Fizzy Fun at North Phoenix Prep’s Root Beer Mile

For the past five years, North Phoenix Prep’s cross country team has held a unique and entertaining tradition known as the Root Beer Mile. Over 30 runners, including athletes, coaches, friends, and family members, came out for the sixth year of this fun-filled event, which has become a much-anticipated part of the team’s end-of-summer training schedule.

The event involves a four-lap challenge where each athlete must drink a full 12 ounce can of root beer before running a 400-meter lap. This process is repeated for a total of four laps, equivalent to one mile. The key rule is that athletes must consume the entire can of root beer before proceeding to the next lap, and they must complete the mile without losing any of the liquid they’ve ingested, which proved to be harder than it sounds. “The toughest part for most athletes is being able to control their bodies as the root beer foam rises in their systems each lap,” explained Brad Curtis, North Phoenix Prep’s Head Coach for High School Track and Cross Country.

Many of the runners had varied opinions about how best to tackle the challenge. Some arrived with an empty stomach, while others said it was best to have a small snack first. Most had their preferred brand of root beer based on the amount of foam it produced. The lower the foam content, the easier it was on the stomach while running. Some said it was better to chug the root beer before the lap, while others sipped, and one runner even used a straw to counter the carbonation. No matter the technique, the addition of root beer to the run proved to be the great equalizer, causing even the best runners in the group to find the challenge difficult. Managing root beer foam added a fun yet demanding twist to the typical mile run.

Many of the athletes found it even more challenging than others, as many of their diets consist of eliminating sugar while training. For other participants, the total 48 ounces of root beer is not much different from what they might consume during a summer outing to the movies or a ballgame. However, drinking it all in a short span while running adds a unique perspective on their consumption.

Curtis said the Root Beer Mile is part of a broader trend within the running community, which has held various novelty mile challenges over the past decade. These include the Milk Mile, the Big Mac Mile, and the Chipotle Bowl Mile, each adding its unique twist to the traditional mile run.

In the end, Director of Athletics in Arizona Jon Rickey came in third place, Coach Justin Norris finished second, and recent North Phoenix Prep graduate Kaden Duryea took first place. “[By] the third and fourth cans, it gets a little difficult to run… It’s mostly just like trying not to throw up,” explained Duryea. But that didn’t appear to slow him down too much.

“The Root Beer Mile has always just been about having some fun and giving the athletes a challenging activity at the end of our summer training schedule,” shared Curtis, who participated right alongside his team. “We always expect this event to create a team bonding situation.” According to Curtis, it usually gives the coaches and team a view of what some of the athletes’ limits are. “It allows some athletes that might not be the fastest on the team to be on a level playing field with our varsity athletes.”

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