The Hot Chocolate is a run race and a Peachtree Road Race qualifier, so if you do well on the course, use your time when you run on July 4th to boost your seeded wave. I have done this race twice, so you really have no idea what to expect in terms of the weather. It might be cold or it might be freezing cold. Make sure you have compression pants for this race, you will thank me later. I cannot stress it enough, do not wear cotton clothing, as it does not wick away your sweat. You will be running 15K (9.3 miles) and as you run, you will be sweating and all that sweat will be absorbed by your clothing and wet and freezing cold weather will make you extremely sick... not a good combo. So wear polyester fibers... or better yet wearing cold gear... This race is known for their goodie bags, hot chocolate, banana, melted chocolate, a bag of snacks and a very cool fleece jacket that you should not wear during the race. Overall, this is a fun race, something I would recommend at least once. [Review #491] (76th Review of 2017) read more

Date: January 22, 2017 Location: Centennial Park I will definitely run for chocolate! This is pretty much counterproductive for a race but great motivation to run. The Hot Chocolate is a 15k/5k race. So that's 9.3 miles or 3.5 miles. This year was my first 5K Hot Chocolate in Atlanta, I've done races from other organizers prior to this so I at least have some comparison of what to expect. The price is not too bad in terms to what you get. The race itself was fantastic. Not too hot, and not too cold. I thought the race-day organization was horrible. There were no sign anywhere telling you where things were located. I didn't get emails about purchasing a parking spot prior to the race. The finish line could be a little better identified with overhead signage instead of just side signs. Expo: I wish there was an option to get it mailed home. Parking and location sucks! Swag bag: Typically, whatever the jacket is and a bag and that's it. You get a drawstring backpack + a full-zip, fitted jacket with a cozy hood. I would have gladly paid for the hoodie with my own money. I love the practical thumb holes and slimming design. Deep front pockets are ideal for storing your keys or phone. The nice thing is, there's an area to try it on and swap if you want a different size. I wore mine to and during the race. It kept me warm since Atlanta can be pretty chilly in the morning and was great to run in! Getting to the race: some parking, but limited. Parking cost anywhere from $20-$60. I thought the location of the race was horrible! It took me literally 30 minutes to find parking. The Start: 8:20 am for the 5K. Lined up in corrals, goes on a staggered start system, which is appreciated. During the race: I would say if you really need to drink often or more often than 2 mile increments, you will need to carry some water with you. FINISHER MEDAL Only the 15k runners get the new medal. Now, if you know much about the Hot Chocolate race series, you know that the finish line is the BEST part!! You get HOT CHOCOLATE! AND, you get chocolate fondue, a banana, Rice Krispy Treat, cookies and pretzels. OH, and a marshmallow! I couldn't wait to get those treats! Overall, this was a fun race that everyone should try at least once. read more

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This is a well organized and fun run despite the fact that there are ALOT of people. The finish line could be a little better identified with overhead signage instead of just side signs, but the chocolate at the end is sweet! Parking tip: don't bother with parking, just take Uber. read more

Hot Chocolate 15k/5k - Races & Competitions Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

HC 2015! I really thought/had a strong feeling this race was going to be a NOT so fun race since THOUSANDS of people show up.... but I was pleasantly surprised. Whoever is in charge of this race did a good job setting everything up. It was a great venue & I could tell it was run pretty efficiently. I suppose that has to happen since 10,000+ people show, ha. One of my girlfriends picked up my race packet along with hers since she had time to go on Friday! She said it was a quick pick up. But then again, she went on Friday... so when most people were working. That may have been a factor as to why she got ours so fast. Not sure what would have happened if we went Saturday. The jacket we both got are really nice. Soft and light. It's a nice jacket to wear if you're out and about grocery shopping or just talking a walk in your neighborhood on a windy day. Size wise - I got a Medium and it fits perfectly. I was kind of worried the girls' size would be one of those jackets that had a weird fit size. I would highly recommend getting the parking pass. It's only 10 bucks. Carpool with your friends! As crazy as this sounds - my friend and I got up at 4:15AM and was out the door by 4:45AM and in our parking spot by 5AM. We took a nap in the car for like 2 hours. TIP: Oh yeah, make sure to bring blankets, haha. It was cold in the car. Around 715ish AM, there were a lot of people going down to the area where everything was set up. There was a stage, Merchandise Shop, Corrals, and etc. The music that was playing at stage were all old school, which I LOVE! It was nice to hear some of old songs. At the stage, there was a "HC run" background drop and a blown up marshmallow for folks to take pictures with. I think the 1st wave of runners started at 7:25AM (Corrals A-I(?)) b/c my friend and I went to see where we should go, but only saw A B C and etc near the front. So we went back to the stage and hung around. We went again around 8:15ish AM and saw Corrals J-Z were finally near the front! The 5K had 3 hills. Massive ones. After 2 hills, I just walked up the last one. A little bit intense, ha. But enjoyable. I run 5 days a week, but on flat land, so those hills took away 50% of my energy. Oh well. Not sure how many the 15K had, but I'm assuming at least 5. Also, the 5K had 1 water station. Not bad, but meh, I was hoping for 2. But it's ok. I should have hydrated beforehand anyway. When we reached the finish line - there was a huge crowd... I kind of though it'd take us like an hour to get our reward... only took us 5 seconds. People with megaphones were everywhere to make sure people weren't idling around the areas people were trying to get to. Therefore, the line went fairly fast. The reward bowl included a delicious cup of hot chocolate, dipping chocolate, marshmallow, pretzels, a banana, waffle sticks. I think we sat down to eat for like 30 mins... my body was hurting ha. I never thought I'd crave the sun so much till that morning. As for leaving... we left around 10:30AM. By that time, traffic was kind of over.... the race was still going on, but we got lucky and were able to get into the lanes closer to the freeway. I'll have to do the 15K one year. Gotta train. I think the semi serious runners should do the 15K while the Just For Fun runners should do the 5K. read more

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A race for an excuse to binge on fondue and hot chocolate, what more can you ask for. This was my first ever 5k, and I'm pretty pleased with the experience. From the get go, the event was well organized. Before the race day, they have a packet pickup expo, where you can try on to see if the sizes fit for the complimentary race jacket. Every year they switch up the goodie bag: this year a fleece jacket, last year a hoodie. On the day of the race, you have a couple options to commute to Turner Field. Many people advocate paying for the $10 parking ticket, but I recommend parking at your nearby MARTA station and riding to the GSU station, then walking the ~1 mile to the course. I was in Corral F, but decided to drop out last minute to use the restroom. Note: It's honestly fine if you get there late, just join a later Corral and still get an accurate chip time. The course is pretty hilly, so take advantage of downhills and power through the uphill climbs, On the 5K route, there is only 1 stop station, where they provide you icy water down nuun and frozen marshmellows (cuz it was below freezing, so make sure to dress adequately). After passing the finish line, you are directed to the fondue line as volunteers hand you water bottles and sweet potato chips. I was surprised they handled the fondue lines quickly, it didn't take long for me to get my steaming cup of hot chocolate and dark chocolate fondue. Overall, great race, for a beginner. Now, I feel like signing up for more races, which I wouldn't have done if it weren't for this novel race. I'm probably going to run the 15K next year, and I definitely recommend bringing your couch potato friends and family to try this race out. read more

I have now done the hot chocolate 2 years in a row with my husband. I've done the 5K both times, and this year (2015) my husband did the 15K. I'm a fan of the hot chocolate as one of the more fun races in Atlanta, but here is the caveat: This is not a serious race for serious runners! Do not go to this race if you are going to get pantied up about your time. This is a social event with exercise, this is not the race to go to for a peachtree qualifying time. I tell all my friends to come to this race, because it's amateur hour for runners. There are walkers in nearly every single corral. Even the corrals that say "NO Walkers" on them, will have a fair amount of walkers. If you don't want to deal with walkers, lie about your time and get in corral A. There are tens of thousands of people at this race and I would guess the majority of them are not serious runners. People do this race for the swag, a super sweet hoodie, a finishers mug of delicious hot chocolate, fondue, banana, rice krispy treat, vanilla waffers and pretzels. The 15K peeps got a sweet custom Atlanta hot chocolate metal this year. I've never done a race that had swag this sweet. Okay, the traffic parking situation, my husband and I NEVER have any issues getting to the Ted parking, because we come in on I-20. But from our friends, I-75/85 backed up forever and it took forever just to get off the ramp. People, take MARTA, or come in on I-20. I really do think MARTA is the way to go to this thing, because then you don't have to get to the race by 6:30am before all the road closures. If you are a late corral after 8am, you can take MARTA, arrive around 8am, and then still make your 8:30am corral time and not have to get up at the crack of dawn. Think about it. For whatever reason, the packet pickup at the World Congress Center, is always the same day as a gymnastics/cheer competition and the battle of the bands at the Dome, and traffic gets insane, which is why I encourage all my friends to pick up their packet Friday and not Saturday. This race is incredibly well organized, they think of everything. I enjoy it for the social aspects and the fun, but I do not come to this race hoping to make a PR time. Now go getcha some hot chocolate! read more

This race was incredibly well organized. From the expo packet pick up to day of parking to the actual race everything went incredibly smoothly. The parking was $10 in advance for a spot at Turner Field where the race started and ended. We arrived at Turner Field at 6:30 am as instructed and parking was a breeze. There was no traffic getting to the field and once we got there there was no line to get into the parking spot. I ran the 15k. The route was great for the most part - props for the fact that the last about quarter mile was a steep downhill. My only complaint about the route is that about half a mile was through a pretty rough part of town with many homeless camps. Nothing makes you feel worse than spending a bunch of money on a race and then having a stark reminder of how little some people have....to the backdrop of the smell of urine. On a more positive note, the sweatshirt you got for this race is fantastic - nice and fleecy inside and super cute. And the hot chocolate at the finish line was a great way to end the race. All in all I had a great time, but am not sure I need to run this race again next year! read more

Certain aspects of this 2015 race were awesome, but several fell short. I signed up for the 5k to get me motivated back into running again. I used to run a lot and hurt my knee in 2010, but only recently got back into it. I love running, especially the meditative aspect of it. We were in the second wave. I purposely signed us up for Corral O (suggested pace - 14 minutes/mile) because we are not strong runners, and I didn't know how we would fare in 28 degree weather. There were several signs stating that there was no walking in all corrals (including O), and that participants must maintain a 15 minute/mile pace. Unfortunately, this "race" caters to many walkers, specifically in later corrals. I think that Corral P (the last corral) should be for walkers only. When it was time for the second wave to start, the announcer never announced the corral letters. When we were close to the start line, I realized that it was actually our turn. I started "running" which really just meant, "wading through the walkers." I'm ok with people who want to walk after running for a bit to take a break, but there were hundreds of folks that walked past the start line. They were NOT maintaining a 15 minute/mile pace. After wading through the walkers, I ended up finishing with folks in Corral L. My finish time wasn't great, and I was hoping to be motivated by other runners, and not wade through walkers. I really feel that this hindered my time. I'm not an athlete by any means, but the sheer amount of walkers that were blocking the middle of the course was really troublesome and frustrating. The finisher's cup was great and yummy. I had to go back in line because I realized half the goodies didn't make it into my cup. This was frustrating, but it was taken care of with ease. If I were to sign up again, I would put myself in a much earlier corral - although, speaking to other folks, turns out the issue with the number of folks walking and blocking the course is prevalent throughout. read more

Ran the inaugural Hot Chocolate 15k/5k yesterday and had a great time. For a first time race it was very well run and well organized. Plus it was huge (about 20,000 participants). The race organizers seemed to get everyone where they needed to go to start the race so the start was very smooth. The course was well marked and well attended by course marshalls to make sure everyone knew where they were going. The 5k course - which I ran - was straight-forward but not too scenic. It was a good mix of uphills and downhills. The finish was well managed and the hot chocolate - even on a 60 degree, humid morning, still tasted very good. This race is a nice addition to the Atlanta race events. read more

2014 was our first Hot Chocolate race. My wife & I signed up for the 15K. Communication leading up to the race was great with clear instructions regarding packet pickup and race day parking/transportation. The expo itself was not bad but getting there seemed to be as far away from the MARTA station as you can get. We walked and walked thru the GWCC among throngs of students, cheerleaders, and tired-looking parents trudging along at a barely perceptible forward pace. We zigged and zagged, bobbed and weaved through the masses and eventually found the expo. Most people were getting 5K numbers so the 15K pickup took about 10 seconds. We grabbed our bag with the hoodie and tried one on there to make sure it fit (that was nice!). There were only a few vendors there, wish there could be more variety. Of course we hit the free hot chocolate and marshmallows more than once! Overall the entire process, including the MARTA round trip took about 2 hours. On race day we arrived really early, about 5:30am if I remember correctly. Not many people there at that time and we parked right across from the starting line. Getting in was very easy - we took a different exit than what they recommended going in and out (I always go that way for Turner Field - much less congestion). We passed the time with our iPhones and making frequent trips to the porta-potties. Later we watched the 5K waves go out. Not sure why we 15K-ers don't go out first. The 5K waves were huge, crowded, and slow to get going. After they cleared out we moved towards our start corral at the front. My big complaint here was the tiny opening in the fence to get everyone in there. Hundreds of people were lined up far back and squishing together to get packed in the corral. When our race started it was again very crowded and slow to get going. It didn't take long to get the crowd thinned out and we got into a relaxed pace. We weren't racing this one, just treating it as a training run. Initially the course was going through some run-down areas and industrial areas. But later it got better and the people cheering us on made it pretty fun. The course was fairly challenging, as is any race in Atlanta. We picked up our pace towards the end and finished in 1:23 (not bad for taking it easy). The post-race treats were nice and there was no line at all. We hung out there eating everything and slowly made our way back to the car. Getting out was a piece of cake. read more

I ran this race for the first time this year. I found it to be a very well organized race. First of all, they gave a really nice jacket. Most of the races give T-shirts, but the hot chocolate run gives a zip up jacket that's real comfortable and warm. The registration was fast and efficient at the Georgia World Congress Center the day before the race. On the morning of the race, it was an easy walk from the Five Points station down to Turner Field. There were plenty of portable toilets for the participants, and no long lines. They chose a real nice race course. There were a few gentle uphill and downhill parts. It was nice to have a little bit of a downhill at the end. The mug that was given to all the participants was a real nice touch. We got a cup of hot chocolate, which was nice on a cold morning, as well as some chocolate fondue with cookies, pretzels, a banana and other food items that we could dip in the chocolate. It was a really nice finish to the race. I had never heard of this race until I saw it advertised at the Savannah half marathon. I decided to register, and was real surprised to find how popular it was. There were over 6700 participants. I definitely plan on trying it again next year. read more

Gimmicky race with poor planning. Case in point: -Clearly, some sort of disconnect exists between the sizing of their women's sweaters and the typical fit of modern athletic wear. Yay! They have fitting stations at packet pickup! NAY... they didn't have enough "medium" sweaters to replace all the too-small women's sweaters traded in. -It took almost an hour to leave the race area after finishing the 5k; with road closures due to the 15k still going on, our car was trapped. -I decided to buy a parking pass ($10), which ended up being a good investment because the alternative would have been arriving at the shuttle bus pick-up station 2 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE RACE TIME.... The 5k began at 7:40= arrival at 5:40am, without a parking pass? Lame, right? But even with a pass, we had to be in the lot no later than 6:30AM... which meant almost an hour of sitting in the car idly, with nothing to do. Unnecessary sleep loss makes Michelle L. a very, very angry runner. -These race photographers are the worst I've ever seen. I've run much smaller races than this, and NEVER has a photographer failed, so hard. No finish line shots (though two, at the end once I had slowed to a walk and was looking at the ground), and one elsewhere on the course. My boyfriend had only one shot, the entire race (also way after the finish line). -The treats at the end also sucked. Poor quality hot chocolate, one big marshmallow, gimmicky cheap plastic "mug" to contain everything, and the tiniest banana known to man. I agree with the previous reviews. This is not for serious runners, or even moderately interested runners (I would count myself in this category). And while some reviewers might claim that this would be a good place to run a race for beginners... let me just say, this experience (crappy choco, poor execution and all) was really a huge turnoff for my running partner, who had never run a race before in his life. Never again! read more

Seems like things haven't really changed much since last year. I agree with a lot of Tim E.'s words about last year's race. This year was the first year I participated in the Hot Chocolate 15K. I had shunned the race previous years because of how expensive it was, but when I saw they were giving the 15K runners a medal in the shape of a chocolate bar, I couldn't resist :) First things first, the expo. We took MARTA to get there. The actual expo was located in the far end of Building C, and we made the mistake of entering via Building B and winding through throngs of cheerleaders and marching band players to get to Hall C4. On the way out, we realized we would have been better off walking around to Building C from the outside. Oh well. I thought the packet pick-up process was quite organized. First was the bib pick-up, and you could pick up from any person -- you scan a QR code, that is why. Received the bib quickly and was directed to the next station, which was the parking pass pick-up. Your bib should indicate if you bought a pass or not, so that was very fast as well. Next was the goodie bag pick-up, which was done by gender and size. I picked up my goodie bag and was directed to the try-on area, which I thought was nice. They were letting runners try on sample hoodies just to make sure they got the right size. I knew they did that last year, and I'm glad they were doing it again this year. I tried on a couple of sizes and determined that the one I had ordered was the correct one. Word of advice: if you suspect you might have to change your size, I would go to the expo on Friday rather than Saturday. The lady at the try-on table mentioned they had run out of women's mediums an hour prior. For the record, I felt the hoodies ran true to size. I felt like there weren't that many vendors, at least not compared to the Publix marathon/half marathon/5K expo. I saw Big Peach Running Co, but other than that, there were a handful of smaller vendors that operated as online companies, I believe -- running sunglasses, running gels, compression sleeves, etc. We browsed for a bit and then headed out. As for the actual race day, yes, traffic was indeed a clusterf*ck. Luckily, we used an app to direct us around the back roads and we found ourselves at the Orange Lot, which happened to be across the road from the post-race party area and very close to the start line. The corrals were well-marked but the openings in the barricades were hard to find. I entered through H and made my way up to Corral G, but later I saw people slipping directly into G through some kind of gap that someone made in the barricade. I was in the 7:40 am wave and probably didn't get to start running til 8 am, but that is because each corral was being released 3 minutes apart, and for good reason. The race was just massive. They released corrals A - H and then I assume the 8:25 am wave included corrals I - something. Both waves included 15K and 5K runners. I really enjoyed the race course -- it took us through many areas of downtown and Midtown, including more industrialized areas, more "ghetto" areas, through Tech campus and then the heart of downtown -- we passed the Aquarium, the new and former Coke museum and Skyview. I was warned that it would be hilly, and it was, though the first half of the race, the hills were very short. It wasn't until the second half that I thought the hills were quite long and I had to make the executive decision to walk some of them. Water/Gatorade/Treat stations were about 2 miles apart. They all had rows of Port-a-Potties. I didn't get water or stop at any of them because truth be told, I had to pee but I hated to stop and get a slower time because of it. The treats they were giving didn't interest me much -- Tootsie Rolls, strawberry and chocolate marshmallows, chocolate drops. There were some spectators, but not as many as the Publix. I really appreciated all the cops that were stationed throughout the course cheering us on despite the fact they must have been freezing. I also loved the fact that the last leg of the race, maybe a quarter mile or so, was all downhill so it made for a sweet, fast finish. Upon finishing, we were directed to keep moving. We received water/gatorade, our medals and then entered the post-race party area where we could line up to get our finisher mugs. Everything, as before, was very well-organized. The mugs were made of plastic and contained a well of chocolate, a cup of hot chocolate, a mini bag of pretzels, vanilla wafers, a small banana, a mini Rice Krispy treat and a marshmallow. My fiance and I finished off everything together and we kind of regretted it afterwards, devouring all that sugar. The hot chocolate sure was good, though. I was a little miffed that my medal had a mark on it (it is under the resin, so I can't get rid of it) and the actual sash part that goes around your neck is inside out, and I can't seem to fix it. read more

Hot Chocolate 15k/5k - Me and my chocolate bar medal - Races & Competitions Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Overall it's well done. However - they discriminate against older runners by having 5 year age groups until 69 - then lump everyone together! At least they should do 70-74, 75-79, and 80+ Also participants were asked to vote on jacket and a few complained about the quilted one - and what we got instead was real junk! read more

This was by far the most fun and well organized race I've ever run. We had some unexpected travel setbacks driving from Savannah to Atlanta, but customer service was incredibly quick and helpful and thanks to them we were still able to run. Our wave didn't start until 8:30, but it was recommended that everyone be parked by 6:30. I highly recommend getting the parking pass. We parked easily by 6:15am and got an extra 2 hours of sleep in the car before heading to our corral. The 15k course through Atlanta was hilly (as expected), but they chose a beautiful route past parks, Georgia Tech's campus, the ferris wheel and around downtown. For the cost, the swag is unbeatable. Great quality hoodie, awesome medal and a finisher mug packed with post-race treats. The volunteers were fantastic at every aid station. I preferred the marshmallow stations to the chocolate stations- the chocolate just made me super thirsty, but the marshmallows gave me a little sugar-fueled energy boost. At the finish, it took no time at all to get my finisher mug. It's plastic and has segments, so it's not really a mug you can use as a mug, but it's a fun novelty. I have already signed up for this race in another city and I'm looking forward to the Atlanta race again next year! read more

For the amount of people that ran/walked this race, I thought they did a great job with packet pickup, gear check, starting corrals, etc. Pretty well organized. The course was good, just a lot of hills. If you get in the correct starting corral, you don't have to worry about walkers or slower runners and are free to run your pace. Things that I didn't like were the location of the packet pickup, hard to get too, and tons of other event going on at the same time. I also did not like the half zip hoodie this year, I thought the sweatshirt from last year looked way better. Overall a fun race to do with friends if you don't mind a huge crowd! The more the merrier, right! read more

Very well organized!!! Will do this again...My hat is off to all the volunteers..A Job Well Done!! The Spence Family read more

This was my first run with these folks. The course had debris on it but the check in process was easy for a late registration. I didn't expect such a challenging route since I think of this as such a family friendly event. I strained my groin and headed straight for the medical tent after stopping to stretch a couple times along the route and slowing down from my usual pace. The tent was well labeled but hard to find the entrance too. Once I got in, the two staff who were helping someone else barley noticed me. I was hoping for Advil, a quick exam and maybe help back to my car. As I described what was up, the unmasked EMT said are you dehydrated. I said no. The she said, do you just wanna sit down for a second? Then it appeared the woman they were helping needed water and they didn't have any so I offered my un-opened bottle. I was hoping for a simple exam of my leg, maybe some tape, some ibuprofen and maybe help back to my car. I guess we gotta adjust our expectations of volunteers and even paid medical staff while we are in a pandemic but I limped the mile back to my car and I'm still in a lot of pain and just hope there can better support in the medical section at a race with a $70 fee. The jacket is nice but some thoughtful planning around care for my minor injury would have improved my experience. read more

The expo was hard to get to, both by virtue of location and parking during major events at any one of the several venues around the GWCC. While the number pickup was fairly well organized, the shirt pickup and sizing was a mess (and much lower quality sweatshirts than the "value" advertised, and compared to last year). If you had an issue, it was nearly impossible to find anyone who worked for the company, only volunteers - who neither can nor should take care of organizational complaints. 2013 was only ok, and I thought I'd give 2014 a shot - it's not worth the aggravation and I will never sign up for this race again, in any city. read more

I agree that it was fairly organized, but it's a race that seemed to appeal to walkers. As an avid runner, I found myself weaving in and out of walkers that were having a leisurely time talking and taking selfies. It's a great race for fun, but not intended for runners. read more

While the Hot Chocolate Run was for a good cause and seemed as though it was well organized, there were a few glitches that led me to three stars. First let me say the parking plan was excellent and even though I had to get the 2.5 hours before my start time, I did not mind because of the ease of getting parking. The things that disappointed me were the race day volunteers yelling at the participants, the disorganization at the end of the race, and the amount of avoidable trash. The volunteers may just need a little more training on how to handle such large crowds. When distributing the "goodie bowls" at the end of the race, the fencing off of the food stations should be reworked to force the wallers/runners to the last station. This would help avoid the insane bottleneck that occurred while the earlier runners stood in line blocking later runners from moving down. Lastly, too many people threw away entire bowls of food, to include the bananas. If there were perhaps food preservation tables were runners could return items that could perhaps be taken to a food bank later, instead of throwing it all away, that would be much better. All in all the route was great and I am glad I did it. Just a few disappointing moments lead me to think I won't do it again. read more

Very fun race! I think that it was very well organized . Tons of good energy. Parking was easy. Course is great, but be prepared for lots of hills. The jacket is very nice. Mass produced hot chocolate - not that good. read more

I am a distance runner and have run easily over 50 races. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and my non-runner husband was able to join me and partake in the event. The expo was fast and easy- your name wast on the bib so they scanned your registration and linked it to a bib. In and out! We parked near CNN and had no problems whatsoever hoping on a bus and taking us the the race course. (we arrived early) When we arrived they had zumbo which was nice because it was chilly this year! The music, the dancing, the photo ops with Marshal the Marshmallow were just fun. We ran the 5k. I will say a lot of people do not know their actual running times. I know for a 5k I run around 9-10 minute miles so I was in that group. However, a few hundred feet in there was a wall of people (people over estimated their abilities) but a little swerving and a few hundred feet I was out there jogging. I enjoyed the course as did my husband. The after party was a blast. The fondue dish was deep and since it was cold it hit the spot. We loved the race hoodies and as a runner I loved that the hoodie had a zippered pocket in the back. There was also lots of dancing going on as we downed our hot chocolate and fondue. Although, I don't think its a race you will PR in due to the sheer number of newer runners, I will say it was a was a great event. (oh they had a corral just for walkers too!) It was family friendly. And it is something we will do again. read more

I loved this race! Well organized, plenty of porta-potties and AWESOME hoodies!!! Great vibe and fun for everyone, serious runners and families. My one and only beef was the parking. I had pre-paid for parking and it was terrible trying to get to Turner Field. Then the traffic was directed in different directions - I was told to drive in a direction away from TF. Some signs assuring me I was still going towards the race would have helped a lot! By the time I snaked over to where the pre-paid lots were they were full and I had to pay to park anyway. Next time I will save that money and spend it on more running gear. Looking forward to it next year read more

My buddy and i did this race for the very first time earlier this year and we did the 15k. This is a very fun race and I'd definitely would do it again. Pros: great sweatshirt, awesome volunteers, nice bag check. fabulous finisher's medal. finishers mug goodies. expo fair was neat and I bought some nice gear. Great that they also have photos, too. Cons: the day before and picking up the packet. traffic jam there was just awful as there were multiple events going on in the area. On race day, it appeared our wave wasn't really organized well and timing to get participants off and going was not the best. It was especially packed earlier in the course between the 5k and 15k. Hopefully this is something they'll address or work on. Also i heard parking was an issue but my friend and I got there early so we didn't encounter that luckily. All in all, very nice race in metro Atlanta. read more

2014 was my second year participating in this event. Once again, communication prior to and the day of the race was excellent. Traffic backed up, as expected, but suggested arrival time allowed plenty of time to park and get ready. Plenty of port-a-johns... and believe me, I've been to a racing event with insufficient bathroom facilities, so this was good. Parking was close enough to the event that I didn't require gear check, but I know last year the gear check was very organized and super quick. Lines to receive finisher's mug moved quickly and were well stocked. Lots of water at water stations along the route, these organizers do not run out of supplies! My only criticism is that i really liked last year's hoodie better than this year's. Other than that, I highly recommend this race (I've now done the 5k and the 15k) and I will certainly be back! read more

I don't usually run theme races because I prefer a more competitive atmosphere, but my runner buddy did this race in 2013 and raved about it. The two day packet pick up at the GA World Congress Center was convenient, especially if you utilize MARTA and ride to the GWCC/Dome/Phillips Arena station which is .06 miles away, or less than a 5 minute walk. I saw a review complaint about the GWCC being crowded due to a cheer leading event, but there is always something going on in Atlanta, and traffic and parking can be rough wherever the pick-up would be held. A downside to the city for sure. I was able to walk in and easily get my number. The 15 K had fewer runners I suppose. It was easy to find the table to get the hoodie, plus try it on. My friend had warned me the sizes ran small, so order the next size up. I will concur the race expo was much smaller than I expected. I have noticed over the past few years that expos have gotten smaller and there are far fewer freebees, but that is a trend not limited to the Hot Chocolate race. Usually, the vendors at expos offer deals and discounts, but not at this race. The prices for running skirts exceeded the retail prices I have seen elsewhere. One vendor was selling discounted shoes, but mostly last year's models and in very limited sizes, so I left the expo empty handed. I thought the race was well organized and the pre-race communication was effective especially pertaining to heavy traffic getting to the event. I would suggest those who aren't very familiar with Atlanta investigate alternate routes to Turner Field, other than ones suggested by race communications, or plan to sit on the Interstate for a long time. I noticed a complaint in a review about having to arrive so early...have you ever run any Disney race, or the Chicago Marathon? As with those races, the field is very large, and you must arrive early. Heck, Disney makes you get to your start corral 2 hours prior, or you don't run! Anyhoo, once I arrived, I thought it was easy to navigate to the start and easy access to porta-potties. I did not use the gear check. I easily found my corral and with any well run race, someone checked my bib to ensure my pace matched the corral. The organizers did a good job to ensure walkers were in the back. The start waves were smooth with very little waiting around time, and in short order we were off. Because the start volunteers made sure everyone was where they were supposed to be, I was able to set my intended pace without having to weave around slower participants. I thought the course was scenic and must vigorously disagree with the assessment that the first part of the course was through run down industrial areas, but then again, I am a recently retired cop, and perspective is everything...unless the reviewer meant the skid row section of Courtland St, where the homeless hang out. Well, we are in the city. The course was also fairly challenging, especially with the long climb up Courtland St toward the finish. The water stations were plenty and so were the volunteers, so there was no clamoring to refuel, plus they managed to keep the street area around the stops free of ice. No small feat considering how cold it was. The finish area was fine. Unremarkable, really. I saw complaints about event photographers. Well, its only a 15 K and who really buys photos for that short of a race? Some reviewers didn't like the food. I had just run a 15 K PR, and I was hungry and getting cold, so I thought the chocolate dip and cocoa were just fine. Yes, I have run races with better post race food selections, but they were either half or full marathons. I did not take home the souvenir plastic cup. I will say the entry fee is pricey. I have gotten into large marathons for less money. Overall, it was a fun, well planned event that is geared toward back-of-the-pack runners and walkers, and I am for getting everyone off the couch and active. I would probably do the race again. read more

I have run this race both years it has been in Atlanta and IMO is the best of its kind that I have run. The course is challenging and scenic for the 5K with lots more downhills than uphills. The goodie bag (sweatshirt) is great quality and well worthe the admission cost. The pre race and post race activities were great fun as well. Highly recommend! But get a parking pass and be sure to arrive ahead of time so as not to miss the start of the race. read more

It was a really fun hilly run. I loved the sweatshirts, but definitely would have preferred a medal over the bowl. Packet pick up area was a little confusing but once we got there it was quick and easy. I think everyone should try this race at least once:) read more

2014 Hot Chocolate 5k was amazing. My 1st hot coco run. From packet pick up to the end of the run was very well organized. We picked up our packet early and enjoyed the entertainment. The kiddos had a blast at packet pick up as well. The day of the run was a long day but well worth it. We had a blast running, walking, laughing and talking. Taking in all the beauty that downtown Atlanta has to offer. A great way to spend family time while keeping fit. I absolutely loved the Zumba warm up. We all loved our shirts, much better than a t-shirt. Amazed how big of an event this was. JOB WELL DONE! Thank you. I will do it again. read more

I just ran the ALT Hot Chocolate 5K and I thought it was an overall success. Prior to registering I was skeptical, especially reading some of the reviews. However, I had some friends decide to go and the hoodie looked really cool (and it was!), so I jumped on board. I'm so glad I did! The overall experience was great. I didn't have any problem or wait (at all!) picking up my bib and sweatshirt, and I even got a free headband out of it. I thought it was cool that the expo allowed you to try on the sweatshirts at the expo to make sure they fit or could be exchanged. The day of the race there was enough parking, bag check was a breeze, and the volunteers were both knowledgeable and helpful. The course had some whopper inclines, but it also ran through a scenic part of town and a couple of nice downhill rests. Water/gatorade stations were also well-planned and full. The after-party was nice; the stuff in the mug was great, although my hot chocolate wasn't good at all. My friends must have gotten some from another batch, though, because they liked theirs. The fondue was awesome--really rich! The only issues I had with the race were the expo, traffic, and corals. We went down to the expo Friday night, and I was disappointed to find hardly any vendors. If I'm going to have to drive 1 1/2 hrs all the way to ATL to pick up my bib two days before, I would like to at least be about to check out some cool gear/vendors. Also, the traffic was bad getting off the interstate. We sat in one spot for 20 minutes easily. I will give them a little leeway, though, because from what I understand this is their first go-around with the ATL. Finally, and probably my biggest issue, was the lack of regulations with coral sign-ups. This was only my second large 5K, so I was only in coral D, but even after maybe 3/10 a mile there were people walking. Not only that, but it seemed like we caught up with the previous coral rather quickly. It was frustrating because the entire race ended up being pretty congested, causing a lot of weaving in and out and lost time. Like I said at the beginning of my post, I thought the overall race experience was great. A lot of people from my area participated, and I have heard a lot of positive feedback. I would not hesitate to sign up again! read more

I was skeptical with some of the reviews of the race I'd read in other cities in terms of organization; however, especially this being the first time the race was offered here, the event was wonderfully organized and a lot of fun! The zumba warm up / music was a great way to wake up and get excited about the race, I didn't have to wait at ALL to check my bag OR get it back at the end, the corrals were easy to find and navigate. I ran the 15k and the course was well marked, well attended by marshals and cheerleaders with multiple water/gatorade stops along the way, and was a good mix of challenging hills and straight shots through some fun neighborhoods of the city. At the end, I also did not have to wait to get my Finisher's Mug. 20,000 people and no lines? I was impressed! Also, RAM racing had the official times posted within a few hours (or less.. i checked 3 hours after and they were there!). The only thing that was a pain were the port-o-john lines. I did wait a solid hour in line before the race; however, with 20,000 people, other than lining the whole stadium with johns, I don't know how to solve this. It still did not prevent me from giving the event 5 stars. I will definitely be running it again next year. read more