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.