Zach ReynoldsReporter

On your mark, get set, eat!

These words were bellowed at the campus intramural fields, giving community runners the go-ahead to stuff their faces with an enormous bean-filled, cheese-oozing, meat-stuffed Qdoba burrito. After swallowing over a pound of food, contestants had to run a mile as fast as possible.

Participants paid a $10 entry fee for the event held Oct. 28, and those with the best overall times were awarded free T-shirts. All proceeds went to the Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit organization that works to raise funds to help sick children.

“I love running, I love burritos, and I love helping sick kids,” said Alex Lohr, senior vocal education major.

Lohr had the best time for eating the burrito and running the mile with a time of 7:32 for the men. Margaret Chell was the fastest female competitor with 15:02. Phillip Heimerman was the fastest participant to eat the burrito at 1:30, but could not beat Lohr’s race time of 8:09.

Winners of the five individual heats received free entrée cards from Qdoba and those with the slowest overall times got a free T-shirt.

None of the participants threw up during the event, though some had upset stomachs.

“It felt like someone shoved a bowling ball down my stomach,” Lohr said.

There were 42 participants for the burrito mile and the total amount raised for the Children’s Miracle Network was $420.00. Qdoba and University Program Council covered the cost of all of the burritos eaten.

Every year the UPC has a goal to raise $40,000 for CMN. Last year was their closet attempt with $33,483.

“Kids don’t ask for their disease,” said Emily Sumner, a freshman civil engineer major, and the main CMN coordinator of the event. “You feel like you’re making a big difference.”

#1.1743598:859369538.png:Om nom nom nom 11-03-2010 87:Om nom nom nom:Collegian Photo