With temps in the mid-30s, the Hot Chocolate Run was definitely one of the more challenging events that I've participated in so far. Be prepared for cold weather - just because it's March, it doesn't mean that it'll be dry or warm during the event. I'd recommend going to the event at least 30 mins before your start time (7AM for the 5K and 8AM for the 15K) so you'll have plenty of time for gear check, the porta potties, etc. The route starts and ends at the Seattle Center, taking 15K participants downtown and then up Hwy 99. I never realized Hwy 99's slight incline until I had to run up it.. (haha!) But you can taste sweet victory at the end with the Finisher's Mug that comes with hot cocoa, melted chocolate and mixed goodies (banana, Rice Krispy, pretzels, etc.). I think the biggest draw though is the snazzy participant jacket thats given to both 5K and 15K participants. I feel like sizes run a bit larger, so order accordingly - but worst case scenario, head to the expo early to switch out for a different size. :) I'd say that the Hot Chocolate Run is great way to beat the mid-winter blues and get outside! :) read more

Hot Chocolate 15k/5k - Corrals are based on your pace - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This run was my first ever 15K! It was more of a power walk/jog but I felt so happy I accomplished over 9miles. It was pretty chilly being in the 30's and next year I will definitely wear gloves and a buff! I loved the jacket! It was really cute! I do wish it was a little thicker and better quality however because there were tons of threads hanging off and parts coming unraveled when I picked it up (none left to exchange). The plastic drawstring bag was cute but I didn't run with it. The marshmallow, noon and water stations were awesome. We were bummed that there weren't any m&m's left at the station but that's what happens when you're in corral L. Overall it was a great run and you get to see lots of the city! The space needle, pikes, Fremont.. It was lots of fun and I could do it again. The hot cocoa and super cute medal were both great ways to end the race. read more

Hot Chocolate 15k/5k - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Seattle, Washington

As ambassador for the Hot Chocolate 15/5K Philadelphia I earned a trip to one of there other race location and selected Seattle. Philadelphia is rather flat so I opted for the 5K plus I wanted to see as much of Seattle as I could in the short weekend I was here. My friend and I were super surprised we were able to get such great 5K times since it was significantly hillier than we were use to. This was both of ours 1st destination race and we had a blast. There are a few go to location for races in Philadelphia and we've hit all the popular one multiple times. It was nice change of pace to have a different course than what we are use to. I did find the tunnel uneven and hot that probably what I like least about the course, totally thought it be the hills but they were bearable well except ending on one that wasn't super fun. There was tons of space at the start, finish, and party area which was great nothing is worse than a crowd race where you cant get any where. It started on time and the race company was very informative. Running this made me excited for the upcoming race in Philadelphia. And now I have the awesome race hoodie to show all my friends who have been holding out on signing up. I liked last years give away but this years is 10x better, well minus the sleeve last year had longer sleeves. And as always the chocolate finisher mug was amazing! read more

Hot Chocolate 15k/5k - Prerace selfie - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I did the 15K in Seattle. The run itself was wonderful and my running partner and I had a great time. However, we reserved a hotel through the race's website and it has been a disaster that unnecessarily cost us $300 for a hotel we didn't even stay at. It's been impossible to reach a person to help us. All of the responses are auto-generated, unhelpful responses and now I am out several hundred dollars. Buyer beware with the hotels and other support ideas on the race's website. If I was just rating the race, I would give it 5 stars. But the experience with the hotel (that was through the race's website) really ruined the overall experience. read more

I ran the 5k last year and successfully completed the 15k this year. Leading up to the run, I got a weekly training plan, which I thought was nice. It helped keep me on track and was customized based on the mile time I provided. Packet pickup is the Friday and Saturday before the run at the Seattle Center expo hall. Both years I've gone to the expo, it's been super efficient. You can check-in with your name, and the volunteer will print your nametag to attach to a bib. The bib has a tear-off piece for gear check and for the chocolate at the finish line. On the name tag, it lists the hoodie size you specified when you registered along with any special note. I couldn't find any discounts for this run, but I did find a promo code for a free visor. Last year, there was a promo code for a free bandana. There's a gear swap station in case you get the wrong size. This part of the expo seemed a little random because you'd have to wait in line until someone had the right size to swap with. While I went with a medium sized hoodie, I found that it was too big and wanted to get a small. It appeared that everyone in line also wanted a smaller size. The quality of the Hot Chocolate 5K/15K hoodie this year was way better than last year. It kind of looked like a Lululemon knockoff hoodie, but I didn't mind. Last year's hoodie was very itchy. This year's feels softer. It still pills very easily though. The run on an early Sunday morning, which makes parking relatively easy and free if you can snag a spot on the street. I parked a few blocks away from the Seattle Center with no issues. While the race starts at whichever time they specify, it's likely that you won't start for a while, depending on which corral you're in. In fact, I was pretty far back since I'm a slower runner, and I wasn't able to pass the starting line until 30 minutes after the start time. It takes a while to start, but I think it has to be done in order to spread out all the runners and space it out better. Along the route, there's lots of water stations, portable bathrooms, and "sweet stations" with marshmallows and chocolate giveaways. While I'm running, there's no way I can eat at the same time, so I passed them up. There's a tracker on your bib, so you can look online to see your time for the race, and any photos you were tagged in. You have to wear your bib on the front if you want to get tagged in photos. I was impressed with how quickly they uploaded photos and tagged me--I got an email right after I finished with a photo that was taken at the starting line. The finisher's chocolate mug isn't anything special. It's a large plastic mug with dividers for chocolate, banana, hot chocolate, cookies, pretzels, and a Rice Krispy treat. There were lots of lines to go pick up my finisher's mug, and there was even a person directing runners to the shortest line. It was a bummer there were no tables set up. A lot of people ate their food on the floor, on top of a trashcan, or on little ledges against the edge of the parking lot. It wasn't too bad though. Overall, awesome run! I feel like the team did a great job organizing and executing the run. It felt like there were tons of staff/volunteers available to help, and everything ran smoothly for me. Now I'm ready for a half marathon! read more

Considering it's their first time in Seattle, the event itself was pretty good. But, there's definitely room to improve! Big Thank you to everyone who involved and made this happen. I had a lot of fun. Too bad, my friend lost a family member and she was not able to join me! Believe or not, I signed up for this event because 1) it benefits to one of my favorite charity, Ronald McDonald House and 2) I thought the hoodie in the goodie bag was pretty cool! I wore the hoodie the day before the race and decided I'd be over heated if I wore that to my race. Therefore, I didn't wear it! I loved all the cheering along the race route. I felt very encouraged! Oh man, this holy rolling hills really kicked my butt! This can be Chilly Hilly in the running form on a sunny day! :-P Who doesn't love chocolate? I have to admit I wasn't a big fan of chocolate, but hey, they had really good chocolate post race celebration food, hot chocolate, marshmallow, pretzels, rice crispy, chocolate dip, banana, etc... You just can't say no! Though, I was a bit confused! When I was about to start, some of the 5K runners came back. I had hard time finding my way to the start line. I was glad the volunteer was able to lead me to the right direction. I was late for my corral but I made it! read more

Hot Chocolate 15k/5k - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I really wanted to do this race last year, but couldn't convince anyone to do it with me. I probably should have went by myself, but I didn't. I admit I regretted it all year, and was super happy when I heard it was coming again. I finally convinced my friend to join me for the 2nd year, although she did wait awhile to let me know and I was getting extremely anxious I would miss it again. Another friend even organized an event that included this as part of her 30th bday celebration, but things were so crazy on race morning we never actually meet up. The fact that race entry comes with a hooded sweatshirt is all the motivation I needed. My drawers are overflowing with race shirts, but this is my first race sweatshirt. Best of all its black and not even cotton. I don't even like chocolate, but I had to have this sweatshirt. Although the finishers mug should definitely inspire anyone who does like chocolate. Of course the price was a little high and you had to go down prior to the race to pick up your bib, but it truly was a well organized race. I appreciate that they allowed people to let others pick up their bibs if you really couldn't make it. I did make it to the expo and found it to be a little small and underwhelming. I probably would have been annoyed had I not made other plans that day in Seattle. Plus having to pay for parking to run in for 5 minutes is a drag. Although I suppose there is no other real efficient way to have 15,000 people pick up their bibs. I did even see some discount codes and groupon type deals for the event, but didn't manage to take advantage of any of those. On race morning I was happy to find a million bathrooms. Its the rare race where you don't have to wait in a long line to use the bathroom and I did really appreciate this. It was not the warmest morning though and my corral started nearly half an hour after the official starting time but again this can be expected in such a large race. I appreciated the many signs on the corrals that said no walkers, but found once the race started I had to weave in and out of mostly walkers. Perhaps these signs were not clear enough, next time I will be sure to be higher up in the corrals. I enjoyed the course, the 5k seemed to be mostly downhill which is a great bonus. While I run in Seattle a lot I had never done this particular route. The race was super early which while I originally was upset by actually let me see the city at a different time of day and I still finished early enough to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. My only real complaint is that I was very confused by the Gatorade at the water stations. I wanted water and was not made aware that this was behind Gatorade. I nearly gave up and went thirsty but many more yards down I found the water. I also don't love chocolate so the sweetness at the end is not highly motivating to me, but I could see how others would enjoy it. I do need more sweatshirts so I will hope to do it again next year, but I'll try to be in corral B, or likely do the 15k which I assume will have less walkers to trip over. read more

This was my 2nd time participating in the Hot Chocolate Run. Things I enjoyed: * The swag bag (especially the hoodies) * The mug of chocolate goods after the race * The race route Things I didn't enjoy as much: * Race start time (earlier than all the runs I have done) * 15k starts after the 5k. I found this a bit annoying since my group and I had to wait awhile for our 15k friends to finish. I think they should structure the run like the Torchlight Run. Personally I think the registration fee is worth it. read more

This was one of the most well organized races I've ever participated in. Packet Pick Up When you get to the convention hall, you can either show them your email confirmation or give them your last name, and they just pick out a bib for you, and scan it with your info. Boom...done in 2 minutes! Swag Hoodie instead of a shirt? Yes please! They even have a try on station off to the side so you can make sure you have the right size. If not, swap it out! Course The corrals were clearly separated, and the race started on time. Huge plus! The course itself was wet from the rain. I ran the 5K and it started off with a downhill, leaving a gradual uphill towards the end of the race. There was great course support with Gatorade and water stops at 2 different spots as well as the finish line. CHOCOLATE!!! Fondue and hot chocolate! Totally worth it! Delicious :) read more

Just this year I became a long distance runner. As in I would go out and run 5+ miles FOR FUN (which is very shocking because I was a child who dreaded the weekly mile in PE class). With a few 5k fun runs under my belt I signed up for the 2014 Seattle Half Marathon- pleased with the fact that I got around my goal time, and actually completed the run, made me want to do more of them. I got a "runners high". The next thing I knew I was online looking for more runs to race in. I stumbled across the Hot Chocolate Run and it got me immediately with "chocolate" :) Looking into it more I was excited that they gave out jackets instead of the normal t-shirt one receives for participating in a run. The jacket was pretty good quality for the race sign up entry fee ($70). The run took us around downtown and up across the George Washington Memorial bridge (crossing the bridge was the toughest part for me because not only was it 7 miles into the race, it was mostly up hill). Definitely stopped to walk for a bit haha. In the info section about the run it said there would be a lot of chocolate- not specifying the type. My first impression was that there'd be chocolate bars passed out and truffle stations: however, along the course there were stands passing out just marshmallows and tootsie rolls- which wasn't a bad decision on their part because many of the runners couldn't stomach a marshmallow and run 9+ miles. At the end there were cute recovery bowls filled with delicious hot chocolate, a small banana, at least a half cup of chocolate fondue, pretzels and a Rice Krispie treat. They also passed out snazzy medals for the 15k finishers. Overall this was a good, well organized run and I will be doing it again next year! :) read more

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The good: The expo is very well run. I love the fact that they "make" your bib when you go to pick up your packet, rather than having to figure out what your number is, find the appropriate line, and then finally getting it handed to you. That said, I was a bit disappointed by the vendor and swag situation; there didn't seem to be a lot going on at the expo. The sweatshirt they gave out this year was amazing! High quality, comfortable, and worthy of wearing as a regular sweatshirt (I'm wearing mine right now, as a matter of fact.) The start and finish were very well organized. Everything was well marked, the corrals were managed nicely, and the course is well marked and well stationed. So you're probably wondering why I only gave the race 2 stars. The reason is for all of the great stuff the race does, the course is absolutely brutal. Now, I don't mind tough races; I've done more than my fair share of them. The problem I have with this particular race is they bill themselves as a, "Hey, come run!!! And eat chocolate!! And marshmallows!!!" This attracts a lot of first time runners who are just out for fun, and then get punished by this course. It really should be - "Come run an insanely challenging course and earn your little bit of chocolate!!!" Did the race once. I won't be back. read more

So here's the deal: Seattle has some really amazing and scenic places to run and up Aurora Avenue is just not one of them. Having a long, straight-on view of the two mile hill you are about to run up...I mean I do love the challenge of running but that's pretty torturous. That aside, I really enjoyed this race. It was well-organized and though it was a large race I feel like they managed the crowds really well and everything was moving smoothly. Also that chocolate fondue was pretty freakin tasty and I wasn't even running for the chocolate. The swag was pretty good although the hoodies are a little thin. The expo was a little frustrating because it is hard to park at Seattle center and they didn't really have many booths there but I understand that with a crowd that big they can't do same-day number pickup. read more

I wanted a "destination" race this year, so I chose the Seattle Hot Chocolate 15k (I live in Portland). I read about it on another runner's blog and it sounded amazing! Amazing it was. The organization of this race was second to none. Since I came up for the whole weekend, I had no problem going to the expo to pick up my packet early. (I prefer this anyway. Who wants to stand in long lines and worry about bibs and safety pins before a nerve-wracking race?) The expo went very smoothly but the signs were slightly confusing so I didn't know which table to stop at first. No big deal though...I'm a people person so I'm not afraid to ask for help. :) They had a small assortment of vendors and enthusiastic helpers at the hot chocolate table. My only complaint is that no one was selling any kind of Gu or Shot Blocks, so people who hadn't thought ahead of time had to go somewhere else for those things. Race day was sooooo cold and rainy, but the volunteers and workers were great with their cheerful faces. Seattle Center was laid out very well with all the stations, and from what I saw there was very little waiting for bag check, bathrooms, etc. I was in a later corral for the 15k so it took a while to get going, but that is to be expected. The course was crazy challenging--but I wouldn't have gone to Seattle if I didn't want hills, right? The after-party was well marked and organized but sadly I didn't stay long because I was freezing my booty off and my legs were about to give out on me. I will most definitely return for this race. I loved going to Seattle for the weekend but I would also welcome the HC15k to Portland (Oregon) in 2015. read more

By far, this has been one of my favorite runs! This was my second 15k (or umpteenth 5k). First off, kudos to the organizers because this was a very smoothly run operation from the packet pick up and expo to the race itself. SHWAG - THE BEST race shwag I've ever received! They give you an awesome tech long sleeved hoodie!! Some people love their racing t-shirts/tech shirts, but frankly I have too many shirts and not enough drawer space. This hoodie is of good quality and definitely a keeper, especially if you think about the reasonably priced entry fee. Whether you're doing a 5k or 15k, you get the same freaking awesome tech hoodie! PACKET PICK UP - low and behold, they have racks of hoodie gear you can try on! Always comes in handy when you're half way between a medium and large, but couldn't decide which way to go when you registered. As long as you didn't open your hoodie, you can exchange it right then and there for the correct size. INGENIOUS! RACE DAY - It was held on a Sunday, which meant free parking! We chose to park in a lot anyways because the 15k started at 7:45am and we didn't get there until 7am. Even then, we had plenty of time to get to the race, pee and do our thing before start time. Based on your pace, there are different letter heats. And SAFETY is their number one concern, so they are good about giving 3 minutes in between each heat start time. Sucks if you're in the later heats, but at least you won't be spending your first mile weaving in-between joggers. CHOCOLATE - they had a couple people handing out chocolate at mile 7, which I think is cRaZy and which I politely declined because I probably would have puked it up. Anyways, there is a nice little cup of melted chocolate and dippable goodies waiting for you at the finish line. I found this created a much nicer atmosphere than the random Luna bar samples and piles of bananas that sometimes become a post-race free for all. Here, everyone gets one cup of chocolate goodies and that's it. No need to feel like you have to fight for a banana with your post-run wobbly legs. Also after running a 15k, sugar was exact the thing my dehydrated lips and growling stomach after 9.3 miles of running. If you're thinking about doing this as your first 5k or first 15k race - it would be perfect! The shwag is nice and the chocolate is sweet (literally). The only downside was the course. The rolling hills of Seattle made it one of my toughest runs to date. Honestly, I would rather run up a couple steep inclines than deal with constant up and down rolling hills. read more

$47 dollars is what I paid (signed up 3 weeks before), actually well over 50 for Seattle entertainment tax. That is NOT normal for a 5k. I hope 90% of the proceeds *actually* went to Ronald McDonald House charities because you just made a shitton of money! The chocolate was not very good. And, I actually expected more. Run itself: It was just o.k. and started entirely too early. I've run 5 and 10k's since I was 15 and this was A) way too early and B) over staffed. You didn't need 1 guy standing at the get-your-cheap-chocolate-bowl at the end telling me that I'm Doing It Wrong by going into an "Entry AND Exit" area when there's only one other person there and 50 volunteers in the area that's 50 feet long. That was funny and ridiculous! Dude, I'd just run a 5k in 36 degree weather and now you're going to tell me i'm doing it wrong?! ha. For a banana and some chocolate? I think some of these folks have never volunteered for a running event before. Get boxes of bananas, get boxes of chocolate, food bars, whatevers and have separate areas. Tents next to each other. Not hard. Don't try to corrale people when your product tastes like garbage. Packet pickup was normal as any run. It went smoothly. Pull over jackets were welcome and lovely but fit way too small, so most ladies had to exchange for larger sizes. I expected more food vendors, like actual chocolate vendors or food bar try this one giveaways. :) there were none. ​Every single damn 5k I've been to has had those. Not this one. Why not? read more

I love this race. I've done it twice and have had nothing but positive things to say. The packet pick up is smooth and quick, I changed races from the 15k to the 5k, so I could run with my boyfriend, and they got everything figured out really fast. The courses were great (we ran in Seattle in 2014 and Albuquerque in 2012). The volunteers are so nice and happy to be there. Plus, the finisher's mug is beyond delicious! I highly recommend running the Hot Chocolate races! read more

Fun, well organized race. Our group of family & friends included my 9 year old granddaughter who ran her first solo 5K last Saturday & loved it! She was so proud of herself. Packet Pick Up was very organized. No lines, done in about 2 minutes. There were try-on stations for the hoodies. The corrals were clearly marked. And, of course the hot chocolate & snacks were a welcome treat after completing the race. Wonderful volunteers who helped everything go very smoothly-thank you so much!!! I plan to be back next year. read more

This was one of the best races I've ever done. Along with a PR for myself the organization was really outstanding. Considering the amount of people running it the start time was very accurate. I loved the music and the MC was very uplifting. The course was easy and challenging at the same time. I loved the hills and the views were nice to look at while running. The clouds and slight rain just added to the day. Perfect temp and conditions. I flew from Idaho just to do this race and would do it again. I'm going to sign up for the San Francisco one next year since I'm from the Bay Area. I hope it's as great as the Seattle one was. I ran my best time ever and that made the race even better. Loved the hot chocolate and the hoodie. I've been running in it back in Idaho and it's perfect. One of my top 10 days of fun for sure. C u next year :)!!!!!! read more

My 2nd year as well and loved it both times. 5k last year and 15k this year. Both so very well organized. From email info, packet with directions and parking info, starting corrals, course markings, finish and treats after. Amazing! And truly cannot thank all of the volunteers enough. So many that were there for hours and giving all us runners smiles and encouragement. Huge thank you to them! Can't wait for next year! read more

Hot Chocolate 15k/5k - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Loved it! I could've done without the early start time (seriously, I get that they need to shut down all of downtown for the race, but... I'd rather it be somewhere else than have to be there by 6:45!) and with an easier parking situation (by "easier" I mean "cheaper") but overall, I loved it. The hoodies are awesome and a refreshing change from your standard t-shirt, and the mug of hot chocolate & chocolate dippables at the end was awesome. As much as I hated getting up at a time that started with "5", I'll definitely be doing this again next year! read more

I did the 5k last year and the 15k this year and both years have been extremely organized! A super fun race with some sweet swag too! They even had the tech shirt/hoodie exchange very well orchestrated (which is very nice since a lot of race events don't let you change out the shirt size later on). I love how they have the runners separated into corrals according to average pace estimations and the 3 minute delayed start for each corral: Makes the traffic flow a lot smoother! Awesome volunteers too - Thank You!!! I'm already looking forward to running it again next year!!! read more

What a fun & well organized run. Packet pickup was a breeze, the swag was awesome, & chocolate at the finish. Would love to see a medal for the 15k! read more

Fantastic event! This was our second year participating and everything went smoothly. The race course is clear, the parking easy, and the goody bags DELICIOUS. My favorite part of this race is how happy everyone is. Will definitely be participating again next year! read more

This we my husband and my first ever race. I cannot express just how impressed I was with the organizational skills of those who put this together. The packet pick up was super efficient and all stations were clearly marked. I picked up packets for both my husband and me, who wasn't with me, using our printed out e-mail confirmations, and it took less than two minutes. Being able to try the hoodies on was awesome, especially since I had to switch sizes. We even made a sign at the nearby sign making table, complete with branded cardstock & markers. The event itself went off without a hitch. Even with the huge amount of people that were attending, nothing took that long. Bag check was quick, just walked right up. We may have waited for one person, that's about it. The race started on time, almost to the second. I don't know if every race does this, but I really loved how many volunteers were on the course, either cheering & ringing cowbells while marking turns, or handing out Gatorade and water. Picking up our bags was just as fast as dropping them off. I thought we might be slowed down picking up our finisher mugs when I saw the mass amounts of people in the area. I should have guessed, though, that these race organizers would have the under control, too. There were so many volunteers, there wasn't even a line. Overall, we had a great time, I would recommend this race to ANYONE, and we will be back! read more

we had so much fun, this was my first 15K race and first downtown Seattle. It was so well organized and planned out. We had no problems at all. I was having so much fun running the race course that I have drove on for so many years I did not even notice the "hill" everyone talked about. No problem for me. The last 3 miles were down hill and the first mile was down hill. the post party was fun but it was raining so much we did not get to sit outside and enjoy it. All the volunteers and staff were awesome and so many of them. Water stations all along the way and well manned. I can't say enough about the outstanding job the Hot Chocolate people of done. Thanks for have us. read more

A fantastically organized and friendly race! Great volunteers and a great course. And, of course, one of the best rewards for finishing! The fondue was deee-lish! read more

Having finished the Seattle Marathon in November and taking a "break" during the holidays, I was wondering what event would help me get back into the running groove come 2013 and lo and behold, the HOT CHOCOLATE RUN! A part of me initially wanted to just do the 5k but the conscience that always tells me to aim for higher goals got to me and alas I signed up for the 15k. Come Jan 1, I was back in training mode and before I knew it, it was already March 3. I did the same preparations and ritual as I did for the marathon although I thought it would be cake doing ~10 miles versus the 26.2 but like any race at whatever distance, it's all relative and you have your moments of energy and exhaustion and the final thrill of crossing the finish line. Didn't realize this was their inaugural event here in Seattle and well, KUDOS to the organization for being extremely well organized especially for a grand scale event that takes place in the Seattle Center of all places. Seattlites have high expectations esp it being the Seattle Center that events there should run seamlessly and like clockwork. Packet pick-up was at Fisher Pavilion and was very easy especially with all the volunteers (who all look like they were in high school getting community service hours for school) who were all very nice and friendly although in their teenage awkwardness. You get your bib and head over to the other area to get your bag which contained a pretty awesome high quality in appearance sweatshirt. I was also looking for safety pins for your bib but alas they were pre packaged in my bag (which the volunteer I was talking to never informed me of). They had merchandise on sale and some hot chocolate samples available but that's about it...so much for an expo. I was hoping to buy some gels but there was no other kiosks at their event that were selling running related products like they do at the marathon expo so they could at least try to get a local running store or companies like Gatorade or those who sell the gel packs to come out for these things. RACE DAY: Signs were readily available and tons of volunteers again pointing us to the start line...and yes it was chaos with the 5k runners finishing up so you get confused when you see folks with their mugs already while you just barely showed up in pre-race mode. When you finally find the street where all the corrals are, easy signage as to where your letter was. Race started promptly at 7:40am although it was by corral. We were O so had to wait until L, M, and N went. And yes it was chilly so lots of stationary moving and warming up in the corrals until your corral starts. COURSE: Note to self, any Seattle running event training should always include UPHILLS because boy, those legs of the course had some long steep slopes taht were a biatch! lol If you weren't expecting them, they were a pleasant surprise. Luckily the scenery itself made up for it especially crossing the bridge into the Fremont neighborhood but man, it was definitely a test of resiliency and stamina. Otherwise, the last leg of the race was relatively flat and obviously running towards the Seattle Center and seeing the Space Needle was inspiration enough to finish. Also, I felt like the placement of the drink stations on the course were a bit random and out of place...there were legs of the course that I finished and felt like damn I could use a cup of gatorade but the next drink station was 2 miles down and there were times when I passed by a drink station and didn't feel the need for it at all....again, just these are just subjective details. FINISHER REWARD: Ok, this is probably the only thing I am honestly truly bummed about....after a fantastic 15k, what did we get? A plastic oversized mug as noted in the pix...wonk wonk wonk...call me old fashioned but sometimes getting that nice long lasting medal in the end of a race is just so sweet and wish they provided one at the end. I do love my hoodie and the mug will be on my office desk fas a trophy or bragging rights but sadly I feel like it's just going to be a paper clip and office supply organizer....versus a MEDAL that you can forever look at and say oh yeah I did that! Other than those suggestions, the event itself was definitely worth signing up for especially if it benefits the Ronald McDonald House. read more

This is a great race format. My family has run the 5K two years in a row now. Early Sunday morning is nice from a free parking standpoint and the race is over leaving the whole day to do other things. The tech, long sleeve hoodie is very high quality and nice looking. Hot chocolate and treats at the end are appreciated. The course is hilly, but if your training includes hills, then you'll be okay. Besides, there are plenty of things to look at (e.g. Pike Place Market). while running downtown Seattle. such that it will take your mind off the tougher aspects of the course. I've run several races in Seattle (1/2 marathons, 10Ks and 5Ks) and this is my favorite race. read more