Callaway YMCA holds first Hot Cocoa Hustle 5K

Runners and walkers brave freezing temperatures in Fulton to participate in the first Hot Cocoa Hustle 5K, held Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017 by the YMCA of Callaway County. The race was sponsored by businesses from around Fulton, and the hot cocoa was provided by Fresh Ideas, the company that operates the William Woods University dining hall.
Runners and walkers brave freezing temperatures in Fulton to participate in the first Hot Cocoa Hustle 5K, held Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017 by the YMCA of Callaway County. The race was sponsored by businesses from around Fulton, and the hot cocoa was provided by Fresh Ideas, the company that operates the William Woods University dining hall.

The YMCA of Callaway County held the first Hot Cocoa Hustle 5K Saturday, with 22 runners from around the state braving the freezing temperatures.

Drawn by the promise of free hot chocolate after the race, the 5K's course led the runners around a snow-covered Fulton. Participants were given the option of either running or walking the race. Most discovered the event through a post on the local YMCA's Facebook page.

Beth Oseroff, the marketing and event director for the Callaway YMCA, said she came up with the hot cocoa theme to increase participation.

"This is the first time we have held a race to kick off the new year," Oseroff said. "We have done winter races before, but we haven't held one in years."

Oseroff said participation in Saturday's 5K was higher than expected.

"We had 15 people preregister, but more showed up day of," she said.

Marilyn Welborn, a William Woods University Admissions Counselor and a friend of Oseroff's, said she has participated in numerous 5Ks in the past.

"I have run too many to count," Welborn said. "Its a nice distance."

However, Welborn was concerned about the temperature before the race.

"I'm worried about the cold," she said "I plan on going numb during the race."

Danny and Valerie Neudecker, and their two boys David and Luke, bundled up against the cold to walk the course.

"We wanted to get out of the house," Danny Neudecker said. "This is our second 5K as a family; we also participated in the Turkey Trax Run in Columbia last year."

The family was not at all worried about the temperature.

"The sun is out, which is very helpful," Valerie Neudecker said. "At least there's no freezing rain."

Jennifer Suchanek, of Jefferson City, said she runs 5Ks to earn "wellness points" at her work.

"I have run about seven or eight 5Ks in the past," Suchanek said. "We can then turn the wellness points we earn into vacation time. It's to incentivize staying healthy."

Suchanek had planned to bring more people with her, but the weather turned them away.

"Everyone bailed," she said. "It was just too cold."

Denise Leverett and Kathy Lovell traveled from Louisiana to participate in the race. Both said they are very familiar with 5Ks.

"We travel all the time to do 5Ks," said Leverett. "We have probably done more than 50."

"I think its closer to 100," Lovell said.

Neither were worried about the weather.

"We have run in all conditions," Leverett said. "Today is warmer than some of our previous races."

The race was sponsored by business from around Fulton, and the hot cocoa was provided by Fresh Ideas, the company that operates the William Woods University dining hall.