Just as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (also known as the 2008 Summer Olympic Games) in Beijing, China, wind down this weekend, the running of the Krystal Square Off grill through the streets of downtown Chattanooga will mark the opening of Krystal Square Off V.

Two days of activities, including the first of seven qualifying events, mark the beginning of the $50,000 world Krystal eating championship.

“Humble” Bob Shoudt, for one, can’t wait. The runner-up in the 2007 Krystal Square Off and the current record holder of the most Krystals eaten in two minutes will return to the Scenic City not only to be part of the qualifier but also for an eating exhibition that is part of the events.

“The food is good, they treat you awesome and that part of the country is very beautiful,” the Royersford, Pa., resident said on his blog.

The eight-minute qualifier is Saturday at 3 p.m. on the main stage of the Southern Brewers Festival at the Chattanooga riverfront.

For the first time in Square Off history, up to five amateur eaters (ages 18 and up) will be chosen an hour before the event to chomp alongside the professional eaters.

Today, beginning at Krystal Co. headquarters at 1 Union Square, the first running of a ceremonial grill will kick things off at 1 p.m. A media Krystal eating contest will follow at 2 p.m., and the exhibition by Shoudt will take place at 2:20 p.m.

All of today’s events are free.

Additional Square Off qualifiers will be held in Atlanta, Birmingham, Ala., Jacksonville, Fla., Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis.

The championship will be in Chattanooga on Sept. 28.

Last year’s winner, Joey Chestnut, gobbled 103 Krystals. He receives an automatic seat at this year’s finale. Shoudt downed 95 and said it will take more than 100 to win this year’s event.

“Definitely more — over 100 for sure,” he said in a phone interview. “Wherever it’s going to stop, I’m not sure.”

Unlike for other eating competitions, Shoudt said he practices for the Krystal qualifier. He said he buys any small burger he can get his hands on and tries to build up the initial speed — one every three seconds to start — he will need to win the contest.

“Eating for duration for me is easier than eating for speed,” he said. “I have to slow down at some point.”

The Krystal qualifier, said Shoudt, who is ranked fifth in the world by the International Federation of Competitive Eating and has been in the last four Square Offs, “will be so easy to do as opposed to what I’ve been practicing with.”

The Pennsylvanian, who manages a group of information technology workers when he’s not eating competitively, said he has no secret to downing the square burgers.

“I wish I did,” he said. “I just try to keep moving. You have to dunk them a little bit — get them wet. But it’s just a good size to pick up and eat. It’s not like a big pizza slice. It’s a good unit of size. You know what to expect as opposed to a whole turkey. You don’t swallow (that) whole.”

Incredibly, Shoudt does not eat meat or meat products outside of eating contests.

This weekend, he’ll be sandwiching his appearance in Chattanooga between last weekend’s Ach Creek Saloon World Rib Eating Championship in Black Rock, Conn., and next weekend’s Myrtle Beach (S.C.) World BBQ Eating Championship.

“(The Krystal Square Off) is the Super Bowl of competitive eating,” Shoudt said. “I want the eight-minute record. It’s a big deal for me.”