If there is anything I can say about doing the AllState Hot Chocolate Indy Virtual 15K this past weekend…it’s that it didn’t go as I had planned. Seems to be a theme for 2020, eh?

To be fair…this had nothing to do with the race itself. Mostly…with the date the race was on. And when I signed up for it…it wasn’t an issue at all.

But you know…this year has kept us guessing. While on a run just under 2 weeks before the race date, I fell on a dark morning run when my foot hit a rock I didn’t see…and I sprained my ankle. Grade 2 sprain. I was put in a brace and everything…but I was told I could start easing back some activity if the ankle felt okay.

It was a guessing game, but I did manage a few short, easy runs leading up to that Saturday morning when I would do the virtual race. 20 minutes. 30 minutes. 45 minutes. That was all I had time for. I didn’t fuss over or worry over pace…I just needed to see how the ankle was doing in the short time I had to build it up.

On the morning of the race, I also decided to attack the race in a different way, because I knew the ankle was healing. So…I broke it up into three 5Ks. The first 5K I did early that morning. It went well…and I really just focused on my stride and made sure that I wasn’t compensating or pushing too much. I met up with my roommate for the 2nd 5K that morning. She was doing a virtual 5K for another event so we knocked out those miles together. And, finally, I rounded out the race with my final 5K…which I decided to do on a bit more challenging course…which would end at the top of a hill…and be about a mile walk back to my apartment for the cool down.

Honestly, it went better than it should have. I made sure I put my health and safety first. And I really think breaking it up into the three separate 5Ks that day was the smartest and healthiest way for me to approach the 15K distance. And, I never pass up a chance to run with someone, no matter their pace. And I think my roomie appreciated me for most of the run (although I get chatty and don’t stop talking…but she should know that about me already!). I played her a finish line song as we ran to the finish of that portion of the race.

The AllState Hot Chocolate 15K/5K races are SO much fun. I have run it in person (in Columbus, OH) before. And I have now run it virtually twice. I love that the race provides celebratory chocolate pieces and…of course…the coveted finish line hot chocolate.

It was almost 70 degrees the morning I ran…so that hot chocolate is being saved for another morning, but I sure did pose with that amazing jacket and donned my medal…and eat a piece of chocolate to celebrate.

The AllState Hot Chocolate 15K Indianapolis race may have been virtual…but it was virtually a lot of fun. All of these races are virtual this year…so why not sign up and have your own little hot chocolate party?