This event is on my yearly schedule. I have run multiple times always consistent production. Course has never changed since I have been running. Have run both the 5 &15k. … MORE
This event is on my yearly schedule. I have run multiple times always consistent production. Course has never changed since I have been running. Have run both the 5 &15k. This year the 15k. Course isn’t flat but has a few small rolling up and downs but not considered hills. Not very scenic but start and finish is in fair park, home to the Texas State Fair. Corral starts mostly on honor system when you register but easy to get into most any corral. Good water stops. Swag is always some kind of a jacket. Post race deals are nice. And the reason most run is for the chocolate treats post race. Always a decent event and we run it most every year the only negative is you either pay to have your bib mailed to you or you have to go pick it up before race day and pay $10 to park just to run in and grab it which takes about five minutes. No race day pickup. Free parking race day if you arrive before 8:00 AM.
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Run then eat chocolate
This event is on my yearly schedule. I have run multiple times always consistent production. Course has never changed since I have been running. Have run both the 5 &15k. … MORE
This event is on my yearly schedule. I have run multiple times always consistent production. Course has never changed since I have been running. Have run both the 5 &15k. This year the 15k. Course isn’t flat but has a few small rolling up and downs but not considered hills. Not very scenic but start and finish is in fair park, home to the Texas State Fair. Corral starts mostly on honor system when you register but easy to get into most any corral. Good water stops. Swag is always some kind of a jacket. Post race deals are nice. And the reason most run is for the chocolate treats post race. Always a decent event and we run it most every year the only negative is you either pay to have your bib mailed to you or you have to go pick it up before race day and pay $10 to park just to run in and grab it which takes about five minutes. No race day pickup. Free parking race day if you arrive before 8:00 AM.
No idea how big this race is!
logistics are confusing for first timers. walked ~1 mile just to get to starting line and the corral assignments were not orchestrated. the good news is: tons of volunteers, easy … MORE
logistics are confusing for first timers. walked ~1 mile just to get to starting line and the corral assignments were not orchestrated. the good news is: tons of volunteers, easy course, no dogs (love dogs but their dangerous) great hot chocolate and treats. can’t wait for next year; i’ll have the lay of the land.
Hot Chocolate 5K
My 4th Hot Chocolate event in Dallas. Second 5K. Great event. Will run again 5 K fast flat course. One small incline at mile 2.25 or so but nothing to … MORE
My 4th Hot Chocolate event in Dallas. Second 5K.
Great event. Will run again
5 K fast flat course. One small incline at mile 2.25 or so but nothing to sweat about.
Great volunteers.
Good swag. New this year 5K finisher medal.
Chocolate treats when you finish.
Cold Temps and Hot Chocolate
Almost nothing not to like about The Hot Chocolate event. I listed as a first timer but this is my second HC but first at the 5k distance. It is … MORE
Almost nothing not to like about The Hot Chocolate event.
I listed as a first timer but this is my second HC but first at the 5k distance.
It is a great event.
Registration was easy. I always register early for the best price. Think it was like $35 and I think for what you get it is a deal.
So packet pickup is at their small expo Thursday and Friday before the Saturday event. No race day pickup. You do have the option of getting it mailed to you for an extra $20. There is a $5 parking fee for the expo. Not liking that but I gues part of the cost of running The expo is small. Packet pickup is easy. Get your bib, get your jacket, legacy goodies if you have run the specific number of events, visit a few vendors and that’s it. I have done this event multiple years and they always produce a quality jacket that is in your packet. There are additional shirts, jackets, and other HC branded items for sale at the expo. You also can try on your jacket and exchange at the expo if needed. They do have some chocolate snacks they hand out at the expo.
Race day. This event is held at Fair Park in Dallas where the state fair is held every year. Plenty of parking. Race day parking is free as long as you enter the parking lot before 8:00 AM. After 8:00 it is $5 to park. It is a half mile to mile walk from some of the parking areas.
Pre race. Plenty of restroom facilities, some indoor and some portable units.
There is also an indoor area open pre race so you can get out of the weather.
Starting area – they use a corral system based mostly on what you enter as your expected finish time. They do have preferred corrals where you have to submit previous event results to get in the first couple of corrals but I have been running long enough to know some find a way around that and there was also no one checking bibs to ensure you were in the correct area.
Start was a wave start with a minute or two between waves.
Course – flat until the last half mile when you run over an overpass but it isn’t too long and you get to run down it. Water stations on the 5k there was one and it had chocolate candy, Nunn sports drink, & water. Course scenery – other than the historical buildings in fair park, there is noting to see unless the tent city under the bridge counts. Finish line. For the 5k no finisher medals. They had sports drink and water available. Post race – the reaso most Run this event- you get a bowl with dipping chocolate, items to dip in it, and a cup of hot chocolate. Race results are posted online as you finish. You also get free low res race photos and they are also available in an hour or so after you finish. There was a couple of vendors and the HC tent selling items post race. Awards presented post race are for top three over all. Age group awards are mailed.
Overall impression third year to run HC and it still is a great event. It will probably be on my race schedule every year.
Suggested improvements? Waive the expo parking fee but that won’t happen as the parking is run by the city. Add a 5k finisher medal. Doubt that will happen either.
Nike screenshot from my run showing the course and elevation attached.
Most Fun and Best Chocolate!
This was my first time to run a Hot Chocolate race and I ran the 15k in Dallas. It was cold, but nice weather and I felt well-supported. There were … MORE
This was my first time to run a Hot Chocolate race and I ran the 15k in Dallas. It was cold, but nice weather and I felt well-supported. There were plenty of hydration stations with sweet treats as well! I had a blast and I hope to attend more HC races in the future. The swag was excellent with a jacket and chocolate treats at the end. The only downside was there was nothing for my husband and son to do while they waited for my finish.
Good Race: TERRIBLE MC
I loved the race. Packet Pickup at the expo was easy as pie. It was at Fair Park in Dallas with a ton of walking to get there...but other than … MORE
I loved the race.
Packet Pickup at the expo was easy as pie. It was at Fair Park in Dallas with a ton of walking to get there…but other than that, loved it!!
Raceday: parking was easy. Police presence was great…and really important…people in downtown Dallas aren’t too keen on having their morning routine’s slowed down due to a race. There were LOTS of unhappy motorists, I did not feel safe at times, but there were plenty of police.
The one thing that upset me the most…at the starting line for the 15k the MC said things like “OK, here are the real runners. At the 5k starting line, it was just a bunch of 6 and 7 year olds. You guys are the real runners”. It really offended me enough to make me not want to participate in another Hotchocolate event. Anyone who runs is a runner and I want to see the MC run a 5k and then talk about how easy it is. I’m pretty upset still.
If you Like Chocolate,, This is your Run
If you like chocolate and running, this is your event. Register early as with most events it is lower cost. They offer to mail your packet, but to me the … MORE
If you like chocolate and running, this is your event.
Register early as with most events it is lower cost.
They offer to mail your packet, but to me the price was too high.
Packet pickup – they have an expo, You have to pay $5 to park. Someone picked up my packet for me. You can pick up five packets. I was told there were several vendors selling running items as well as chocolate to be sampled. Your packet is your number and whatever the year’s swag – this year was a 1/4 zip jacket, It looked better in person than online, I was surprised
Race Day. This event is held in Fair Park Dallas – site of the State Fair.
Lots of parking but get there early for the shortest walk to the start/finish line, but it will still be a walk. Also get there before 8:00 AM or you will have to pay to park.
Pre-race – lots of port-o-johns and some in door facilities. They also had a large building open so you could be inside (warmer) pre-race. This was also were bag check was located.
Starting corrals – they use a corral system and for the most part it is good. No one checks to ensure you don’t get in the wrong corral but most people are honest and stage properly. There was a three or so minute pause between wave starts. There is a 5K and 15K event. The 5K runs first. Between the two events there was about a 20 minute wait for the 15K start.
I ran the 15K. The course was a good one, mostly flat with a few rolling small inclines and one larger incline over a bridge, I say inclines as they are really not hills. Some might think they are hills.
Water stops were great, lots of water and sports drink and lots of volunteers that were happy to be there helping. They also had chocolate at each stop for that little bit of energy.
The course scenery was mostly nice older homes or nice business areas. A few not so nice areas but overall it was as stated a good course. You start and finish at Fair Park. The finish area was good. Get your finisher medal (15K only), water and or sports drink.
After the race you get post race chocolate in the form of Hot Chocolate, yes I know not after a run, but I sat around waiting for others to finish so by the time I got my chocolate I was ready to be warmed up. You also get pretzels, cookies, banana, and rice crispy treats to dip in chocolate. This and the big medal are the reason people attend this event. I thought this would be a one and done, been there done that event, but I may do it again next year, but probably just the 5K as I have my chocolate medal already. You also get free photo downloads. So I rate this event as a best buy if you register early.
Race production doesn't match course
The course was lackluster and somewhat unappealing. We ran by a homeless encampment and the roads were rough through out the course. Could use a few more water stops as … MORE
The course was lackluster and somewhat unappealing. We ran by a homeless encampment and the roads were rough through out the course. Could use a few more water stops as well as there were only four throughout entire course. The race advertised free photos but there were only at start/finish and only one terrible photo was captured of me.
Hot Chocolate In Big D!
This race has some of the best swag and medals around. Well organized, professional and put together. Definitely will do this one again and again. :-) MORE
This race has some of the best swag and medals around. Well organized, professional and put together. Definitely will do this one again and again. 🙂