About 40K Run Streets In Hot Chocolate Race

CHICAGO (CBS) -- About 40,000 runners raced the streets downtown for the Hot Chocolate 15K and 5K on Sunday morning.

It's dubbed "America's sweetest race," and one of the founders, Steve Ginsburg, says he and his partners started this race nine years ago to create an event after the Chicago Marathon.

At the time, there weren't any races, he says, so he and his team thought of what would be a good theme, and they chose chocolate.

Part of what makes the race unique is afterward, runners party in Grant Park while snacking on chocolate treats. It's also unique because the race is the first to come after the Chicago Marathon.

The race benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities.

"We really pride ourselves on putting on a major marathon quality race," Ginsburg said. "The runners feel safe...they can all run at their own pace, even with this many people."

The race began going to other cities as it grew.

"At one point, it literally was the fastest-growing race in the world," he says.

It's now in 16 cities. The Hot Chocolate race grew from 3,500 to just under 50,000 in five years in Chicago, Ginsburg added.

To learn more about the Hot Chocolate race, visit the website.