A wierd phenomenon has sprung up world wide this January, with hundreds of runners throughout the U.S. — in addition to some in Australia, New Zealand, and Chile — repeating brief Strava segments as many occasions as they will over the course of the month. Coming into its third week, the Burrito League has turn into a little bit of a phenomenon in ultrarunning.
What originated as a problem in 2024 and 2025, put ahead by the Mexican restaurant Chipotle and the health monitoring app Strava, has rapidly developed a lifetime of its personal. For these two years, Chipotle and Strava teamed as much as problem runners to run particular segments as usually as doable in January, with the winner incomes a yr’s value of burritos.
Jamil Coury, 2025 Chipotle Problem winner and 2026 Burrito League instigator, runs together with his son in the course of the 2026 Tempe Burrito Problem. Photograph: Andrew Bottiglieri
In 2024, runners throughout the nation took on the problem, racking up lots of of miles, with a couple of reaching practically 450. Then, in 2025, two athletes, Kevin Russ and Jamil Coury, battled for over 750 miles on a small 0.2-mile stretch of sidewalk in Tempe, Arizona. The operating world turned intrigued, and when the mud settled at midnight on January 31, Coury was declared the victor.
In style Pedestrianism
Lengthy earlier than ultrarunning, within the late 18th and Nineteenth centuries, long-distance pedestrianism — what would later evolve into aggressive racewalking — was a well-liked spectator sport within the U.Okay. In 1809, Captain Robert Barclay Allardice of Scotland, one of the well-known pedestrians of the time, walked one mile each hour for 1,000 hours. Pedestrianism grew and unfold to the U.S., with lots of the long-distance occasions requiring rivals to finish brief loops on tracks and in arenas for as much as 600 miles, or six days, usually with hundreds of spectators in attendance. Among the most well-known of those occasions occurred in New York Metropolis’s Madison Sq. Backyard and included wagering on the rivals and numerous different types of chicanery. These early pedestrians turned worldwide celebrities, usually having fun with hefty paydays and super publicity.
Because the twentieth century dawned, curiosity in pedestrianism waned because the invention of the protection bicycle created a brand new type of transportation for the lots, and spectators discovered different types of sports activities leisure. Multiday races have continued to exist, however not practically on the degree of recognition as earlier than 1900.
The 2026 Burrito League turned a well-liked exercise all through the U.S. this January. Photograph: Andrew Bottiglieri
Return of the Burrito
Many assumed, as 2026 dawned, that the Chipotle Burrito Problem on Mill Avenue in Arizona would as soon as once more warmth up as a handful of runners and walkers from across the nation discovered their technique to Tempe to compete. However alas, a couple of days into January, everybody realized that Chipotle and Strava weren’t internet hosting the competitors this yr. Maybe Coury had eaten too far into Chipotle’s earnings together with his 2025 prize.
At that time, Coury, Russ, and a staff of volunteers rapidly sprang into motion to create the Burrito League. Prizes — comparable to a yr’s value of burritos, entry into the Cocodona 250 Mile, and Mount to Coast sneakers — have been rapidly provided, and at midnight on January 6, 2026, the Tempe Burrito League launched.
Mountain Outpost took to livestreaming the 2026 Tempe Burrito League. Photograph: Andrew Bottiglieri
What adopted was fascinating, as Burrito League “chapters” rapidly sprang up throughout the nation and world wide. The Mountain Outpost YouTube channel launched 24-hour wall-to-wall video protection of the Tempe phase. Thus far, hundreds of runners and walkers have accomplished segments, and there may be nonetheless greater than every week left on the time this text was printed. In line with Strava, as of January 21, 244 athletes have accomplished 27,429 runs on the Tempe phase alone, accounting for over 5,317 miles.
After all, within the Burrito League, there are not any huge Nineteenth-century crowds watching and putting bets on the runners. Nonetheless, the motion has struck a nerve within the long-distance operating neighborhood, and alongside the best way, the league has introduced individuals collectively in methods none may have imagined. Because the month nears its finish and this phenomenon winds down, I can’t assist however marvel: What does Burrito League imply for pedestrianism? We will see.
Spectators take within the 2026 Tempe Burrito League scene. Photograph: Andrew Bottiglieri
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Goldwater Brewing Firm in Tempe, Arizona. Machine Gun Teddy is a deliciously clean brown ale with a touch of caramel that goes down completely after a protracted day of “segmenting.”
Name for Feedback
- Are you taking part within the Burrito League this January?
- What different enjoyable operating challenges have you ever been part of?
Even Rachel Entrekin (proper) bought in 67 Burrito League miles earlier than successful the 2026 Coldwater Rumble 100 Mile this previous weekend. Photograph courtesy of Troy Croxdale (left).
