Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Hot Chocolate 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!
I’ve wanted to run the Hot Chocolate run for many years now. I still remember seeing this race being promoted at a race expo back in 2012, you couldn’t miss them with their large inflatable balloon taking up so much space at the expo. While a run that offered hot chocolate at the end was sweet and different, what I liked more was that they offered a really nice running jacket instead of a cheap t-shirt or finisher medal. At that time, I had collected more than enough shirts and race medals, but the jacket seemed more practical since it was something I would have been able to use much more often than a medal. I actually had the chance to run this race last year. I registered and even picked up my jacket at the race expo, but something came up and I wasn’t able to attend the race. I finally got to participate in the race this year and am glad I did. It was a very well-organized race, and I had no issues from start to finish. The course was pretty straightforward, we ran through some streets around downtown, I didn’t notice anything too scenic but it was nice that it started and finished around the same area. There were some hills throughout the course, but nothing too daunting. The chocolate was a nice treat at the end, and it was dark chocolate so I did not feel guilty eating that after the run. The Hot Chocolate Run is a great way to combine exercise and the social element of running together.
I also claimed my results on Athlinks, which is a great way to keep a historical record of all races you’ve ever run (and I’ve ran a lot of races..) It has fun info like all your personal records by distance, total races run, total miles and your Athlinks rank (I’m top 9%!) Here is a link to my Athlink.
And finally here are some photos taken before, during and after the Hot Chocolate run:
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!
After a few years of inconsistent running and exercising, at the beginning of this year, I finally made the effort to get up early in the mornings to go running again. It’s only been 3 miles every day with some ‘longer’ runs at 5-6 miles, but it has become a habit where getting up doesn’t take 2-3 annoying alarms to get me out of bed. The real issue I’ve been having with these morning runs is how cold it has been! When I first started running again in January, the temperatures in the mornings were around the mid 40’s which is nothing like I’ve been used to. I keep hoping for warmer, summer weather where I’ll be able to just get out of bed and run in the shorts and t-shirt I slept in. But I’m pretty sure once I get those temperatures, I’ll be complaining about it being too hot for me to run in. I guess I’m just never satisfied with what I have.
So January got off to a great start, I actually ran 23 out of 31 days of the month for a total of 76.58 miles. Sure, most, if not all of those miles were around 9-10 minute/mile pace, but at least I was moving. February dropped a little in terms of runs and mileage, but I will blame the abnormal number of days of rain we received. I believe March will be on pace to run similar numbers as January. I still have the same problems I had before when I used to run often: my pace at the start of a run is slower than when I finish (usually because my body is not awake yet) and my overall pace in the mornings are a lot slower than during the afternoon. I’m constantly snacking during the day but for the most part, feel like I have more energy than before I started running again.
I’ll be running the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K run this weekend. It’s a pretty popular race that I’ve wanted to run for a number of years now. I can’t think of a better combination of running and hot chocolate in one race. But it’s always inspiring to come out and watch so many other fitness enthusiasts get up way before they usually do on a Sunday to go run. Everyone is so happy and cheerful being able to participate in such a fun event together.
“Disclaimer: I received an Addaday Pro Roller 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!”
One of the first running-related products I reviewed on my running blog was a massage roller called The Stick. It was a self-massaging tool that you can use on different parts of your body to help reduce muscle knots and increase blood flow to prevent soreness in the future. The Addaday Pro Massage Roller is very similar to The Stick with the basic design, but is much more advanced in terms of how it can be used. There are different rollers or gears along the stick that are purposely placed to address specific muscle needs. For example, if you have a sore shin, there is a smaller gear that you can roll to target that muscle. I have been able to use the Addaday Pro Massage Roller on my calves, achilles, quads, hamstrings. The compact design allows it to be easily packed in a suitcase so you can travel with it if needed.
When I joined cross country in high school, we followed a strict routine of warming up, stretching, going for a run, followed a cool down run and more stretching. As a working adult, it is hard enough to find time to just go out and run, let alone all of the other pre and post run activities. The Addaday Pro Massage Roller addresses the stretching component by allowing runners to stretch out their muscles at their own leisure, whether it’s while sitting on the couch watching TV or at your desk at work. It is just a matter of keeping it nearby and going for a quick massage roller session to keep those muscles loose and stretched.
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One of the first running-related products I reviewed on my running blog was a massage roller called 
