Sat, Feb 13, 2027

Hot for Chocolate 5K

Saint Leonard, MD

Registration openAnnual since at least 2023

Entry is $35 now and rises to $40 after Nov 26, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Hot for Chocolate 5K

The race runs through Jefferson Patterson Park, starting and finishing at the park's pavilion. The setting feels more like a nature trail than a road race, with open parkland around you rather than city streets, though the organizer has not detailed the terrain beyond that.

Packet pickup happens at a shelter in Prince Frederick in the days before the race, with race-morning pickup at the park as well. The park gates close early on race morning, so arriving late means missing the start. Hot chocolate and food are at the finish, and awards follow in the pavilion.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2026 results, this is a decent-sized field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K · 2026 results

384finishers

18:02winner

42:19median

1:24:13cutoff

Top 3: Jake Rupard (18:02) · David John Walser (19:38) · Gabriel Parmer (20:22)

The Hot for Chocolate 5K has been held every year since at least 2023. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 5K results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K3/6/2027 08:00$35

5K2/13/2027 08:00$35

Going for a Time?

Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Hot for Chocolate 5K

Will I finish last at the Hot for Chocolate 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 42:19, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:24:13, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Hot for Chocolate 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 384 is big enough that you will have company at your pace without feeling lost in a crowd. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Hot for Chocolate 5K?

The 5K winner ran 18:02 while the median finisher took 42:19. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.