I signed up for The Hot Chocolate 15K/5K months ago after missing the registration for the 2013 race. Everyone I talked to warned me about the hilly course but I wasn't too worried--almost all my runs, training and races, have hills. This is Atlanta, after all!
The chocolately weekend started out with the Hot Chocolate Expo. I went on Friday morning, and I found it to be incredibly organized--the separate lines for bibs, parking passes and goody bags moved quickly and I got there early enough that it wasn't too crowded with people. My only complaint was the incredibly loud music--I know it was meant to get the crowd pumping, but there wasn't much of a crowd so all it did was echo.
The expo was small but I still enjoyed browsing through the official merchandise, looking through the sale items from our local Big Peach Running Company and I signed up for my spring half--I finally chose to do the Publix Georgia Half Marathon here in town. I also discovered Sweaty Bands--where have those things been all my life?!? I'm pretty sure I might be addicted.
Race Day came bright and early Sunday.
It was a downright tropical 32 degrees when I got in my car. If you had told me this time last year that I'd be happy about running a race at 32 degrees, I would have laughed myself right back under my down blanket. But after running my Thanksgiving Day 10K in 20 degree weather and waking up the day before the Hot Chocolate to single digits, I was happy to see it that high race day.
I met up with some friends from the ATLrunsDisney group to chat and take a quick picture, then I found my corral and waited to cross the starting line.
Everyone was right--the course was one hill after another. But I was prepared for it, and you can't really beat the views of running downtown.
Before I knew it, I was coming up on the finish line and ready to collect my chocolate prize!
I had so much fun at this race, and I'm looking forward to running it again next year--hills and all!
A penny for your thoughts: have you ever run for chocolate?
Super cute photos, man what a gorgeous sky! I am too chicken to brave the cold AND hills in January, but y'all might be winning me over!
ReplyDeleteIt was so much fun, Julie! And the hills weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be.
DeleteI ran for chocolate last year in Seattle--it was one of my favorite races! Good job with the hills, I had no idea Atlanta is so hilly!
ReplyDeleteWasn't it fun? Yep, hills are a part of running in ATL--you just learn to hate to love them :)
DeleteI keep meaning to sign up for this one every year! Maybe I'll hit it next year! Great recap and I'm glad you had fun!
ReplyDeleteYou should! You'd have a great time!
DeleteI run for chocolate every day ;) The mug is so cute!!
ReplyDeleteRight?!? What's that saying..."I run Disney so I can eat Disney." That's me!
DeleteLove the mug! I ran another hot chocolate run locally.
ReplyDeleteThe goodies at the end were fun. Now my mug is full of paperclips and doo-dads.
DeleteI'm debating this one. Is it sad that one contributing factor to my hesitation is the lack of a medal? It's also a little further away than my general preference for a race. I've heard pretty good things about it, though. I may have to bite the bullet and check it out. I like that it's a 15K instead of a whole half marathon.
ReplyDeleteI definitely like the distance options. A medal would be nice, though--much easier on my waistline than the giant mug of chocolate goodies--although it was so good...
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