The contest was very fun, being my very first opprotunity to compete in an open forum, against other people, some seasoned pros. I remember hungrily absorbing the information in the pages of my Guinness Book of World Records, especially the science and speed-eating sections.
Throughout my entire lifetime I have in one sitting or often in one standing, "absorbed" volumes of food which would make the average person have a "Reversal of Fortune" as Ryan Nerz put it at the recent Nathan's competition which I attended last Saturday.
These are not official, and just some fun figures which I'll "put out on the table": I used to eat a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches among things.
Back in my late high school days, (well over 10 years ago), I finished with a best of 24 gtilled cheeses in 7 minutes. Why seven minutes you may ask? I only cooked that many, but was quite a ways from being full.
These were not your average grill cheese sandwiches either, double the cheese, and soaked with butter, so much in fact that they must have weighed somewhere near twice that of your 'regular" grilled cheese sandwich.
Another of my personal "unofficial" records makes me feel that it is a true shame that I did not get involved in competitive eating before. The truth is I always thought that there would be no real competition, and the prizes would be not worth the effort involved.
I ate 1 gallon of chile with beans, plus an extra 16 oz can in 10 minutes and 46 seconds, that even including the time to open the can, which I hadn't actually intended on being part of the self-appointed challenge.
That amount then, and even now, had it been conducted in an IFOCE official contest, (which unfortunately didn't yet exist for another 5 years or so), could have been a possible record.
When not even trying to time myself,
During the course of many years I would do this, I would down 8 hot dogs and buns, (someimes I prefered bread slices), with a can of hormel chile (almost always with beans) and a half a pund of cheese, taking my time and upon completion as my stomach roared with unsatisfied hunger.
After the intial consumption I noticed that a mere 6 minutes had passed. I repeated the process, all the same ingredients present and in another 5-7 minutes, I would be satisfied, about half of the time following the "second wave" of food. The times when the first two times were not enough I'd repeat for a third time I another 6-8 minutes in a casual relaxed mode.
As well as food consumption, the absorbtion of liquids have always been important, as 2-4 gallons, depending on the season and activities taking place in, and work done, were taken in.
Another notable time during these "attempts", lacking a real stopwatch handy, the number of seconds was estimated to the nearest whole number, (the wristwatch involved sometimes needed a second push to encourage it to stop. My brother, the timekeeper, and I were accurate to probably 1/4 second or so, but we solved the problem by rounding).
Some of the times included , 15 1/2 oz. (I'll check later, could have been 16 oz.) cans of Franco American spaghettios in about 17-18 seconds, 12 oz. cans of soda in 6-7 seconds (in the can, ya I had to turn it upside down and actually squeeze the liquid out that pathetically tiny hole that you are expected to pour your carbonated joy out of), and 2-3 seconds, (emptied into a cup first).
Did I mention that the cans of spaghettios and raviolis alike were cold, well room temperature? Colder made it more difficult going down, and more challenging, including the gallon plus about 1/8 of chile.
In 2001, yep the year of the tsunami (Takeru Kobayashi's dominant entry to the world of Nathan's), I actually "practiced" for the local (Arizona Mills) Nathan's hot dog event. I wanted to do this, but was not prepared the first day I found out, which was about 2 weeks before the competition. By "not prepared I mean I did not have much of anything resembling hot dogs to train with.
My younger brother was only a few feet away, stopwatch in hand, as I rummaged thought the fridge,amply stuffed, however containing a mere 6 hot dogs, but of course like 1,000,000 buns were nearby on the countertop.
My brother Robert anxiously clicked the timekeeping device and I was off, actually I was going along at my ordinary pace, eating them in juat under 2 minutes, but I wanted more. I frantically, o.k. not quite frantically, searched the refridgerator again, to find another 4.
With a one minute gap, which was comprised of locating and zapping the dogs to an acceptable temperature, I resumed. I wanted to down them in one minute, but I had to settle for going .74 seconds over, yep, 1 minute and under a second. So in 3 minutes, 3 and one half seconds I ate (not choked down) 10 hot dogs, and was almost hungrier than when I began.
I tried a couple of more times later that week and early the next, with 10-13 hot dogs and the numbers were always around 4-6 minutes, I dare not eat more, unless I had morperhaps four weeks notice could handle it now , even with 5 or more pounds of sides.
Up until that time however, I would always finish what I was eating, (many said inhailing), within 5-7 minutes, then take a five minute break, continuing sometimes 2-4 more times. This competition, Nathan's southwestern regional, hwoever called for a full 12 minutes non-stop, (you could stop but you'd just hurt your performance).
"I would have relished to win but I did not know If what I could muster, would have put me ahead, forcing others to play catch up. The anticipating crowd would be sitting on the buns at the edges of their chairs, watching my victory dance after I was hot-dogging it. Perhaps after it was over, tv reporters would grill me, evoking a response such as, "The man-asian phenomena is going down when I meet him!""
Yes I know that last paragraph was very cheesy; wait, is it chilly in here, bucause it makes me tired 'an-yawn?! Well if it was I'd be in a pickle, because I want to finish this blog entry today and stay in good spirits, avoiding the feeling of "a chip on my shoulder". On the bright side, this half-baked concern shouldn't amount to beans, bwcause it beats feeling like I'm boiling, over-toasted, or frying.
To win the world cup of competitive eating or not is the question, but in sprite, er I mean spite,of my performace which I will describe later in this text, I didn't feel iced a bit. This tall drink of water plans on going at it again, starting tomato, I mean tomorrow, or perhaps next week.
No doubt, as well as the great "throng" present to admire the athletic contestants there will be a lot of "tongs" that day near Coney Island beach".
Upon the day of the competition, I was having a problem with my doorknob, which I ended up replacing the next day, a problem which I hadn't payed much attention to for the week previous to that.
After having sudden difficulties locking it a few times earlier in the week which lead up to the "hot dog day" it died and, (keep in mind it was a little windy that day) my door would not stay closed, Knowing that there was no way I was going to leave the house unattended with the door very obviously open, I took the knob off and "played around" with the pieces for about 15 minutes and put it back on the door, making several attempts before I gave up.
A little while later after ridding myself of my sudden frustration, (sitting down for a while, clearing my mind), I tried it out again.
Surely enough, to my amazement, it worked, but it was too late, the competition had just started. The funny thing was that the winner that year in Tempe only ate 13 hot dogs, which is nothing when I get to "practice" a bit, my "practice" only being the ordinary consumption of the food involved in the competition.
I knew that without a sudden fluke of nature, (or in this case man-made hardware) and my reluctance to fix the problem more promptly than I did, that I would have had my shot to go to Coney Island.
That year I had had the practice time and the capacity, but no luck. My wife told me that it was "a sign", ya I told her it was a sign all right, one that I should not put off things which should be done sooner"
I lost interest in readying myself for competitive eating for a few years after, though as always always I maintained my voracious appetite. Sometimes however, the levels of food intake would fluctuate from month to month.
I haven't ever considered my to be appetite "enormous" or even."big" however, as I don't consider myself physically large, at (6'4 3/4', and 225 lbs).
Last year, after again deciding to look up food current sats concerning eating records. I found out that the nathan's 4th of july competition had just ended, with Kobayashi again eating his way to victory, as he had every since his first taste (or meal) of it. That was just 1 day before I did a little bit of searching. The Japanese phenomenon had crammed down with 49 dogs and buns.
In the weeks after hearing about the Coney Island victory by Takeru, as a response I began to stretch my stomach even more than what I "normally ate".
During my "excersizes" I often put down 7-9 pounds of pasta , (which included 2 pounds of meat 1 pound cheese and 1-2 lbs sauce), or the equivilant amount of other foods. wishing to become involved in competitive eating, I ate meals like, for example; three one pound burgers form Fudruckers, (the meat being a pound each (at least before it was cooked)) with an order of frings (fries-onion rings, 7-8 (very large) glasses of sprite along with 4 water ones. I added to that a plate of condiments including approximately 2/3 head of lettice one large tomato, 1 onion, and over a pound of diced onion and pico, and the bottle and a half of good 'ol heinz 57 sauce.
That food went down in approximately 26 minutes, even giving me time to chat a little. It was a little embarassing that after making my order, the manager put up this huge sign that was either hastily prepared or reserved for what the employees of the resteraunt belived to be a very uncommon eating session. It read, "Go Burger Boy" in very large hand written letters (by a blue marker)and promptly hung on the wall beside my table.
After I was finished I played games with my children in the game room for around 20 minutes then decided to order a vanilla milkshake shake. While waiting, I downed half cup of water. After the shake was gone, keeping in mind that they are not the smallest shakes I've seen, I ordered another. When I was done, I washed that down with another cup of sprite, the cups must have been 32 oz too, although they just didn't seem to hold a lot, even though I only use put in a few ice cubes at a time. When the last shake was gone I felt full finally, and definitely not in the mood to go back in the
meroom.
I thank my wife for honoring my request to fufill my seemingly endless need for drinks. Actually it wasnt really a hassle for her, as she just brought one of my cups (of the 2 designated for soda and one for water every time she would refill either her own or one of our two children's. A couple of other times she brought me back refills when she went to get some cookies and another time to get something in the condiment area. She was supportive, I think there is a chance that she may have wanted to saee if I could eat everything almost non-stop.
The very next day for lunch I ate 3 carne asada burritos, (like the ones from Filiberto's, or other similar mexican resteraunts, being about 1-1/2+ pounds depending on how stingy or not the cook is) and this guy making them that day was extremely generous.
I complemented that with 2 equally hefty bean and cheese burritos and two pints of sides, one full of beans, the other rice. Two 44 oz. sprites, and a 3/4gallon of water accompanied the solid food.
The day after I also had mexican food, (a favorite of mine) at a local resteraunt which I used to go a lot when I was much younger. There along with 4 eight oz bowls of bean dip, about 4 same size of salsa, and after 5 bowls of chips about (5 oz a piece), I had 6 of the 8 pieces of a cheesecrisp, (I had to share) I am joking, three were ordered.
Then my real food came, a large fajita plate along with all of the ordiary accompanying sides,(I ate both flour and corn tortillas, 9 of each with the fajita meat, green peppers, onions, and sides including a reasonable plate of rice and beans, and another with guacomole, salsa, sour cream, all in minerature taco salad shells, all on a bed of tasty lettuce). In addition, a bean and cheese burrito, probably around 1 2/3 pounds plus one of the most filling plates there, three relatively huge, (compared to most other resteraunts), enchiladas with a mountain of red sauce.
I downed that like it was an elementary school sack lunch, along with an entire 16 oz bottle of the hottest sauce they had, much hotter than the chunky mild salsa which I had earlier. After washing my lunch down with 7 cups of sprite and 5 cups of water, only about 18 oz. apiece there, I happily left. I even ate the garnish (lettuce in this case), I love lettuce!
After many many excedingly progressive, but not excessive "stomach excersizes", around the time my daughter started school for the first time, I let the "training" taper down.
I again feverently reawoke to the notion of competitive eating, IFOCE, in particular, soon after summer break had begun. Looking at the official Nathan's hot dog page I browsed down the regional qualifying list to find out that I hadn't missed the one in Arizona Mills Mall, but I did notice that I had only one day, actually 22 hours to "prepare".
What could I do, but do as I always do, eat a "normal meal", a family buffet for many people. I went to Ariba mexican Grill in Awatukee (part of Phoenix), during their early-bird all-you-can-eat pre-dinner time, (which is the way I prefer to eat, and have always). There I had five plates of food including 4 shredded beef chimichangas and 4 cheese enchilas alomg with a half dozen or so taquitos and about 5 cups soda and 3-4 water. The enchilda sauce many say is too spicy, I say it's good but pretty mild.
The next day I had a very light breakfast (which increases my eating capasity later in the day if eaten). I ate what most would consider a meal at abot 10 A.M., then downed a half gallon of water.
Upon arrival fifteen minutes under short of two hours later, at the mall I spoke with a gentelman whom told me that had had to preregister. I told him, "that's too bad because I could give the ones here some good competition.
The gentelman, Ryan Nerz, wrote my name down and told he would keep me in mind as an alternate. I said ok, snd he signed my name in. I walked away with my wife and two children as they went to burger king to get something to eat.
About 20 minutes later I rapproached Ryan, asking him if everyone which was here had actuslly pre-registered. (Later upon asking if there was an alternate position open he kindly admitted me into "hotdog heaven")
As he answered with a nod and a "yes, this man here did, he is ranked fifth in the world" stating that there beside me was Rich lefevre as was his wife Carlene, currently ranked 16th I believe. These were a pair whom I remember reading much about during my earlier years. They were two of the pioneers involved in really making this a sport, putting competitive eating, not to be just dubbed "speed-eating" anymore, on the map.
Before I encountered Rich and a few minutes, Eric "the Red" Denmark at the sign-in table, I really felt confident that I'd take the trophy home, and get the trip to New York, even though I was severly out of "practice".
After they were there I knew still do well anyway but knew I had much less in the experience department than the ones I already had a chance to meet.
When the names were anounced some would have sounded intimidating to some, but I just stood ready to eat. My wife and two children along with my brother-in-law (sister husband) came to see me in action.
At one point pre-eat, I recall that Micheal, my brother-in-law jokingly shouted "you're going down!' when Rich Lefevre was announced. It recieved a quick surprized glance from Ryan.
Everyone in the crowd, well those willing to participate, did a countdown from ten down to go. When the time began I was not nervous at all, nor was I later on, well not about winning part anyway.
Only one minute into the competition and I had already consumed 4 dogs and buns and had my hand on my fifth, when I noticed Rich was getting all of the attention. He was finishing his fourth hot dog and bun when I bit into my fifth.
When I tried signalling Ryan or the "hot dog guy" whomever was closer to look at my plate. I was however unsucsessful, because immediately upon looking to my right, I made my biggest mistake of the competition, I saw Rich, only two heads down, cramming food into his mouth, and leaning over in his trademark locust stance, unfortunately giving me a "better" view of his "efforts" and I almost gagged.
I really was not sure if he was putting food in or having a "reversaal of fortune" so I slowed down a lot, but was determined to under no curcumstanced be disqualified or give up.
I made the same mistake when it was announced that another "local" had consumed 10 and was beating every other Arizonan there, when I motioned (mouth full of food), this time with the help of the , (I apologize that I do not his name) "hot dog guy". I was guarded this time against Lefevre's very unusual display, but my stomach felt little better than after the first visual experience.
I knew that soon after Rich had a commanding lead, (from about 3 1/2 minutes up, and with my lacking public competitive experience accompanied by having had less than a day's notice that, I wouldn't be able to again get ahead of him, not with all things considered. I am not claiming that I would have beaten Rich even had I been at the other end of the table, since I had no recent training, I believe the results would have been similar, but I know it was well in my capacity within the time alloted to put away another 5-10 plus. That I know form confident practice sessions and real life un rushed "meals".
At my next event I don't mind what goes on, even if (which fortunately didn't happen at my first event), the next guy loses his dogs, or whatever the food of choice is, a few feet away from where I a standing, as long as it doesn't get on my plates, or "maneuvering room".
Glancing at competitors, many very good ones, cramming food down like that no longer bothers me at all, but it was earned that "toughness" at a price, I had to train for this kind of "shock" during the competition, as I had to "train" for the number of dogs to be eaten itself there. In all fairness suppose that others may have had the same feelings about me during my "paractice sesions".
June 3rd at Arizona Mills was my training day and competition all rolled into one.
It was, to my memory (perhaps very much in error), announced a few times that I was holding in at "second" place, of course which I wasn't, Eric "the Red" was, but I did not know till after the competition.
I understand that there is a lot of information to be gathered there and that Ryan's job has to be as intense and as fast paced as the consumption of hot dogs by the competitors themselves. I applaud you for your good job Ryan.
Things like numbers of dogs or place holdings get missed I know. Under the impression that I was distant second, behind Rich Lefevre, I maintained a relatively very slow pace, so I would not get sick during my first stab at a public eating-scene challenge, yet would keep my "2nd place".
Had I known, no doubt Eric "the Red" would have been my primary focus of direct competition. Even by then, very feasibly I estimate that by the end 16 (a mere 3- or so more than I finished with) plus would have been well within reason, had I understood that I was in the third position. This "misunderstanding" of mine took place around the 7-8 mminute mark, ample time to have picked up the pace
Maybe the detail was misunderstood, like when it was announced that someone else, with 2 few down than me was the leading Arizona native.
It is easily as likely that I had misunderstood whom Ryan was speaking of.
All in all, I could not be dissapointed with third place and thirteen hot dogs and buns down, with no preperation and no training, together with little knowlege of can-do's and the (don't do or you get disqualified), I couldn't have expected many more.
I was shooting for 20-25, because I've eaten far more than my 13 in less time (than 12 minutes), but even during "practice" these were "training" numbers, not results of the real deal. The actual "arena" had many other factors thrown in to deal with. It's still funny to note that how vivid the smell of chewed meat was. Other people's chewed meat!
I am altogether happy with my overall performance there, and would like to again thank Ryan Nerz for letting me take place even though for all he know, I'd be a "2 hot dog" guy.
Another minor detail, since I was new to public compitition I did not know I could bring my own drink to at least add to my water. As I saw Eric "The Red" pour in some tea he brought to a cup of water on the competition table I thought about how well lemon juice works for me (settling my stomach, wich is all I'd need my metabolism is always in "overdrive") I'll keep in mind to bring some juice in the future.
Had I also known that no doubt would I felt just as comfortable having added another 2-3 hot dogs to my total, for my raw capasity is there. What can I expect, I was so "green", as I still am.
The next time I go to a competitive eating event, the rules are something shall have already payed much more attention to, for knowing little things that I could do, which I "apparently very wrongly" assumed would violate IFOCE rules would directly benefit me.
Another thing I quickly learned after the competition which I had failed to do, which woould surely have "too easily" added another dog 'n bun to my proud standing, was something it seemed like a few of the athletes in the competition did as the final seconds ticked away: it looked as if maybe as many as 2-5 ompetitors "shoved" a whole hotdog, some cases I think more, some less, into their mouth, some appeared to be successful. Yep, humorously I thought while standing there that we had some real chipmonks there.
I had, prior to the Nathan's event, believed "for some reason" that would be cheating. Showing again my lack of knowldege concering IFGOCE rules and regulations I slowly chewed the last portion of the thirteenth hot dog, (mouth at a pathetic 1/5 capacity by the regional's time had expiredr), and paused for a second or two as the count hit 4 looking at the audiance and relaxing, that being highly unnessicary, as I had thought that anymore stuffed into my mouth would constitute a disqualification, then popped the last morsel into my mouth at the count of 2.
I can easily, easily fit an entire hot dog and bun into my mouth, and had more than ample time, yet purposely avoided this for fear of elimination. It is funny to note that the top two finishers, after time ran out had chewed for far, far longer than I did. Apparently I had given up a great advantge. That factor alone may have been enough to made an arizona native (AZ MIlls record).
No offence to the competitors, in fact I would have done the exact thing had I known, or at least contemplated it. Post-event mastication as it appeared to me: myself, about 30 seconds of mouth closed (no obvious chipmonk), to Riches approx 1 1/2 minutes plus mouth also closed (a little chipmonked), and Eric's probablyy 2-3 minutes plus of (balloon) puffy cheeked mouth sporadically opening, but not puking a bit, hand covering, effort. I'm just telling it like it was.
Had I known I would have also had puffy cheeks for like 2-4 minutes hand keeping the contents indside my mouth in check, although for a first performance it is probably better I did not, in case during one of those sporadic "mouth opening hot-dog-trying-to-get-out " events, I had a "reversal of fortune".
Next time, no pointless pauses, mouth will be filled to capacity and dogs are going down, all the way to zero!
Everyone there in my opinion performed well, (the top two finishers, both good men, made it fun to be there (despite all factors included I relished in it, although my hot dogs did not, actually they recieved no kethup or mustard either).
As well, every other man and woman involved in the competition, many professionals showed bravery to be there, for a few, unfortunate nearly vomit stricken ones may have been out of their element.
I thought it all ended when time went down to zero, although obviously noone was going to "count only what had been chewed in your mouth and swallowed", how gross!
My performance wasn't too bad I think considering I just "threw myself" in relatively unfamiliar "public turf" without having a firm grip on the nuances of the sport.
After the competition I actually felt compelled for a vanishing instant, almost out of instinct, to ask if for I could take the other seven hot dogs in front of me with me or even eat them there. It was kind of a shame the competition ended so prematurely, I was in the middle of lunch! I planned on eating another 3-5 then, but the table was soon clean.
Rich, I enjoyed eating along side you, you are no longer just a few pages and stories, but a real man who hasn't slowed down. Eric, it was good to compete with you too. To all the others, I loved the experience!
It was really fun like I began this little, ok maybe not "that" little entry, a little while ago.
Russell "The Black Hole" Blackwell
