Hot Chocolate Philadelphia 15k Preview
Disclaimer: I received free entry to Hot Chocolate Philadelphia as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
Have I mentioned how much I love Philly? Running Broad Street really sealed the deal for me deciding Philadelphia is probably one of my favorite cities to run in. That being said, I'm so pumped to have the opportunity to take to the streets of Philly again on April 6, 2019, for Hot Chocolate Philadelphia which will be the 3rd Philly race in 12 months! Like I said, I really love Philly.
I'm even more excited because I'll be checking off two firsts at the race. I'll be running a new distance, my first ever 15k, and I'll also be running my first Hot Chocolate race! My mom and sister actually signed up for Hot Chocolate Philadelphia last year and I've been dying to run it ever since. Let me go through just a few of the reasons I've been dying to run a Hot Chocolate race.
1. Live Runner Tracking
Like most races, Hot Chocolate offers live results which means your time and pace information update online every time you cross an on-course split. Where Hot Chocolate differs though is that they have splits every mile! This may not seem like a big deal but if you have friends or family spectating or following your progress from home, more frequent updates make the experience that much better!
2. Runner Swag
I'm a sucker for swag, and the runner jacket alone is enough to convince me to run the race. The jacket just looks so comfortable and warm! This may be the first time I'm actually wishing for a colder April so that I can throw this baby on post-race and enjoy all the post-race goodies (more on that later). The jacket will also make an excellent addition to my winter training gear for future training seasons!
3. Free Photos
This is a no-brainer. Although I always have a hard time taking good race photos, I still like having the mementos nonetheless. At most races, I have a hard time shelling out the money to cover the cost of the race photos so I'm definitely looking forward to a few free shots. I'm determined to get at least a few good photos at this race!
4. Sweet Bling
Apart from awesome swag, I'm also a sucker for great medals. Race medals from Philadelphia races usually feature some pretty great images from the city's history and Hot Chocolate crushed their version. What's even better is that the entire medal is shaped like a giant chocolate bar! Is it bad that I'm hungry just from staring at it?
5. ALL THE CHOCOLATE!
Lastly, and most importantly, half of the reason I run is to burn off all of my favorite foods and beer. Hot Chocolate races are a haven for all things delicious and at the finish line, you get hot chocolate (obviously), as well as some melted chocolate fondue with plenty of goodies to dip. There are also sweet stations ON THE COURSE stocked with marshmallows, chocolate chips, and M&Ms!
Like I said, I've been dying to run a Hot Chocolate race since early 2017 and am so happy I finally have the chance at Hot Chocolate Philadelphia. Luckily for me, since this is my first 15k, no matter how many snacks I enjoy along the way, I've got a guaranteed PR!