO YOU HAVE TO EAT THE DOUGHNUTS?

No. You can register as a No Doughnut Runner if you do not want to eat any doughnuts or as a Casual Runner if you want to eat just a few doughnuts. You can also race back to the Belltower with your box of doughnuts to enjoy with your friends and family later. However, to be considered for awards you must be registered as a Challenger, eat all twelve doughnuts, and complete the race in under one hour

Can I run with a jogging stroller?

The Krispy Kreme Challenge is a family-friendly affair, so we encourage you to bring doughnut-lovers of all ages. For the safety of our participants, we ask that all strollers start at the back.

My Child Wants to Participate. Do I need to register him/her?

We ask that all participants 8 years and older be registered to race.  Children younger than 8 are free to run alongside their parents or be pushed in a stroller.

Can I Bring My Dog to Race Day?

 At this time dogs, with the exception of guide, hearing, and service dogs, are not permitted to run alongside their owners.  Spectators are free to bring their pets as long as they are on a leash, off the race route, and away from the donuts!

Where can I find the 2025 race packet?

The 2025 Race Packet will be available closer to the race date. It can be found here and will be emailed to all registered participants before Race Day.

What are the registration fees for the 2025 Krispy Kreme Challenge?

Registration fees start at $40.00 for students and $45.00 for all other participants.
Registration prices will increase as the race date approaches.
NOTE: Students must enter a valid .edu email address to receive student pricing. 

Can I pick up my race bib and t-shirt prior to race day?

Yes! We encourage all participants who are able to pick up their bib and t-shirt at the Krispy Kreme Challenge Expo.

The 2025 Krispy Kreme Challenge Expo will held the day before race day in Talley Student Union at North Carolina State University from 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM.

During the Expo, participants can collect their race materials while also visiting our race sponsors, browsing our Krispy Kreme Challenge merchandise, and meeting Team K2C.

If you are picking up items at race expo, please keep the following in mind:

• Please bring a photo ID or a picture of an ID for all the runners whose bibs you are picking up.

• You will receive one race bib with a timing chip and one race shirt per runner registered.

• When picking up your bib, you must know your bib number. You can find your bib number here. Please note that bib numbers will not be available until the week of the race.

• There will be a separate table for registration transfers. If you need to transfer a registration and the original registrant is not present at the Expo, you must have written and signed consent.

• Parking for the Expo is available at the Coliseum Parking Deck.

If you live more than an hour away from Raleigh, you may pick up your packet from 6:00 AM until 7:30 AM on the day of the race. Please keep in mind that the line will be very long and allot sufficient time.  The pick-up area will close at 7:30 AM.

What is the race route?

The 2025 Challenge race route will be available closer to race day. Click here to see the map from 2020.

Can you register on race day?

Yes! However, we encourage you to register as early as possible. Registration will close at 7:30 AM on Race Day. On-site registration does not guarantee a race shirt.

I can no longer participate in the Krispy Kreme Challenge. Can I transfer my registration to a friend?

Yes, all registration transfers must be processed at the race Expo.  Both parties involved in the transfer must be present, or the person receiving the transfer can bring a copy of the registered participant's photo identification and a signed note approving the transfer.

Do I have to run the race to get a t-shirt?

You can purchase an official race t-shirt and medal package by registering as a runner, or you can check out our sweet merchandise! 

Where and when is the 2024 Krispy Kreme Challenge Expo?

The 2025 Krispy Kreme Challenge Expo will held the day before race day in Talley Student Union at North Carolina State University from 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM.

Please bring a photo ID or a picture of an ID for all the runners whose bibs you are picking up. At the Expo, you can pick up your race bib and t-shirt while also shopping through Krispy Kreme Challenge merchandise, visiting our race vendors, and meeting Team K2C. It is sure to be a fun event and we hope that all of our participants and friends will come! 

WHERE CAN I BUY K2C MERCHANDISE?

K2C merchandise will be available for purchase here! You can pick up pre-ordered merchandise at the expo. Merchandise will also be available for purchase at the expo and on race day. 

WHERE CAN I FIND LODGING NEAR THE RACE?

Hotels in close proximity to N.C. State University can be found here.

WHERE ARE THE RESULTS FROM PREVIOUS RACES?

Previous race results can be found here.

WHAT ARE THE TEAM CATEGORIES?

Just like our individual runners, teams can choose to run as Challenger Teams, Casual Teams, or No Doughnut Teams. 

Challenger Teams are for groups of runners who wish to band together as they take on the Challenge, competing against other Challenger teams in an effort to average the lowest team time and claim victory. To be eligible for awards, Challenger teams must have a minimum of 6 runners. Only the top 6 runners per team will be scored. Victory is sweetest when shared, right? 

Casual Teams are for groups of runners who wish to take a more leisurely approach to the Challenge, but want to do so with friends! Casual teams may be as big or small as desired, ranging from large corporate or university groups to pairs of runners. Casual Teams will not be competing on the basis of speed or gastrointestinal fortitude, but keep an eye out for a few different contests we’ll be introducing in the coming months that provide your Casual Team with a way to claim victory and some sweet K2C swag nonetheless!

No Doughnut Teams are just like Casual Teams, but without any doughnuts on race day. No Doughnut Teams can be as big or small as desired and are noncompetitive. 

Regardless of team or individual status, all runners pay the same registration fees, start at the same time, and receive their own t-shirt.

HOW DO I REGISTER AS A TEAM?

If you’re the first member of your team to register, navigate to the registration form. Select Team at the top of the registration page and click Register Captain for your desired type of team. You will be prompted to enter a Team Name and Team Password. Other members of your team will need the Team Name and Team Password to join the team when they register, so make sure to share it with them (but not anyone else!). Fill out the rest of the registration form and payment information to complete registration.

If someone else has already created a team that you wish to join, go to the registration form here. Select Team at the top of the registration page and click Register Teammate for your desired type of team. A dropdown list of teams will appear; select your team and enter the Team Password to join. If you do not have the Team Password, you will not be able to join the team and will need to contact the Team Captain. Fill out the rest of the registration form and payment information to complete registration.