Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K to review 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!
On a bright and sunny morning, I lined up for the Hot Chocolate Run 15K in San Diego. As I looked around, I noticed a vast number of runners of all ages, sizes, and abilities, all here for the same reason: to run 5K, 10K, or 15K and indulge in a hot chocolate bowl afterward.
When planning a trail and road running race schedule for the year, there are several factors to consider.
First, consider your personal goals and fitness level. Are you training for a specific event, such as a marathon or ultramarathon? Or are you looking to improve your overall fitness and participate in a variety of races throughout the year?
The last time I ran a half marathon was over 6 years ago at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville half marathon. My expected and actual finish time surprisingly matched at 1:40. With all of life’s challenges and the level of effort to run consistently, I’m quite proud of my results for this race. Official results: 1:45:03 (8:01 min/mile), Age Group: 9/66, Overall 110/923. Read on for details on training, race day, and post-race thoughts.
Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Thrive San Diego Half Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Ambassador. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Ambassador, and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews!
The Kaiser Permanente Thrive Half Marathon and 5K is the perfect way to celebrate six years of giving back and staying active in the community. The scenic loop course starts and ends at Vacation Island in Mission Bay, making this race perfect for runners of all skill levels. Age group awards will be awarded to the top three finishers in each age group.
Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K to review 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!
It’s been a few years since I last ran the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K but was definitely looking forward to this year. The initial plan was to run the 5K but I decided to try running the 15K instead. The training leading up to the race was pretty limited, mostly 3 mile runs with a few longer runs here and there. If anything, I would have used this as a long, training run for another race in the future. The event was very well organized, there were safety precautions at the race expo and all the different booths and stations were spread out the morning of the race. When you register for the race, you choose your estimated pace/finish time which then places you in a specific corral for the start of the race. None of the corrals were too crowded which was good to see. Here are the official results: 9.3 miles, 1:12:18, 7:46 min/mile. 45 out of 1,841 place overall, 28 out of 601 place for men, and 5 out of 72 place in my age group.
Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Hot Chocolate 5K/15K race 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!
The Hot Chocolate 15K/5K is a run that I always have fun at, how could you not when you combine running and hot chocolate? I will be running the 15K race this year, hosted in my hometown San Diego, but they have the same race in many other cities across the country. The thing I like about established races is that they know what they are doing. They’ve experienced every issue or misstep before and have learned from it. After the first few years, if a race director does not learn from their mistakes, runners won’t keep coming back.
The race starts and finishes downtown and will take you through different parts of Balboa Park. Looking at the elevation chart, there are a few hills you may need to prepare for. But I’ve run so many local races in Point Loma and Liberty Station recently, getting to run around Downtown and Balboa Park is a nice change.
If you’re interested in participating in the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K, visit their website and choose a city that you’re interested in.
If you register with the following code: BRHCSANDIEGO20 you’ll get a free hot chocolate running hat!
Disclaimer: I received free entry to the San Francisco Half Marathon, 10K & 5K race 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!
The first time I ran the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco 5K was in 2015. I had a client meeting scheduled in San Francisco and decided to make a weekend trip out of it. A few weeks before the trip, I checked to see if there were any races happening that weekend and found this one. I hadn’t been running too much so I didn’t want to run the 10K or half marathon, but the 5K sounded fun. The only thing I remember about the race was that it was not as hilly as I expected it to be, it was pretty foggy just before the race started, and I won my age group, which I was pleasantly surprised to find out. I ran the 10K this year but did not win my age group, unfortunately. Here are the results: 6.2 mi, 51:01 (8:13 min/mi), AG 36 of 135, Gender 200 of 786, and Overall 301 of 1,981.
Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Irvine Half Marathon & 5K race 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!
The Irvine Half Marathon and 5K kicked off the first race of many for 2020 and it was a good one. Results: 24:23 (7:51 min/mi), 3 of 16 AG, 38 of 135 males, 54 of 318 overall. I have not been trying to run competitive lately but focused more on running consistently and enjoying all of the new races and destinations. Since this race was a drive away, I was not able to attend the race expo the day before and opted to pick up my bib the morning before the race. But I did drive up to Irvine the night before and stayed at a hotel so I didn’t have to drive the hour in the morning before the race.
Waking up at 7am was a nice change of pace than some of the other races I’ve run in the past. Parking was not an issue either, although the parking lot at the park was full so I had to park across the street at the nearby church/school. Since most people were running the half marathon, there was not much of a crowd at the starting line. I was still walking to the starting line when I heard the gun go off for the half marathon and actually got to take a picture of the first few runners of the half on the course. There were a little over 300 runners for the 5K, but almost 700 runners at the half marathon. This was a much smaller race than I’ve run in the past where wave starts were needed for the races. But the location was nice and quiet, it was almost an out and back route, taking place around a local park and through some bike paths. The race shirt was a soft cotton t-shirt which was a nice change from the typical tech tees I was used to. The medal had a unique design with bright, vibrant colors. And best of all, the race photos were free, no watermarks!
Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Irvine Half Marathon & 5K race 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!
Unless you’re a Southern California native, you probably never heard of Irvine. But as someone who has driven from San Diego to LA (and back, usually on the same day), you will likely have driven through Irvine, which is situated right in the middle of Orange County. The only time I really stopped in Irvine was to wait in line at 85 Degree bakery, fortunately, they have since opened up multiple locations in San Diego. Orange County, in general, reminds me very much of San Diego. The weather is tolerable all year long, the only thing I dislike is the traffic that I almost always hit when driving through the OC.
The Irvine Half Marathon & 5K has been rebranded from the Southern California Half & 5K. As with many other races these days, they are sponsored by a brewing company and offer various beers and drinks at the post-race festival. The half marathon and 5K take place on January 11, which is a great time for those who have made New Year’s resolutions to run a race or lose weight. And while the weather is still a little chilly in the mornings, it is nothing compared to what everyone else is experiencing away from Southern California. Aside from the typical race swag (shirt, medal, finisher’s festival), there are some other unique perks that you don’t see at every race (free participant photos, free and live runner tracking). Learn more about the Irvine Half Marathon and 5K here.
Disclaimer: I received free entry to Surf City 10 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!
I registered for the Surf City 10 race in January, so I knew I had more than enough time to train for the race. I had initially signed up to run the 10-mile distance, but I was never able to ramp up my training enough to run that race confidently. But I was able to run the 10K without much trouble. Here are the results: 54:31 (8:46 min/mi), age group: 22/59, gender: 95/411, and overall: 142/1192. When I first registered for the Surf City 10, I was excited to run along the scenic Huntington Beach, but a few months before the race they announced that it would be a night run. I’ve had mixed results running at night, I wrote a blog post about running in the morning vs at night. When I was in high school, we went on a few night runs (with glow sticks) and I usually ran pretty fast, mostly because I was afraid of my surroundings and was trying to finish the run as soon as possible. On a similar note, running a race at night is a nice change. Instead of having to go to sleep at 9pm or earlier the night before and then waking up at 4am the day of the race is tough. I recall waking up early for one race, forcing myself out of bed while most of the world was still fast asleep. I looked in the mirror and said to myself, “why are you doing this to yourself?!” It’s a hard question to answer, it’s hard to justify putting yourself through that torture!
Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Hot Chocolate 5K/15K race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a 
