After loving the Hot Chocolate 15K so much last year, there was no question—I had to do it again. Coming off my fall half marathon, I eased back in with the Gumbo Flats 10K, then gave my body a couple of much-needed weeks of rest before jumping into 15K training. My training window was fairly short (about 5–6 weeks), but since I was still riding the fitness from half marathon training, I felt more than ready. And wow… this race completely exceeded my expectations. Last year I averaged a 9:16 pace, and this year I dropped that to a 9:05 pace over all 9.3 miles—such a huge win! I felt strong from start to finish, which is honestly the best feeling. Add in ideal race-day temps in the 30s and a last-minute weather miracle (they were predicting sleet the week before!), and it truly turned into one of those everything clicked kind of race days.
Last year, the Hot Chocolate 15K was held in Forest Park, but this year it returned to downtown—and the difference was noticeable right away. Attendance was much larger, which brought such a fun, energetic race-day buzz, and the course was completely new to me. It offered a great mix of rolling hills and flatter stretches, making it feel challenging but very runnable. One of the highlights was running past Busch Stadium, which added an extra dose of excitement and made the whole experience feel even more special.
The Hot Chocolate race is a nationwide race, with races happening in multiple cities on different dates throughout the year. One of my favorite parts is the festive atmosphere—especially all of the fun inflatables set up for photos before and after the race. It really adds to the experience and makes the day feel like a celebration.
Here are my race stats for the 2026 Hot Chocolate 15K:
Time: 1:24:19
Pace: 9:03
The medal is always so cute for this race, I just love the chocolate bar!
Hot Chocolate has AH-mazing food at the end of the race. You get a hot chocolate AND chocolate fondue!!! It took me a bit before I could actually eat it… chocolate always sounds great, but after running 9.3 miles on hills, it takes a bit for my stomach to want anything but water. It was SO good, though. The dippers were a rice Krispy treat, mini pretzels, a banana, a jumbo marshmallow and cookies. I wasn’t wearing it for the race (it was too warm), but they also give you a REALLY nice jacket that you can actually run in (!!) for this race.
I shared my race results with my running coach, and she responded with the kindest message. I’m so grateful to have her support.
After the race, I went home and showered and then we went to my favorite post race restaurant, Peacemaker Lobster & Crab. It’s my favorite way to refuel after a race. What’s next? I am running the Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon in Springfield, IL! I am currently training for it.
Check out my other race recaps and running posts HERE on Pinterest.
