Chicago Hot Chocolate 15K/5K Training Plans

Many local runners start the season with the Shamrock Shuffle in the spring and end with the Hot Chocolate 5K. The Chicago edition of the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K is the series’ largest event – over 32,000 people finished one distance last year, and a large percentage of those were first-timers. Chicago’s flat terrain makes this an attractive race for both 15K and 5K runners as well. Whether you’re lacing up your shoes for your first 5K race ever or aiming for a pre-Thanksgiving PR, CTP can help. Every one of our training plans is completely customizable to suit your present fitness level, helping you to train for your race at an intensity level that’s right for you.

The Hot Chocolate Chicago 5K and 15K courses share a start and finish line in Millennium Park. Portions of the course overlap that of the Chicago Marathon, so this is also a great way to familiarize yourself with some of the terrain if you’ve ever thought about tackling that challenge. After the start, runners pass under the Columbus Drive Tunnel and emerge onto Lower Wacker Drive, overlooking the Chicago Riverwalk. At the 1K mark, the route zigzags to head south on Clark and runs past City Hall. The route then cuts east to Michigan Avenue, passing the Museum of Contemporary Art. As the route reaches the Formal Gardens, the 5K course diverges from the 15K course to head toward the finish line in Grant Park.

15K competitors continue south on Michigan Ave. for about two miles before making their way east once the route reaches the Illinois Institute of Technology. There, runners will make the turn to head toward the Lakefront Trail on the shores of Lake Michigan. The course reaches the 10K mark just after turning onto the trail and follows the path all the way back toward Grant Park for three miles, circling Soldier Field and The Field Museum before arriving at the finish line, where a crowd of cheering spectators – and a goody bag full of chocolate treats – await.

Combined with the area’s flat terrain, Chicago’s cool November weather makes this set of races a great way to start your racing career or end a long racing season. When you prepare for your Hot Chocolate Chicago 15K or 5K race with Custom Training Plans, you’ll get a customized, comprehensive training plan that’s so much more than just a mileage schedule. Every one of the workouts in each Hot Chocolate Chicago 15K training plan and Hot Chocolate Chicago 5K training plan is designed to contribute to your overall goals.

Our training plans prepare you for the course you’re about to run with workouts that address the terrain. Each Hot Chocolate Chicago 15K/5K training plan is designed to prepare you for the distance you’re running, so your 15K plan won’t just be a 10K and 5K plan slapped together. Our plans incorporate mobility exercises, cross-training, and more to help you increase not only your cardiovascular fitness, but also the strength and endurance that can help you reach for your race goals safely. Our Hot Chocolate Chicago 15K and 5K training plans include running workouts that are designed to help you take advantage of the flat, fast course. In addition to mileage, our plans include sprints, intervals, and hill repeats. The variety doesn’t just spice up your workouts – it also builds speed and power, helping you get to the finish line faster.

Whatever your distance, be it 5K or 15K, it’s vital to follow a program that can be tailored to fit your current physical fitness level. Generic plans that ask athletes to do too little can lead to racers showing up at the line without adequate preparation, and vice versa. Both of these scenarios can lead to injury or a dreaded DNF. At Custom Training Plans, we partner with professional athletic trainers to create workouts that can be adjusted to provide the intensity that’s right for you. Following a CTP Hot Chocolate Chicago 15K training plan or Hot Chocolate Chicago 5K training plan can make a significant difference during your race prep. You can trust Custom Training Plans to help you get you to the finish line safely.