President Obama takes time out of his busy day to dine at Ben's Chili Bowl.
With the winter running season just around the corner, there is race for the ages set to take place in Washington D.C. The Half and Half Marathon is scheduled for Saturday, November 3, 2012. This race has a unique twist in that participants will run 6.55 miles, eat a world famous half-smoke with chili and chips from Ben’s Chili Bowl at the turn, then run the remaining 6.55 miles to the finish line. Though consuming the half-smoke is optional, you will be undermining the spirit of the competition if you fail to eat this tubular delight from a historical D.C. landmark.
This certainly isn’t the first time consuming unconventional food was part of a long distance race. Race organizers Chris and Peter Magnuson conjured this novel idea after participating in N.C. State’s Krispy Kreme Challenge in which racers consumed a dozen doughnuts at the midway point of a five-mile run through N.C. State. There is nothing like downing 2,400 calories worth of doughnuts at the halfway point of a five-miler unless of course you opt for a half-smoke smothered in chili with a side of chips after 6.55 miles.
For those who have the endurance to run a half-marathon and the digestive system made of iron, the entrance fee for the Half and Half Marathon is $25. All proceeds will be donated to the scholarCHIPS fund which is a non-profit dedicated to raising college scholarship dollars for children of incarcerated parents.
This race is still at its infancy stage, so this is your chance to be part of D.C.’s newest athletic tradition.
