In 2017 I ran the Philadelphia Hot Chocolate 15k on my 40th birthday. This year I had the opportunity to run the Philadelphia Hot Chocolate 5k representing BibRave!

I chose to have my packet sent to me rather than going to the expo for an additional fee. My purple pullover and bib arrived a week and a half prior to the race. It was worth the additional cost for me to save time traveling into the city prior to race day. There is no race day pickup.

The weather this year as brisk but not uncomfortable. As I headed out the door I made a last minute decision to ditch my gloves. I later came to regret that decision but otherwise I was comfortable.

My friend and I took the train into the city from S. Jersey. It was packed with other Hot Chocolate runners. I don't know the amount of people who run both races but in the 5k there were 3,406 runners. I think that the 15k is the bigger of the two races. Both races get the same pullover and finisher's mug at the end of the race, but the 15k also gets a finishers medal, which I think is a big draw for many people.

Before the race I got to see fellow BibRavePro, Joe, which was awesome! The orange definitely helps find each other easily.

It was my friend's first road race/5k ever so I was more than happy to stick with her and run. The course is similar to others in Philadelphia. Starts at the Art Museum and then winds down along the river and back again. Boathouse Row is always fun to look at, the traffic on the other side: not as much.

On the course they handed out chocolate and marshmallows, along with water and nuun. My friend and I had so much fun throughout the race - we started in the last corral and did intervals the entire time.

There are huge tents where you can get your mug filled with all sorts of goodies: hot chocolate, chocolate dipping sauce, pretzels, cookies, banana, and rice krispy treat. We sat in front of the Art Museum, enjoying our treats and then, because we were there, we ran up the steps!

Communication coming from the organizers is always great via email. They send out a training plan once a week, photos were uploaded nearly immediately after the race, along with result. I did have a few questions for them that I used Twitter for and didn't hear a response there. I figured out the answer myself but it's always nice to hear back from race management.

Overall, a really fun race. My friend is already talking about signing up again next year so I think the running bug has bitten her!

For more pictures and words, feel free to swing by: http://www.scootadoot.org/2018/04/11/race-recap-2018-philadelphia-allstate-hot-chocolate-5k/