No Regrets: Inside the Taco Bell DC 50K

Runners preparing for the Taco Bell DC 50K in Old Town, Alexandria. Photo: Cody Uhing

“This is the stupidest thing I have ever done!” The cry was heard as hundreds of chilly runners—fueled by ambition and their first Taco Bell meal of the day—set off down King Street in Alexandria, Virginia.

By the third mile Fireball Aid Station, a majority of runners probably agreed.

“That’s not a water stop,” a laughing teenager yelled at his friends as they ran by the folding table covered in cinnamon whiskey.

For those who missed the pre-race coverage, the inaugural Taco Bell DC 50K—dubbed a "Fat Ass" race for its low-key, self-supported format—took place on November 29th. The premise was deceptively simple and simultaneously absurd: runners had 11 hours to cover ~31 miles (a 50K) while navigating to eight different Taco Bell locations across Northern Virginia and D.C., beginning and ending at the Cantina in Old Town Alexandria.

The core challenge lay not just in the distance, but in the mandatory menu items and the ban on digestive aids. To earn a finish, participants had to consume at least one item at every stop. Crucially, they were required to down a Crunchwrap Supreme or Chalupa Supreme by the fourth location, and a Burrito Supreme or Nachos Bell Grande by the eighth. These receipts and wrappers served as proof.

Organizers Phil Hargis and Mike Wardian intended the event to be inclusive and fun, setting a generous time limit that allowed for a walking pace. The race drew comparisons to the notoriously difficult Colorado Taco Bell 50K, but its true measure of success was always meant to be the collective spirit, not the finish rate. This sense of community was reinforced by the race’s official charity, Achilles Washington D.C. chapter, an organization that works to transform the lives of people with disabilities through athletic programs.

Fortunately, the race paid off on all fronts. Of the nearly 500 runners who checked in that morning, 429 crossed the finish line before the 7:00 p.m. cut-off, securing the title of “Survivor” and proving their intestinal fortitude.

While “Fat Ass” events are typically billed as a big fun run, some runners came to compete. First place went to Mike Smith, who completed the course in a blazing 4 hours, 12, minutes, and 35 seconds. “I’ve got an iron stomach,” he told The Washington Post.

Mike Smith won the top spot, finishing in just over 4 hours and 12 minutes. Photo: Taco Bell DC 50K Facebook Page

In a note recapping the event, Hargis and Wardian applauded the finishers and their support crews scattered throughout the route. 

“We were in awe of how many finished [their] first ultra yesterday! [The s]upport people were awesome, we loved seeing them and their signs out on the course and at the finish line. Perhaps the coolest story we heard all day was the 9 year old finisher.”

For some, the race wasn’t the stupidest thing they’d ever done, but rather, it was a moment to reconnect with their love of running and remember what makes it fun.

George Braden, a marathon and ultra-distance veteran since 1993, confessed he found himself "gushing" about the day. "Here we are in the nation's capital, being goofy," Braden noted. He contrasted the day favorably with larger, more formal events: “We never could've done that at the Marine Corps Marathon or New York... Yesterday showed me everything I've been doing wrong and everything I've forgotten about running over the decades: it's supposed to be a good time.”

Cody Uhing, another D.C. runner with a long history of marathon and ultramarathon running, entered the race with trepidation after an injury caused him to back out of the 2025 Marine Corps Marathon. After finishing the 50K with renewed spirits, he summarized the day's feeling perfectly: “It was a beautiful day, runners were excited and having fun, and the absurdity of it all was just a reminder that running should be fun. No regrets.”

Matthew Mercado's experience perfectly captures the eccentric motivation and unexpected community found on the course. 

"I arrived alone at the Old Town Metro stop. It was my first ultramarathon and I had no expectations of what the day would be like, I just knew this was a free race and the crazy prospect that you must eat nine entrees from nine different Taco Bells was way too cool and silly to pass up. I do eventually want to train well for a serious marathon someday (which I've yet to do), but this was a pretty awesome run that I'll consider again!"

With the resounding success of the first event, runners are asking: Will the Taco Bell DC 50K return?

“We shall see, that sounds fun!” Hargis and Wardian said.

If you’re interested in supporting Achilles Washington D.C. Chapter, click here.