“I can eat 72 hot dogs”

by Patrick Appel

Joey Chestnut, a competitive eater, reveals his pre-contest routine:

“The most important contest for me is Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. For months, that’s the only thing I’m willing to think about. The first thing I see when I get up in the morning is what I have written on my mirror: Winning is the only option. I have some superstitions. I don’t sleep more than four hours a night before a contest because I feel like my stomach shrinks. I’ve never been able to confirm it with a doctor, but I believe it. Before a lot of contests, I’m not the nicest person; I’ll tell the other competitors that I already called my mom and told her I won. When I bring my little brother to a contest, I never lose. I lose contests every year when I get lazy. But on my best day, I can’t be beaten. It’s up to me. It’s an awesome feeling knowing no matter how hard they try, the other competitors are going to barf.”