I ran the Kona Chocolate 5k once before in 2014 but this year I decided to run the Chocolate Double (10k and 5k).

Packet Pick-up: I participated in the early packet pickup at Road Runner Sports West Bloomfield. Included in the packet was your race bib and a running jacket. The jacket was a full-zip Leslie Jordan lightweight running jacket available in both men's and women's sizes. The company was offering a free hat to the first 200 people to pick up their packets at the early packet pickup which ran from 11/11-11/13. Because of the free hat offer there was a long line at the store when I arrived about a half hour after the pickup opened. There was only 1 person with a computer checking registrations and assigning bibs. The congestion eased when a a worker started checking registrations at the cash register of the store but it still took around 30 minutes to get my race packet. Previous Kona events I have been able to go in and out of the store in 5 minutes or less for the early packet pickup. Other options for packet pickup were at the race expo the day before the race or race morning.

Race morning I planned to get to Plymouth early to get parking. The race offers complimentary parking at TDM (Sheldon Road and M-14) with shuttle buses to the expo (a few blocks from the start). I have used the complimentary parking previously but this year running the double I decided to park in a garage in downtown Plymouth for $5 which was 1 block away from the start and finish. We got to the parking garage around 6:40am and waited in the car for a bit before heading to the race. The garage was under construction but was still easy to get in before the race and out after the race.

Start area: Restrooms were available near the finish line (1 block from the start) and I waited maybe 5 minutes in line for a porta-john before the 10k. The start line area was a little disorganized - there were supposed to be 3 waves to start 10 minutes apart but it wasn't clear where those waves were going to be distinguished in the crowd. Running the double we were supposed to start in the first wave of the 10k but I ended up starting in the 2nd wave. The 5k start area was even more confusing with more people. I was able to start int he first wave of the 5k but I ended up passing a lot of walkers in the first mile or so of the race. Overall 10k runners were better at placing themselves in the start line than the 5k. I didn't hear any announcements to the effect of "walkers start in the back" which may have helped the 5k start.

Race route: The 5k route was mostly the same as the second half of the 10k. These are also the same routes used for the Wicked Halloween Run in October. The 5k route starts through downtown Plymouth but quickly turns into neighborhoods for the majority of the course. It's flat with a good number of turns. The 10k route is also mostly neighborhoods, the first couple of miles has a few long gradual hills. The 10k had 3 water stations and the 5k had 1 water station - all of which had plenty of volunteers and water cups available.

Post-Race: Running the double I received 2 medals at the end of running the 5k race. These medals were located at the back of the medal line and plenty of volunteers pointing double runners to the right place. There were water bottles available after picking up the medal. After the finish area you went to the chocolate party. You were admitted to the chocolate line with a tab from the bib and there were 4 lines to keep things moving. In the chocolate party you received a chocolate chip cookie, 2 pieces of Sanders chocolates, a mini candy cane, a cup of Panera hot chocolate, and a small carton of Guernsey Chocolate Milk.

Overall I was very pleased with this race. Weather was chilly (windchills in the teens) but it was dry. The course was pretty flat and through neighborhoods which isn't too scenic. The start area could use a little more organization with the 3 waves start (with 10 minutes between waves). I will most likely run this race again.

I decided to sign up for this race a few weeks before it was scheduled. I registered at one of the early packet pickup locations (a New Balance store) and the registration was easy. I filled out a registration form, paid (cash or check only), and got my shirt and bib at that spot. The race also offered online registration.

Because I did the early packet pickup I cannot comment on the expo that the race put on. Race morning we arrived in Detroit around 6:30am and had no problem finding parking. We did not use one of the lots suggested on the race site so I do not know how congested those lots were. We went to cobo (2 blocks from our parking lot) before the race to use the restrooms and stay warm. The restroom lines were long but moved and maybe took 15 minutes total. We headed over to the start line a little after 7 and ended up going inside the Guardian Building until about ten minutes before race start since it was right by the corral.

The start area had clear entrances to the different corrals and had people at the entrances checking bibs. I did not have too many issues with my corral placement (I signed up for the blue corral which was supposed to be 8-10 minute mile pace - I planned to run around 10 minute miles). There was a bit of a squeeze on the side road before getting on Woodward due to some construction but other than that I was not slowed by other runners on the course.

The course had 3 water stations and 1 cookies/mints station. I did partake in all 3 water stations (miles 2, 3, and 4.5 approximately) but passed on the cookie station even though it was a cute idea I wasn't ready for food at that point during my run. The course was flat and open - I was able to run at my pace throughout the whole course minus the one spot where construction narrowed the course at the beginning (it didn't lose too much time).

The finish area was well organized. One past the finish line there was a separate chute for the double runners to get back to the start for the 5k. Then through the long chute they gave you your medal and a bottle of water. The chute moved and I did not have any issues with stopping before the finish line like I saw in reviews of previous years. After exiting the finish chute there were additional snacks and waters inside of cobo. That area was easy to get in and we ended up browsing around the New Balance expo booth for a little bit before leaving. Leaving had a bit of a bottleneck since there were a total of 3 doors for entering and exiting the expo area and the 5k finishers were all trying to get in while the 10k finishers were leaving.

After the expo area we went back to the car and had no problems with getting to the highways and on our way home. Overall I was very pleased with this race - the spectator support can't be beat and everything was well organized. I will plan to run this again since the 10k was a perfect start to Thanksgiving.