Flat and Fast Updates to Hot Chocolate Races

The 13th Annual Hot Chocolate 5K, 10K, Kids Hill Climb, and Marshmallow Dash Race Preview

By Guest Author Kevin Fitzgerald

 As one of the sponsors of this and numerous other races in the Asheville and Western North Carolina area, we at Jus’ Running will be doing a preview of the event and race course in hopes that familiarity will encourage many of you jump into one of the races, either for the first time or as a returning racer.

All of the races take place on Saturday January 25th at the Isaac Dickson Elementary School at 125 Hill Street in Asheville.  Registration information can be found at: hotchocolateraces.com

The 5K course for 2020 is new and incorporates a part of the French Broad River Greenway.  The start at Isaac Dickson and run down Hill Street to Riverside Drive (.7 mi) is super-fast.  Runners then turn LEFT onto Riverside Drive and begin a flat stretch, passing under I-240 and making a RIGHT onto Craven St (1.1 mi), proceeding across the river and turning LEFT onto the French Broad River Greenway (1.3).  At 1.6 runners leave the Greenway and cross back over the river on Haywood Road to the roundabout (1.9) and take the third exit onto Roberts Street and make a short climb up to mile 2 before a quick descent to West Haywood Street (2.2), taking a LEFT and then RIGHT (2.3) onto Riverside Drive.  At mile 2.8 runners turn RIGHT on Hill Street for the short climb back to the finish line at the school.  Over the 3.1 mile course, runners will descend 256 feet and climb 171’ with a net difference of 85 making this a fast 5K.

 The 10K course is also new and is a fast out and back with the same downhill start and uphill finish as the 5K, taking runners out Riverside Drive and Lyman Street to Amboy Road and a half mile run along the Greenway in the French Broad River Park before returning on the same route to the school.  It is a negative 100’ elevation gain making it a fast and flat course as well.

 The awards for the 5K and 10K races include handmade commemorative mugs for the top three male and female overall finishers and first male and female in the Masters and Grandmasters divisions.  Jus’ Running is also providing gift certificates to these finishers.  Mugs will also be awarded to the top three finishers in the age groups. 

Of course, the Hot Chocolate Races would not be complete without a steaming cup of French Broad River Hot Chocolate at the finish line!! 

Jus’ Running has been open in Asheville for over twenty-one years. While business ebbs and flows we remain poised to continue being an integral part of the Asheville fitness community.  Please stop by the store at 523 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville and talk with our amazing staff who are there to serve all of your running needs with their expertise and our extensive line of running shoes, apparel, and gear. Need training advice? We can help with that too!

 Register today HERE

Photos courtesy of Hot Chocolate Races