I ran the Hot Chocolate 5k as part of being a BibRave Pro. Check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews.
Saturday morning was frigid, the perfect kind of weather for a Hot Chocolate Race! I parked at NASCAR, as always, because we were meeting up nearby post-race and I wanted a short walk when I was done. I am so bummed that it was so light out when I emerged from the parking garage because that building was so beautiful in the dark! The rainbow was so vibrant!
I walked the 3/4 mile to the race village and met up with my friends. I am so blessed that so many of them were at the village so early. My race started 30 minutes before theirs! I goty a pic with all of my fellow Pros as well as part of my running club. There was a second club pic after I started my race, with easily three times as many runners!
I had to get a pic of this sign!
Did I mention it was frigid? Poor Lissa came over to see us off, and was not happy. She hates the cold and she was ready to run!
I used one of the many potties without having to wait and then went to look for my friends. I was not optimistic.
I managed to find 2 out of the 3 of them! I never found my friend Anna, but I found Cary and Nikki and we got the obligatory pre-race selfies, including one very fun photo bomber!
After about 9 minutes, our corral made it to the start and we were off!
There were a lot of people doing the 5k, and it was crowded pretty much the whole time. Cary took off ahead of us and we didn't see her again until after the race. Nikki and I stuck together the whole time, passing each other on the hills because I would run up them and walk down, and she did the opposite. We are both recovering from injury and did what worked best for us
I was bummed to be turning, but so grateful to be running at all. I am a bundle of constantly conflicting emotions!
At the water stop we got some chocolate! I almost missed the table, but luckily the volunteers were calling out to us and I wasn't about to miss on course candy!
The scenery was beautiful. We ran through neighborhoods and through town, and the policer had traffic under control. I never once felt unsafe.
My favorite part is when we circle back into the city. I love this view.
Once we got closer to the finish, they had these fun signs out for motivation. I always love reading them, it is a nice distraction! That race is hilly y'all, like all Charlotte races, and my legs were toast.
Once I crossed the finish, I got my bottled water and my bling, but honestly I just wanted the chocolate. I found Nikki, and we headed over to the chocolate booth, where we also found Cary. We got our steaming Hot Cocoa and our melted chocolate with dippers. This year, the container was compostable, and they had volunteers manning the garbage area so that everything compostable went into one bin, and garbage and recycling went into other bins. It was fantastic!
Once we got our fill of goodies, it was time for post race photos. They had a few options but we went for the blow up candy bar before the girls had to dash off. I was staying to spectate the 15k finishers.
I walked back to the finish and watched all of my fellow Pros and most of my running club finish the 15k. The announcer was hysterical and motivated all of the runners. He was a joy to listen to, and I was there fort an hour! I stayed until it was time to leave for our brunch meetup.
Off to Amelie's we went. They have 6 locations, 5 are in the Charlotte area, and one of them is right near the convention center. Their pastries are delectable and they make delicious sandwiches as well.
Definitely one of my favorite ways to end a race day! We had so much fun, and it was a great way to get warmed up!
I really enjoyed earning my 3 year Legacy, which didn't feel real until I finished the race! I look forward to returning next year, and I plan to be healthy and ready for the 15k course once more!
Want to hear about the 15K? Check out my friend's review:
You can also read about the expo and 15K, complete with multiple pics of me here:
Have you ever run a Hot Chocolate Race? Which location? (I've run Philly, Atlanta, and Charlotte)
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