Trail Running Blog

Race Report: Hot Chocolate 15K/5K Race

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Hot Chocolate race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I’ve wanted to run the Hot Chocolate run for many years now. I still remember seeing this race being promoted at a race expo back in 2012, you couldn’t miss them with their large inflatable balloon taking up so much space at the expo. While a run that offered hot chocolate at the end was sweet and different, what I liked more was that they offered a really nice running jacket instead of a cheap t-shirt or finisher medal. At that time, I had collected more than enough shirts and race medals, but the jacket seemed more practical since it was something I would have been able to use much more often than a medal. I actually had the chance to run this race last year. I registered and even picked up my jacket at the race expo, but something came up and I wasn’t able to attend the race. I finally got to participate in the race this year and am glad I did. It was a very well-organized race, and I had no issues from start to finish. The course was pretty straightforward, we ran through some streets around downtown, I didn’t notice anything too scenic but it was nice that it started and finished around the same area. There were some hills throughout the course, but nothing too daunting. The chocolate was a nice treat at the end, and it was dark chocolate so I did not feel guilty eating that after the run. The Hot Chocolate Run is a great way to combine exercise and the social element of running together.

I also claimed my results on Athlinks, which is a great way to keep a historical record of all races you’ve ever run (and I’ve ran a lot of races..) It has fun info like all your personal records by distance, total races run, total miles and your Athlinks rank (I’m top 9%!) Here is a link to my Athlink.

And finally here are some photos taken before, during and after the Hot Chocolate run: