Hot Chocolate 15k Seattle Race Info

Date: 3/4/18

Location: Seattle, WA (Seattle Center)

Start Time: 7:55am

Avg Temps (f): 52/38

Time Limit: ~15 minute miles, so ~2.5 hours

Lessons Learned from Race Reports

Race is very hilly, hands down the one thing everyone comments on. And the hill up Aurora and over the bridge feels fairly never-ending.
The 5k race starts before the 15k and there are lots of waves of 5k runners, so be ready for it to take nearly the entire time leading up to the 15k run for the 5k runners to start
Good race swag
Good post-race chocolate (as you would hope with a race that has Chocolate in the name)
Start corrals in the past haven’t been super crowded, so it’s easier to start out at a goal race pace and not have tons of people to maneuver around
Again, it’s hilly throughout the entire race

Course

Type: 2 out and backs, first a small one around downtown, and another out and back on Aurora Ave N (99), turning around just before N 50th St.

Start/Finish Info: Both at Seattle Center. Garage parking around Seattle Center, or park downtown and take the Monorail in. Info here.

Hills: 1189 feet of gain. 6 significant hills varying from 75-300 feet of gain. See course elevation below.

Link to Course Map

Link to Course Elevation

Aid stations

Locations of water stations: 4 spots with both water and electrolytes, at approximately miles 2.5, 4.5, 6.5, and 8.5

Spectator access

Access Locations: Start/finish, from the Start, you can walk to mile 3, or skip the start and see them downtown and then again after they come back down Aurora, either on Mercer St, or at the finish.