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Race Reports for Hot Chocolate 15K - Chicago

[1]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Always a solid race, just wish the 5K route was nicer.
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[2]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This is a pretty good race but it attracts a lot of beginners/non-runners so the course etiquette can be a little chaotic. I do enjoy that it's not just another "Chicago lakefront path" course and it does have a unique after party (the hot chocolate and fondue is seriously amazing after a long chilly run).
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[3]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Overall, a great event! Organizers were all extremely friendly, and they had enough volunteers along the course to make the race go smoothly. The post race festivities included live stage music, and chocolate served in various ways.
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[4]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Everything was on time and well organized which is not something I can say for past RAM events, so gold start there. The beginning of the course (the route and the crowds) were super annoying so just a heads up- I would have been ticked if I was trying to PR a 5k and was stuck in all that mess for over a mile. Other than the other odd parts of the course, it was a solid race.
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[5]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: RAM put on a great event. VERY organized from pre-race information to packet pick-up to the actual race. Managing such a huge group of people (the news said 75000 participants and volunteers!!!!!) isn't easy and it went well from my view. I'll be doing more RAM events. Whatever issues there were in the past seem to have been resolved to some degree.
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[6]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Love this race! It is huge and has a great vibe to it. I understand it was a little unorganized at packet pick up the first day, but I thought it went well on Saturday.
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[7]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The packet pickup situation was a huge letdown. I still like this race, and if they move it back to Union Station i might do it next year. If they don't, depending on how the Perfect 10 goes for me next weekend, that might become my new go-to November race.
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[8]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I was a bit skeptical going into this race based on past reviews, but with the new course I really can't complain! Granted I was in the A-Corral, but with the exception of the first 1/2 to full mile I never really felt boxed in and was able to run my race. Things were quick and smooth at after party which is good considering the # of people. One suggestion: They bought tons and tons of bananas for dipping into chocolate, but provided none at the finish line. I would have liked a banana with my water and Gatorade.
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[9]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Started late b/c the 5K course had to be rerouted to do an incident with a truck and a bridge, haha. Other than that, great route, great weather, wonderful post-race treats (didn't have to wait in line b/c we finished so late!) The jacket in the goodie back left something to be desired- I'm not a huge goodie bag fan, I'd rather have some coupons, a couple power bars and a finisher's medal.
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[10]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Great race. Still too many people and the aid stations were crowded. I'll definitely do this again, very fun race!
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[11]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Coming into this race...I really, really, really wanted to just run pain free. While that didn't happen, I still think I had a WONDERFUL race, and am so proud of myself for being able to work through it at a pace that is more respectable, and more representative of the runner I can be. While this race isn't a 10 mile race, and only a 9.3 mile race, I ran 29 seconds faster per mile today...and I am so happy. It is definately progress, and that's all I can ask for considering how many years, doctors and nonsense I have had to go through to figure out this pain and the solution to keep it under control. I am still running with a heavy heart after Dan passing away last weekend, and I thought of him and PeggySue for a lot of the race. During the National Anthem before the start of the 5k, I got really choked up thinking of Dan, Mom, and everyone else I love that is no longer with us...and it made me so proud...knowing that I was out here, freezing my butt off, hoping to have a good
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[12]
Reported by:
Race rating (2)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: They need to either restrict the number of entrants into this race or change the course. It was downright dangerous at times -- the course narrowed down to a 6-8 ft path with concrete walls on either side. Not only that, but for most of the race we were stacked shoulder to shoulder -- saw a girl trip and go down and it's incredibly lucky that she wasn't trampled. This race is a lawsuit waiting to happen (except - of course - that we sign away our lives when we pay the registration fee on these things).
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[13]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: They TRIPLED the race in size this year, so the start area seemed like utter chaos as 30 000 people milled around and few of them seemed to know where they were supposed to be going. The 15K start was at least 20 minutes later than they'd planned, I think. It all evened out eventually, though. I don't know what the famed chocolate-fest afterwards was like, as I was in no mood to get dangerously chilly to find out. The course was fine-- pretty, even-- but the combination of crowds and cold had me outta there ASAP.
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[14]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Last year I was very harsh on this race and RAM in general. I still don't have much respect for RAM races and think there is a lot they can improve on. However, they were fairly organized this year. The biggest issues were the gear check again. They had it too close to the start corrals and it was a massive congestion. I was lucky enough to finish quickly and only had a few people in line to retrieve my gear. I heard it was really bad later on. The other issue is the overall size of this race. The course was too narrow for this many people and they didn't do a good enough job stressing that you need to start in the proper corral for your pace. You shouldn't start in the 8 minute corral if you are going to walk. I'm on the fence if I will do this race again. There is a lot they did improve on from last year, but they have a ways to go. If you are going to do this race, be prepared for the unorganized aspect of it and the crowds. Do not expect a PR in a race like
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[15]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Besides the over crowding it was great.
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[16]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?No
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Too easy

  • Comments: I had fun, but lots of folks were stressed out because the gear check was messed up...felt bad for them.
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[17]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Bad
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I wanted to love this race. I have to say although it seemed run okay I was somewhat disappointed. It was very crowded for such a small run area. Worst of all the Hot Chocolate was undrinkable. Something was seriously wrong with it... it boarded on rancid! One sip and in the trash it went. Considering the whole race was based on the Chocolate hype... that's a huge let down! They were also out of chocolate Fondue. C'mon if you're going to increase the race entrant #s that much be prepared! I watch what I eat so I had no plans to pig out, but it's just the principal of it. This race is really expensive and although the swag was decent (running benie, jacket, shoulder bag) I expected more from a race that cost over $50.00. Don't know if I'll be back. I'd actually be more annoyed but at the mini-expo they had I got an amazing deal on a jacket that was marked down way more then it should have been, so I call it even. :) I went home and made my own Hot Chocolate. Humf!
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[18]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?No

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Too easy

  • Comments: RAM racing certainly does a good job at hyping their events, but this one left much to be desired. First of all, the race entry fee was very high for what you get. It was a run on an open bike path around a park, with 3 or 4 aid stations. For the entry fee and 4,000 people paying they should be able to secure a better venue than that for at least part of the race. Ever seen 4,000 people race on a 5-foot-wide bike path? How about putting an out-and-back section in there so that with two-way traffic you actually have 2.5 feet of space? Yeah, it's a silly idea. At the end I got about $2.50 worth of food. It was not chocolate heaven as advertised. I got a fun size snickers, a cup of hot chocolate, and a couple ounces of fondue chocolate that froze instantly because it's November in Chicago. Fondue was a nice idea, but after I finished that generous 1/8th of an apple and single marshmallow I was still starving and had to buy breakfast, effectively raising the price of this race.
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[19]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?No
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Awesome goodie bag - fleece jacket, running cap and alot of hershey chocalte afterward
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[20]
Reported by:
Race rating (2)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?No
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I was fairly disappointed with the race. Usually Running Away puts on good events. I hope it was due to this being the first time for the event. Here are my biggest pet peeves with this race. ~ Porta Potties: They had the 15k go off first and had the course go directly in front of the porta potties. Anybody from the 5k that was waiting in line was cut off from using them as all the 15k runners passed by. By the time the 15k passed by the 5k gun was going off. It was a poor logistic decision. ~ They had all the athletes (~3000 runners) start and run the whole time on a narrow running path. Most of the events that start up there do the first mile on the street which helps with the crowding. ~ This was the "Hot Chocolate" race where you were supposed to get hot chocolate and other goodies at the end. I waited in line for over 20 minutes and never even got close to getting any food. They had the entrance and exit to the food in one small tent that all 3000 plus people were
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