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.
As they sent each corral off, I tried to maintain my pace and position myself in the middle of the pack to avoid getting slowed down by the crowds. I checked my watch and saw that the 8:00 pacer was nearby. I decided to run with her and the pace group for the first few miles, as it would help me conserve energy and give me a chance to acclimate to the pace.
I felt a little bit of discomfort in my legs during the first few miles, but I reminded myself that I didn’t have much time to train this year. I was pleasantly surprised at the end of the race to find that I ran slightly faster than last year, at a pace of 7:45 min/mi.
The course itself was challenging but scenic, taking us through the streets of downtown San Diego before heading out to Balboa Park. I knew this course had a steep downhill after the first 10K of the race, so I saved my energy for that moment.
Once the course began to slope down, I decided it was time to break away from the pace group and start pushing myself a little harder. I felt a surge of adrenaline as I sped up to catch runners ahead of me and even passing them to the next runner. The rest of the race was a blur of zig-zagging through the crowds and pushing myself to keep up the pace.
As I sprinted toward the finish line, I could feel my legs starting to tire, but I knew I had to keep going. I crossed the line with a time of 1:12:07, just slightly faster than last year’s time of 1:12:18. I placed 42nd overall, 33rd of 426 male runners, and 7th in my age group. Here are the mile splits: 8:20, 8:18, 7:51, 8:18, 7:48, 7:40, 6:39, 7:58, 6:50.
After the race, I was sore, but I felt satisfied with my performance. I think the fact that I had a little less time to train this year made me focus on conserving energy and pushing myself harder when I needed to. The post-race snacks were a welcome treat, with the hot chocolate bowl being the highlight of the spread.
Overall, the Hot Chocolate Run 15K in San Diego was an incredible experience. I would highly recommend this race to anyone looking for a challenging yet rewarding course and a fun post-race indulgence. I plan on running this race again in the future, and I hope to beat my time once again.
Some (free) race photos:
