Before running a Hot Chocolate race, I had heard so much hype that I hopped on a bus and came to Philly from NYC for one and I'm glad I did! What a great experience! If you're running for bling, this is a CAN'T MISS EVENT.

Pre-Run:
The start and finish line area were stationed right in front of the famous Rocky steps, and if you've been to that part of the city before, there is a LOT of open green space, but not too much in the way of parking. I was carless, so I took an Uber to the start and gave myself plenty of time to do so since the driver wasn't able to get super close. I had to walk about 5-10 minutes from the nearest drop off to the starting area, which wasn't bad at all, but even with the fairly close proximity, don't cut it too close! There was so much space to spread out, shop the pop-up merch stand, mingle with other runners and stretch out!

The Race:
There were definitely a good number of runners there, and everyone was assigned a corral, but that being said, it didn't feel super packed like you'd expect for larger races. We had a snowy start, which was a fun treat for a winter race! The 15k course started by the museum and had a short loop in front before starting a long down and back along the river. The views were nice and featured waterfront pathways that, for a while, felt like you weren't in the middle of a major city!

Post-Race:
WHAT A POST RACE TREAT! Photo ops galore with a HUGE finishers mug filled with hot chocolate! And of course, Hot Chocolate never disappoints with the bling, and this year not only featured a life-sized giant chocolate bar, but each medal in the series featured a city-specific keychain attachment -- a perfect addition for those who run this race every year, or are running multiples races in the same season. It's not only one of my largest medals to date, but it's still one of my favorites!

Tips:
- If you're traveling in or don't have a ton of time on your hands to go to the expo, it's worth the extra price to have your packet shipped to you! It took a TON of stress off my plate to know I had everything I needed to show up on race day.
- If the forecast calls for snow, take it slow out the gate to avoid slipping and sliding if it sticks! We were fortunate to not have that issue, but you never know with winter runs on the East Coast!

Final Thoughts:
This was my first ever Philly race, and what a great experience! Beautiful views, an amazing post-race festival, and MAJOR BLING! This is a great race if you're warming up or working your way up to half!