Summary:
​The course of the Allstate Hot Chocolate 15K/5K: San Diego is a hilly, challenging yet fun course that winds in & out of San Diego hitting landmarks along the way such as the San Diego Zoo.
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Packet PickUp:
​Upon arrival at the San Diego Civic Center, I was greeted by signage directing me to exactly where I needed to go! In the area outside of the Expo Hall, there was a booth to sign up for 2019 race (at a discounted rate) & a huge inflatable candy bar! You could hear the music coming from the hall. As soon as I entered I was directed to Bib Pickup where it was the fastest experience ever! When registering for the race, you are provided a QR code (don't worry - they send it again right before the race with your confirmation details) - so you just scan the code, show your ID & you are good to go! 
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Swag/Extra:
​After I got my bib, I was directed to the area where I would grab my goodie bag. On the way was the booth/table where you could grab your Legacy stuff. I'm pretty true to size so I grabbed my Medium 1/4 Zip & bag & headed out to do my usual expo laps. For those who where unsure, you can head over to the gear swap area & try on sizes until you get the perfect fit. Other cool areas were the Nuun Hydration & Sweet Treat Stations. All kinds of chocolate treats! Just a preview of what was to come on the course. :) I'm not big on Expos, so I did 2 laps, took a few pics & headed to my hotel for a shakeout run. After the race we received our results & FREE race photos - which turned out absolutely amazing!
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Course:
Holy Hills Batman! This course is challenging! Make sure you train for hills! However, this course gives you a little bit of everything that is great about San Diego. Part of the course goes right through the San Diego Zoo

Medal:
Each Allstate Hot Chocolate race participant receives the beautiful chocolate bar, but each city has their own specific keychain that you receive with your medal. Pretty cool huh? For San Diego, its a tiny surfboard with palm trees. So Cali! After getting your medal, you get to head over to the Finisher's Mug tent to grab your signature Hot Chocolate Mug! Now, it comes prearranged so you don't get the option to say 'No' to the Chocolate (I wasn't feeling well after & didn't want to dip anything in chocolate - *gasp* I know!) but it does have some yummy treats: 1 small cup of Hot Chocolate, 1 Banana, 1 Rice Crispy Treat, 1 Bag of Pretzels & 2 Piroucrisp cookies. I currently use mine as a pencil/pen holder on my desk. :)