About

OUR FIELD OF RUNNERS IS SET!

The Hot Chocolate Run for Bears is a fundraiser to provide memorable Build-A-Bear Workshop® experiences for children with cancer and other serious illnesses. Supporters of UMPS CARE Charities raise money for the children's hospital program and then meet on December 3rd in Washington D.C. to run in the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K at National Harbor.

OFFICIAL HOT CHOCOLATE 15/5K RACE WEBSITE: Click Here for official Hot Chocolate 15/5K race website and then return to this page for information about our event.

Supporters who raise $350+ for charity in the Hot Chocolate Run for Bears receive:

An online fundraising page and support to meet the goal,
Free race entry to run the inaugural D.C. Hot Chocolate 15K/5K,
A dri-fit Run for Bears running shirt courtesy of New Balance,
Race goody bag including Official Hot Chocolate reflective wind and water resistant running jacket.

Participants are eligible for fundraising incentives and prizes including:

2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game Tickets,
2012 Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles regular season game tickets,
Ghirardelli Chocolate gifts, and
New Balance gift certificates.

WHEN: Saturday, December 3, 2011 (5K start time — 7:30am 15K start time — 7:45am)

WHERE: National Harbor, MD. National Harbor is a community unlike any other in the D.C. region, designed to take full advantage of the most historic river in the nation. Rising from the banks of the Potomac River just south of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Prince George’s County, Md., National Harbor is a 350-acre, mixed-used development designed to include five hotels (including the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center), thousands of residential and office units, tree-lined promenades with scores of shops and restaurants, a marina and much more.

REGISTER TO RUN: To get started, click the "Register to Run" tab at the top. Complete the form and we will send additional details, including a link to your personal fundraising page, within 3-business days.

FUNDRAISING: Participants are asked to raise a minimum of $350 in pledges by November 20th. Participants encourage family, friends, and business contacts to pledge financial support for their effort. UMPS CARE Charities provides support to help you reach your goal – including a personal Web page for credit-card donations and materials to assist in the fundraising effort. Fundraising incentive prizes are available.

RACE FORMATS: Runners may select to participant in either the 5K or 15K race.

POST RACE PARTY: Join your fellow runners, walkers and chocolate lovers for the most scrumptious post race party in the nation! Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate, Fondue and many other chocolate treats will be the icing on the cake. We will also present awards for race day top finishers and winning fundraising incentive prizes.

RACE DAY AWARDS:

TOP FUNDRAISER: Two (2) tickets to the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Kansas City. (To be eligible, you must raise a minimum of $1,200 prior to the race.)
15K TOP FINISHING TIME: First Place Trophy and New Balance Gift Certificate.
5K TOP FINISHING TIME: First Place Trophy and New Balance Gift Certificate.

FUNDRAISING INCENTIVE PRIZES:

$350 - $499: Complimentary race entry, Run for Bears shirt by New Balance, and a Thank You Gift box of premium Ghirardelli Squares™ Chocolates.
$500 - $749: Complimentary race entry, Run for Bears shirt by New Balance, and a Large Milk & Caramel SQUARES Gift Bag filled with 50 of Ghirardelli's best selling Milk & Caramel SQUARES™ chocolates. Enough to share...but you don't have to.
$750 - $999: Complimentary race entry, Run for Bears shirt by New Balance, a Large Milk & Caramel SQUARES Gift Bag filled with 50 of Ghirardelli's best selling Milk & Caramel SQUARES™ chocolates, and (2) two tickets to a 2012 Baltimore Orioles or Washington Nationals weekday baseball game.
$1,000+: Complimentary race entry, Run for Bears shirt by New Balance, an elegant Gold Gift Tower of Ghirardelli chocolate, and (2) two tickets to a 2012 Baltimore Orioles or Washington Nationals weekend baseball game.