Asheville Hot Chocolate Races
Asheville, NC
- Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Asheville Hot Chocolate races has been the highlight of Western North Carolina’s winter running season since 2008. The race began as a simple 10k with a 1k kids hill climb. The race grew as a family event and so the short, 100 yard Marshmallow Dash was added for the … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jan 24):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 35 | 39 | 56 | 53 | 52 |
| L (°F) | 21 | 15 | 44 | 28 | 30 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Nice course, bring more hot chocolate
This was a well-organized course. My hometown is Asheville and I wanted to go back to visit family, and so I stayed outside of town. But there is at least … MORE
This was a well-organized course. My hometown is Asheville and I wanted to go back to visit family, and so I stayed outside of town. But there is at least one hotel, maybe two, within easy walking distance of the start line. The parking was about a ten minute walk from the start but it was mapped out on the website clearly and so no issues parking.
The weather was cold, which is expected in January in WNC, but the staging area pre-start is at a school and it was nice, for a change, to be able to hang out in the warmth until a moment or two before the race started.
The course was pretty once it got to the river, and along River Rd., and you go by the old Asheville Speedway, and to the end of the riverwalk, then back. I’d do this course again, but only if I were in town visiting family over that weekend. It’s a good race, certainly worth doing, but maybe not one you’ll drive very far to get to unless you just want to visit AVL or were going to be there anyway.
Plenty of toilets along the route, aid stations were great, and the hot chocolate at the end was also nice. And good. Not cheap powder. But I’m puzzled why the French Broad Chocolate Co. would sponsor this race and provide the hot chocolate but serve it to runners in white (what looked like) hospital pill/med cups. Seems like a whole lot of free advertising to serve cups that are a bit larger – maybe espresso cups? – and marked with the FBHC Co. name. Not a gripe, just an observation.
Nothing negative about this race. Absolutely do it if you are local or regional and looking for a nice urban course and don’t mind the cold. I think it was 29 degrees when we started. 34 or 35 when we finished. Then head over to The Hole Donut Company about 1.5 miles away for some fresh handmade donuts. Top five donuts I’ve ever eaten.
Nice small but organized race.
Mostly flat race along the riverfront trails. Traffic control was well managed in the few areas off the trails. Great reason to visit Asheville, and packet pick up is in … MORE
Mostly flat race along the riverfront trails. Traffic control was well managed in the few areas off the trails. Great reason to visit Asheville, and packet pick up is in a local brewpub.