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Contestants Weigh In For Annual Nathan's 4th Of July Hot Dog Eating Competition

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - It's a time-honored New York City tradition.

Eighteen contestants weighed in Wednesday ahead of tomorrow's annual Nathan's hot dog eating competition.

The competition is fun and entertaining to watch on television, but a lot of the contestants are actually very stressed out, reported CBSN New York's Christina Fan. Who wouldn't be? The record last year was set at 74 dogs.

PHOTOS: Nathan's Fourth Of July Hot Dog Eating Competion Weigh-In

The contestants hail from California all the way to Tokyo, Japan. Some specialize at eating pastries, others donuts and pies. Most prefer to chow down on other foods than hot dogs, but this competition can't be missed. It's what they call their Super Bowl.

Web Extra: Miki Sudo On The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Competition

Miki Sudo, the defending woman's Champion told us she got her start doing a food challenge at a local restaurant. She says the toughest part of being a competitive eater is staying hydrated, both before and during their binge.

There's less than 24 hours leading up to the big competition. Some contestants say they'll be relaxing, other hitting the gym for a last minute workout. Everyone though plans to down a lot of water. Tomorrow's hot and humid forecast may prove to be the biggest challenger.

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