By Rachel Aretakis

Doughnuts and running a 5K together don’t seem too appetizing.

But those who are competitive runners and love Krispy Kreme doughnuts have the chance to participate in an event that combines the two.

UK’s Habitat for Humanity campus chapter is hosting the third annual Krispy Kreme Challenge, where participants can compete in a 5K race while eating a dozen doughnuts halfway through.

“My best advice is there is no really good way to pace yourself,” said Nolan Jez, an anthropology senior. “It is literally … eat them as fast as you can and run as fast as you can, and hopefully you won’t vomit before you finish.”

Jez participated in the race two years ago. He was able to eat 10 of the doughnuts and said because he couldn’t finish them in time, he “just grabbed them and ran.”

There are two divisions for the race: challenger and competitive.

For those in the challenger division, their goal is to finish the 5K within an hour after eating a dozen doughnuts halfway through the race. Runners in the competitive division will run a timed 5K race.

“It’s a unique experience,” said Emily Andrews, a communication junior who is a campus chapter officer.

Andrews said all proceeds will benefit the Lexington Habitat for Humanity.

She said last year the race had 460 runners and raised around $11,000. In its first year, the race had 300 participants.

“Each year, more and more people know about it,” Andrews said.

The chapter has been doing promotions and tabling this year, and Andrews said people will come up to them joking that they still feel sick from last year.

She said the most she has heard someone getting sick was five times during the race.

Jez said one runner two years ago competed like hot dog eaters compete; the runner balled up the doughnuts and ate them with water.

“He manned up and squished all the donuts and ate them,” he said.

At the beginning, he said, everyone feels like they can eat all 12 easily.

“By the third, fourth doughnut, it’s ineveitble you aren’t going to be able to eat them,” Jez said. “It was really miserable — once you get to about six or seven, in the middle of a 5K, that’s pretty miserable.”

But though Jez described eating the doughnuts as miserable, he said he participated because it was fun.

The Krispy Kreme Challenge 5K is at 10 a.m. on Sunday at Commonwealth Stadium. To participate, you can register online at ukhabitatkkc.com. To register online, it is $18 for competitive and $21 for challenger, and must be done before April 13. You can also register the day of at the event, which is $21 for competitive and $25 for challenger.