Runners will do some pretty wild things for free stuff— apparently especially when that “stuff” is Chipotle. And in Tempe, Ariz., two ultrarunners just took that concept to a level of absurdity that deserves your attention (and maybe a lifetime supply of guac).
Meet Jamil Coury and Kevin Russ, two endurance junkies who spent the month of January running literal circles around a Chipotle. Not figuratively—literally. Over and over and over again. Why? Because of the Strava x Chipotle Segment Challenge, a contest where the person who runs a specific route near a Chipotle the most times in January wins free Lifestyle Bowls for a year. And these two guys went all in.
Since Jan. 2, Coury and Russ have been logging ridiculous mileage on a 360-meter loop around a Chipotle in Tempe, where they both live. By the final day, each of them had racked up nearly 620 miles (that’s over 1,000 kilometers). That’s the equivalent of running from Phoenix to San Diego—except instead of getting an ocean view and some pleasant weather, they got to dodge scooters, wait for stoplights, suffer in the desert heat, and smell fresh tortillas… all day long, every day, for a month.
Coury, a veteran ultrarunner known for tackling beastly races like the Barkley Marathons and Hardrock 100, described the experience best:
“Normally, in a marathon or trail race, there’s infrastructure set up by an event director. But here, our arena is a two-city block stretch in Tempe where normal life is happening—people waiting for the bus, scooters zipping past, loud motorcycles going by. You never know what’s going to happen next.”
In other words, this was a test of patience, agility, and how much Chipotle you could smell without caving in and buying a burrito mid-run.
Russ, a hardcore thru-hiker and reigning champ of last year’s Los Angeles segment, started the challenge strong, racking up laps like a machine. Coury, meanwhile, wasn’t backing down. On one particularly intense day, he logged 50 miles just to close the gap. (That’s almost two marathons in a day, for some Chipotle. Let that sink in.)
Despite knowing only one could claim the year of free Chipotle, the two developed a camaraderie. Coury’s parents even started showing up to support both of them, bringing packed lunches with their names on the bags like it was the first day of school. Meanwhile, Coury vlogged the entire thing, while Russ’s friend documented his journey on Instagram. Because if you’re going to run circles around a burrito joint for a month, you might as well turn it into content.
Watch the finale here:
While Coury and Russ were duking it out for their personal prize, the city of Tempe was also in a heated race. The Strava x Chipotle Challenge wasn’t just about individual glory—it was also about racking up miles for your city. The town with the most collective mileage wins a buy-one-get-one Chipotle deal for all residents. At one point, Tempe was in second place overall, trailing behind San Francisco, which had 1,480 miles to Tempe’s 1,150. So basically, these two weren’t just running for themselves—they were running for the people. Let them eat Chipolte!
As the clock ticked down to 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 31, one question remained: Who would take home the golden burrito (not an actual thing, but it should be)? One thing is certain—both Coury and Russ earned their place as legends of the Chipotle challenge.
And for the rest of us? Maybe it’s time to rethink how far we’d go for free food. A mile? Five miles? A casual 600? Next time you’re lacing up your running shoes, maybe consider plotting your route around your local Chipotle. You never know—you might just run your way to free bowls for a year. Or at the very least, a well-earned post-run burrito.
Either way, it’s a win.
Respect 💯 😆