PoHo Hot Coco event set for Saturday in the city

Runners from around the country travel here to participate

By Barb Pert Templeton

It’s become a staple on the winter calendar, a favorite event in Port Huron during the winter months and organizers are thrilled to host the 14th Annual PoHo Hot Coco event this Saturday, Jan. 25 from 7 a.m. to noon.

The ‘live in-person’ event has a new main sponsor for 2025, Farm Bureau, and for the second year in a row the Wrigley Center will be the place for the after-race party. In fact, all races will start and finish at the Wrigley Center area and organizers say there will be plenty of parking in the area too.

Race Director Greg Whitican, owner of Elite Feet in Port Huron and Road Runner Timing Company in St. Clair County, said the previous owner of his store started the racing event because Southeast Michigan didn’t have one. In particular, the area lacked an event that included different race options and took place during the winter months.

There are four distances offered this year: 10 Miles starting at 9 a.m., a 10K at 9:10 a.m. and a 5K at 9:15 a.m. The Kids One Mile race will step off at 8:30 a.m. allowing parents who are doing their own race to run with their youngsters first.

All participants for the longer races will receive a Re- Fleece Hoodie. One mile youth runners will receive a long sleeve t-shirt with registration and all finishers will also receive a finisher medal.

Whitican, who became the race director a half dozen years ago, said the event welcomes runners of all ages and has included up to 800 participants the last few years. Prior to COVID-19, the race would bring over 1,300 runners to town and organizers are working to bring those numbers back up.

“People come from all over the country and Canada too, we have some runners from Toronto this year,” Whitican said. “And we have some runners that have never missed one of our races.”

Spectators are also always plentiful and a professional photographer is on site to take photographs before, during and after the race and they are given away freely to participants.

Given the outdoor temperatures in January Whitican said they’ve had some very chilly race days over the years including once when it was one degree below zero at the start of the event. He vividly recalled runners crossing the finish line with giant slabs of ice where their beards once were.

After the races, all are invited inside the Wrigley Center to enjoy hot chocolate and fruit, graham crackers and marshmallows on a platter that can then be doused with freshly melted chocolate. Whitican has also secured a live band to perform at the center and visitors are welcome to visit other things going on there that day including a sports card show and golf simulator area.

Pulling off such a huge event is only possible due to a hearty crowd of volunteers. Volunteer Coordinator Brett Earent has taken charge of gathering more than three dozen helpers from local schools who are placed along the race route to ensure everyone is safe. Port Huron, Yale, Marine City and Crosswell-Lexington high schools, mostly from the track and cross-country teams, all send volunteers on race day, Whitican said.

Proceeds from the race are divided up among the participating schools.

Hosting the annual event is a large undertaking but it’s one Whitican, who’s a former running coach, loves bringing to Port Huron.

“I like the fact that it’s put on in Port Huron and a lot of people have never been here before,” he said. “And they can run along the St. Clair River and see downtown and I’m sure there will be some ice floating down the St. Clair River this Saturday morning.”

Packet pickup for those already registered for the race will be Friday, January 24th from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. at Wrigley Hall 318 Grand River Ave, in Port Huron.

The day of the event packet pickup and registration will be 7:00 a.m.- 9:00 a.m. also at the Wrigley Center Area.

To register for Saturday’s race in Port Huron follow this link: https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/PortHuron/PoHoHotCocoa