Hot Chocolate 15/5K

An easy though somewhat boring run. Great aid stations though would pick other foods besides marshmallows and chocolate.
Parking: Is insane. Get here early! I made my friend get to the race almost two hours early, so we could get a good spot! However, there were others hanging out/​warming up and someone lead a yoga sequence.
Cost: A bit high. The shirt is a zip-​up jacket. I’m a Lulu and Athleta girl through and through, so the low quality and lack of breathable material of the jacket was rather disappointing. So, I felt the cost of the race was due to this jacket. That said, it’s always a conversation starter.
Race course: This was in Scottsdale and was fairly OK — mostly city streets. Some of the streets were a bit uneven. I noted there was a lot of traffic seemingly waiting for us to pass by? There were clearly marked mileage signs. I completed the 15K race. I was able to get into a preferred corral so started in a bit earlier than the entire group of runners.
Aid stations: There were quite a few port-​a-​potties along the route at the aid stations. The aid stations provided these snacks: 1) strawberry marshmallows, 2) chocolate pieces, 3) M&Ms, and 4) chocolate marshmallows. All a bit too sweet for me. Aid stations also had Gatorade and water.
Volunteers: So many!
Gear check: Easy!
Snack at the end: Everyone sees the photo of the huge chocolate mugs. Ask if the chocolate is lactose-​free. I don’t know if it is, but I certainly fell ill about 20 – 30 minutes post consuming the hot chocolate (I know, I know — it is my fault!) It was rather delicious going down though! The mug included: Banana, Rice Krispies treat, pretzels, candy cane, melted semi-​sweet chocolate, and some other cookie things.
Photos: Available two days post race.

The Hot Chocolate 15/​5K run or as I like to call it, «walk at a slightly faster pace» is one of the only events like this that I have participated in, here in the valley, on my almost free will. (Seriously, how much free will or will power can there be when chocolate is involved?) I don’t even think I own a real pair of sneakers but the promise of hot chocolate can convince me to do a lot of things.
With that in mind, as someone who know absolutely nothing about running other than from my elementary school days, I thought the event was very well organized and the course was pleasant even for a novice.
The well deserved hot chocolate you earn is delicious. Thick and full of flavor. Smart choice on that one organizers. Could the hot chocolate at the end of the race be bigger? Ah, yeah! But probably nothing short of getting to drench yourself in a bath of chocolate at the end would be enough. It could always be bigger. Maybe you could get two cups? No? Can’t hurt a girl for trying.
I have a feeling though many other runners were not solely motivated by the promise of delicious treats at the finish line. The proceeds from the run go to Ronald McDonald House Charities in each city the race is ran. The cost to run also includes a hoodie which you pick up prior to the event and can wear during the run. It is a nice way to make everyone feel like they belong whilst the faster runners push you out of the way for being too slow.
Also, there are many photo opts during the run and afterwards you receive an email to claim the photos if you so choose. This seems pretty typical but is a nice way to remind you of how you friends tricked you into waking up early that day for good parking.
Maybe I can just volunteer next time. They get chocolate too, right?

I have participated in the 2013 5K and the 2014 15K. This is really the only race I participate in here in AZ. The hoodie\jacket I have gotten each year are very nice. I always receive compliments on it, my 2013 has been washed plenty of times (Air dry only, no dyer) and is still in wonderful condition. No fraying.
Packet pickup is convenient, having two days with long hours to pick up is great. for 2014 I barely waited 5 minutes to get my bib. (Although, I did arrive «early» at 12:30pm on Friday, so maybe that was why) but there were plenty of volunteers at booths to scan your collection code. 2013 was in a small expo building, so it was not as nice.
YES DRIVING — PARKING is crappy on the day of, but if you’ve ever gone to
arena, or Cardinals stadium, the same line up\traffic happens there also! I just plan accordingly. I saw the backup on the Freeway, (I drive past all that and take my alternative route (;) it does go probably up to 2 exits BEFORE Indian Bend. with literally STOPPED traffic… BOTH years it does this, it really is just the area, there’s not much the actual race can do. It is an easily congestible area. I only had to be there by 7:30 for my 8:15 15K start, HOWEVER, I always try to arrive by 6:45, parking is easy if you park in the pavilions, but the walk is a little lengthy to actually get near the corrals (But I have an hour plus time to kill so it’s fine, sometimes I grab a coffee and chill in the McDonald’s).
The race routes are nice. Although the first mile, I believe it is Pima road, is really crappy. It has those sealant lines all over it, and on mile 6 maybe? I almost broke my ankle because of big cracks in the road. I stepped right into it, good thing I have flexible ankles, I know that is not the race’s conditions and the City of Scottsdale’s problem, however, I do not wish to run the course with my face down checking for large cracks in asphalt. Put a cone by it for those of us who «get in the zone» haha.
The Finisher cup is alright. My banana was really still green, but my friend took my mug anyways, since it was the same as last years. (Make the rice krispy treats bigger size ;D)
MEDAL was a wonderful touch! It is really nice quality for a medal. some of the figure-​skating competitions I’ve done had cheaper plastic medals (for 130 $ entry fee!) and this one puts those to shame. It is also a aesthetically pleasing design.
Overall is a «fun» run, I like the atmosphere, Plenty of room to have people pass you or pass other people (after the first two mile free-​for-​all-​hot-​mess) it isn’t as serious as other races, you know, I’m not out to run a marathon with a 8minute mile or less, I’m just out to have a fun run and challenge the clock with my own abilities.

I came better prepared this year. From the previous review, you could tell I was absolutely livid about the parking situation, so this time instead of exiting on Indian Bend, my friends and I exited earlier on Pima Rd and took Hayden up to the parking area. There was still a long line but faster than waiting an hour in the car last year.
There was group yoga warm ups at around 6:30 and again at 7:00am, which made it a nice way to start the cold, brisk morning with a stretch. Everyone was suffering because it was so cold this time, but moving around made it better.
Now that I’m a more seasoned runner, I did the 15K instead of the 5K, which is about 9.3 miles. This was my first experience being in the first corral of runners too, which was kind of intimidating for some reason even though it was a fun run. One of the girls was in a specialized wheel chair so she even had a 1 minute head start, but she flew like the wind leading the way.
I was expecting actual hot chocolate along the run this time, because of rumors, but instead there was tons of Gatorade stations. If you didn’t want Gatorade, there was also water available and port-​a-​pottys at each station. The one chocolate stop I was looking forward too was not hot chocolate. Instead it was just Godiva candy. Even though I was slightly disappointed I survived.
I layered on so much clothing because it was so cold that I felt overwhelmed during the run after the first mile. I now will never run with a hoodie, over a long sleeved shirt over an undershirt, so that’s one thing I might change next year.
The course itself was nice. Nothing extraordinary. Running through Scottsdale is always nice since there are plenty of trees lining the way. You even ran past the Butterfly World building during the run. There are a couple of hair pin turns on the run, so that was my only complaint. It wouldn’t been alot easier if they rounded those couple of turns a bit better.

Great venue at the Stalking Stick grounds. This is the second year I have done this in Phoenix and I am from Prescott. It is a great cause and the energy is just awesome. There are plenty of bathrooms and water stations before during and after the race. The goodie bag is by far the best I have received in all of the races I have participated in. I highly recommend this run for new and seasoned runners.

I’ve been part of both Phoenix (15K) races and even volunteered at the expo this year. I’ve found that these people put on a very well organized event and I’ve had a great time both years.
The hoodie they gave away this year is a lot nicer, IMO, than the jacket from last year, and I was happy to receive something different. The mug full of sugar that we received at the end of the race was the same as last year. It is a plastic mug, which seems a little cheap at first blush. Trust me, though, I’ve been at races where they hand out glass and it is NOT pretty.
I didn’t see a «family reunion» area at this race, but there were a few families who asked about that. You know, signs with each letter of the alphabet where people can meet up after the race? For groups of racers with varying skill levels, that helps a lot in finding one another post-​race. I’d suggest something like that for a future race.
Most of the complaints I’ve heard have to do with parking. Yes, it is bad here. Really bad. I don’t know how much the race organizers have control over that. I didn’t see bottlenecks at the parking areas. Instead, I saw backups on the freeway and on Pima Rd both years so I think a lot of the congestion has to do with the area and the limited access.
I’ve run quite a few races, some much larger and some much smaller. No matter the size, parking always sucks. If you can get dropped off, that’s almost always the best option.
As others have indicated, you should plan to get there really early, especially if you’re running the 5K. I suggest parking at the Pavillions shopping center (where the Expo was) and walking to the race start. There is a nice path from near the UltraStar theater that leads right to the gear check area and start line areas. I don’t think it was more than a mile of walking and it was good to get the blood flowing.
From a volunteer perspective, the well-​managed organization of this event is even more evident. Our jobs were well defined and we weren’t standing around wondering what needed to be done. A big THANK YOU to all of the volunteers out on the course and supporting us on the day of the event.

great race, well organized, nice volunteers, great fondue, awesome hoodie, overall loved it. will do again, we had a blast. Route was clear. start & finish line were in different areas which is odd.

A great race — fun course with great pre and post race support. The chocolate after the race is great as was the party. This is the second year in a row that I ran, and I’ll run again next year!

Very well put together and a lot of fun. The jacket that was given was so nice, better than I expected and will wear a lot. The hot chocolate and fondue afterwards was so good. My first Hot Chocolate Event and will do it again.

My first 5K was the 2012 Hot Chocolate Run, and I did it again in 2013. The goodie bag is fabulous, the chocolate is wonderful, and it’s overall a great event. I did feel like last year’s event had more excitement along the route, with live music and such. Also, the parking situation was not good this year. I arrived early and it took 30 minutes to get from the 101 exit to my parking space. Getting out of there took just as long, too. I’ll come back next year, but I hope they fix these issues.

Great run! The hoodie you receive as part of the race packet is very high quality; I’ll be wearing it a lot. I also bought another hoodie at the merchandise tent; it was similarly very well made and my wife bought a fun bling shirt. The race is a flat course, but it’s nice because you get one side of a road which is divided by a median to run on, so there’s lots of room for runners and no traffic whizzing by. The pre-​race free yoga was a great way to stretch and kill time before the race started. We made sure to arrive very early as there are not a lot of roads into the Salt River Fields complex, although there is a ton of parking available.
The after-​race party is fun, and the hot chocolate and chocolate fondue is wonderful! Lots of lines to pick up your treats from, so virtually no waiting. The only thing I wish was that the mug was higher quality. I can understand it being plastic (so people aren’t dropping and breaking them in the parking lot), but a higher quality level would be appreciated. They also had plastic bag stations for your mug when finished so it didn’t get chocolate all over you/​your car on the way home.
A very well thought out race, and my wife and I will be back next year!

Holy hot chocolate they weren’t kidding when they say to come early for parking. I had read Jennifer H.‘s review but I guess I really didn’t get what she meant when she said the cars were backed up to the 101. I exited at 7am from 101 and it took me 45 mins to the race grounds and park. By then, the 5K was already over!
After taking almost 2 hours to get to the race, I was not going to leave without running so I ended up running the 15K instead!
The parking is definitely an issue I have never been in a race where it took so long to park. I’m not sure what can be done to improve in this area for next year.
Otherwise, the race was very well organized from packet pickup to day of the race. There were a ton of port o johns and volunteers handing out Gatorade and water at the aid stations. I loved hoodie, hot chocolate, and fondue. All were of extremely high quality.
The only other thing I was disappointed about was the finisher mug. On the website it looked like it was ceramic but the actual finisher mug is made from thin, cheap plastic. Almost disposable. In fact, that’s where a lot of the finisher mug ended up– in the trash can after the goodies were consumed. I brought mine home but it looks so cheap I don’t know if I will display it.
Overall, a very enjoyable way to spend the morning. I don’t know if I will do this race again due to the parking issue~ but it is a fun race!

Hands down, one of the funnest runs I have ever done! The price was great considering the price included an amazing finisher’s mug full of chocolate, food, and HOT chocolate, and not to mention an awesome wind breaker. (NOTE: the women’s sizes were more like teen sizing and ran small. I’m about a size 6 – 8 and ended up getting a woman’s XL, but they let you try on and exchange no problem!)
Packet pick up was quick in/​out with about 8 sale booths to check out. It’s fun to sometimes look at all the sports-​related stuff, and other upcoming runs.
Day of the run was seamless! I live about two miles away, so parking was a breeze coming from the city side. I had friends coming from off the freeway who said traffic was not fun, but the promoters told participants to get there early to avoid traffic (listen!).
The race started on time by 3 minute corals which was great, congestion was a little bad around the first turn/​straight away and needs to be fixed next year, as it hindered times a little bit. Other than that, no other complaints! The course was flat and marked well, the finish line had great support, photographers, and fantastic entertainment. The chocolate Santa DJ was a hit. We never waited for anything, even the restrooms!
I can’t wait to sign up next year and bring more friends! It was festive being so close to the holidays! Thank you Hot Chocolate 15k/​5k!

This race was fantastic! For their inaugural event in Phoenix, they marketed the crap out of it and brought out a huge crowd. From the pre-​race information via email to the expo to the actual event and post-​party, it was very well run. The volunteers were all very helpful and positive. The 5k course was flat and fast but not spectacular — it just wove around a commerce park, including a silly little «run up, now turn around and run back» and was narrow at parts (particularly the beginning… hard to find space), but the 15k course looked nice.
As for the swag, a lot of people were wearing the jackets, but I’m not sure I’m a fan or that mine will get a lot of use. The finisher’s mug was a great idea (and the pickup for them was again, very well organized). I expected lukewarm sludge, but the Ghirardelli hot chocolate was hot and delicious. The chocolate fondue was just not appetizing after a run so I skipped that and I’m not sure what to do with the mug now, but it was a detail I really liked. Hot Chocolate Run, I’m impressed!

I think this was the first time the Hot Chocolate 5k/​15k made an appearance in Phoenix, so with any new first time run I was sure there would be some bugs to work out. Well if there were, I had no idea.
This race was so well organized, it made attending pure joy.
I registered online a while ago and frequently got reminder emails and updates as time went on. With registration, each runner received a windbreaker-​type jacket and a finishers mug with hot chocolate and fondue.
My running partner picked up my race packet and she said the process was very smooth and they even had sample size jackets to try on in case you needed to switch your size!
Parking on race morning was extremely well organized and there were so many port-​o-​potties that we didn’t even have to wait. The race began on time and was a nice and simple jaunt through salt river fields. Not much to say by way of scenery, but no matter. It was still nice and flat!
At the end we all enjoyed our hot chocolate and fondue-​which was delicious :) What a fun event!!!