30 minutes to go.

Gird your loins. (For some color on the participants, rules of this challenge, familiarize yourselves here.)

3 minutes down

Participant 1: one DD consumed

Participant 2: one DD consumed ("I feel like I have been eating for 10 minutes already")

5 minutes down

Participant 1: two and a half down

Participant 2: two down ("getting harder to breathe")

10 minutes down

P1: 3.5 sandos housed, showing signs of slowing

P2: 2.75 sandos housed, is clearly feeling pain

Additional notes: Franks Red Hot has been added; a crowd is forming.

Half-way Point

P1 (this is the MBA guy who's been monitoring his weight daily for the past 7 years): 3.9 down

P2 (this is the married guy who lives in NJ): 3.5 down, is breaking the sandwiches into pieces

Notes from colleagues: MBA is getting a lot of crowd support; Lots of heavy breathing from both parties; Family Man says- "will not take the bus to nj tonight"

20 minutes down, 10 minutes to go

P1: 4 DD's

P2: 4 DD's

Colleagues say: Fail predicted; Both tearing into number 5 with trepidation; MBA is taking a long look at number 5; Family man is showing signs of rallying; The cheese is causing real problems; Family man, "5 wouldn't be a problem, the problem is there are seven."

25 minutes down, 5 minutes to go

P1: about 25% done with 5th sandwich

P2: Pulling ahead at 4.5

Someone has started playing "Eye of the Tiger"

3.5 minutes to the buzzer

P1: is not eating or speaking, stalled at 4.25

P2: is standing up to eat the rest of number 5

30 minutes down, time up

P1: threw in the towel 3 minutes ago, at 4.25 DD's

P2: "wins" with almost 5

Notes from colleagues: "Over was 10, they finished 9 between the two of them"

Closing thoughts: While I'm happy these guys kicked off the first Double Down Challenge of the season, and they should be lauded for that, obviously this was a bit of an abysmal failure, and one that I leave it to the rest of you to make right. More sandwiches, less time, you eating like your life depends on it. Don't disappoint us.