Getting ready to do HC ATL was a bit daunting. I haven't been to Atlanta since I was 15 years old, and I've never had to drive there. Prepping for a racecation in a town you've never really been to can be super stressful. Add to that the fact that during this race weekend the Falcons were in the playoffs and the Women's March was happening downtown and you've got even more traffic than usual to deal with. Thankfully, HC Race Organizers made this easy. When I was having trouble purchasing parking a few days before the race, a DM to the race on Twitter solved my problem nearly instantly. When severe thunderstorms canceled other events in town the day before and the day of the race, HC was on social media letting participants know the race was still taking place. They answered questions and were generally on top of things. What could have been even more stressful was easy to deal with thanks to the professionalism of their management team. Now, on to the race!

For me, Hot Chocolate is what I would consider a "fun run" race series. I didn't go into it taking the race too seriously. When a race offers marshmallows and chocolate at aid stations, you know you're in for a good time! I was definitely not feeling the stress of trying to run a PR with this course. Atlanta is in the southeast - therefore, there are hills all over town. For the 15K race, you're only looking at 380 feet of elevation gain over the entire course. There was even more downhill than uphill, so I wouldn't consider this a difficult course at all. I was on cruise control and sight-seeing the entire time.

The race began at Centennial Park (and corrals were easy to find and separated/signed well). From here, you run downtown, under the Olympic Rings, past Turner field, past Grant Park and Oakland Cemetery. You make your way through neighborhoods and back downtown through the college Fraternity district before making your way back into Centennial Park to finish the race. While this was the biggest race I've ever personally run, the course never felt crowded due to the staggered start times in the corrals. I also started in the first corral, so I feel like this really enhanced my experience.

The course was easy, scenic, and the volunteers were amazing. Atlanta Police were at every single intersection to watch traffic and assist runners across. Water stops were stocked with water, Nuun hydration, and candies. The after party at Centennial Park was easy to navigate.

I also really appreciated the free race photos from HC15K. The day of the race I was already getting email alerts about the photos. It's always a bonus. I would highly recommend this race if you're looking to do a great fun run with a cool finisher's hoodie and delicious chocolate!

Disclaimer: I received a free entry for this race 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!