I had a great experience at the Hot Chocolate 15K this year! This was my second time running it - I previously ran it in 2018 and had a blast, so I was happy to do this again!

I had my bib delivered by mail, so I didn't attend the Expo this year. On Saturday morning, my husband dropped me off nearby around 7:30, and the race didn't start til 8 so I had enough time to use the potties and warmup before getting in line to start. The DJ was spinning some great tunes which helped keep the energy up! It was pretty chilly and windy that morning, but I was hopeful it wouldn't be too bad once we started moving! The corrals actually moved really quickly and I was on the course by 8:08.

The course was a little bit different from previous years. Once you start on Eakins Olvil, you're sent off on Ben Franklin Parkway towards and around Logan Square, down Kelly Drive, and then you actually go over a bridge to get to MLK drive, run a bit, and then turn back around as an out and back to finish in front of the Art Museum steps.

My goal was to finish in under 2 hours, and I'm happy to say that I succeeded! I felt really strong through the entire race. I kept my eye on the 11:30 pacers and hoped to stay ahead of them, though they often seemed to be running a lot faster! The course is very flat. The biggest elevation changes were when you were coming off of Kelly Drive and MLK Drive (on the way back),

The crowds were great, the scenery was nice running along the Schuylkill River, and the aid stations were plentiful and well-equipped. It really felt like the pre-pandemic days! I had so much fun and was really proud to have a well executed race! I would definitely recommend Hot Chocolate (5K or 15K) - and I actually prefer the change in course!

I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to participate in this race. I received a free entry but donated the registration fee to support MMIW USA. Before this race, I had no idea about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and I learned SO much through Native Women Running and MMIW USA. They shared several updates leading up to the National Day of Awareness and were very active on Social Media, which really makes a difference when doing a virtual race! I had 2 runs over the virtual racing period, the first was 3 miles and second was 5 miles. I had a really good experience and did wear my finisher's shirt on the first run to show my support. I highly recommend participating next year and learning more about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

I was able to take part in this virtual race as a Bibrave Pro. In general, 2020 was going to be a building back year since I gave birth to my first child, so I've been focusing on running shorter distances and working my way back up. The America Runs Virtual 5K was a great opportunity to ease my way into the normal fall racing season. The swag is VERY nice - stainless steel water bottle, nice quality cotton T-shirt, trucker hat, and of course a great medal! It's still tricky getting that same excitement for a virtual race but I enjoyed doing this 5K in my neighborhood. I definitely agree that more virtual support would have been great. Since it's America Runs, it would have been fun to have more competition between states along the way - maybe next year! I do recommend this race.

This was my very first time visiting Nashville and my first time running this race. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to run this race as a BibRave Pro ambassador.

The Expo was at the Music City Center and was typical for Rock 'n Roll races. I attended on Friday afternoon, the race was on Saturday. There were lots of vendors and plenty to purchase or sample. They had lots of Brooks swag and it was tempting to buy it all, but I only got one tank top and a beer glass. Unfortunately, I found the quality of the finishers' shirts to be poor from a fabric and sizing perspective. Many people attempted to trade in their shirts for a smaller size, without much luck. Also, I realized on race morning that my husband's bib had no holes punched! That was a first - I guess there were some quality control issues this year.

We were staying in the Green Hills area so we had to get a Lyft from our hotel. Unfortunately, even at 6 am, we couldn't get a ride and were lucky to hop in some other runners' taxi to get to race start. The road closures were worse than usual because of the NFL draft, so we had to walk a bit to get to the race area, but it wasn't too bad. People who drove onsite had much more difficulty!

Since my husband was also running the race, I wanted to treat him to the VIP experience. I've had it in Philly so I know how great it can be. We signed up for the pre-race option for $90 total and it was a complete disappointment. They held the VIP at Honky Tonk Central, an indoor venue, and by the time we arrived there were only water, coffee, bananas, apples, and some leftover mixed fruit left. The bathroom line was insanely long on all floors so we used the outdoor facilities, which were fortunately clean and well-maintained. We also used the VIP bag drop, which ended up being very inconvenient - but I'll say more later.

Now the race! I've run 17 half marathons and this by far was the most difficult! We were fortunate to have good weather though it did get pretty sunny by 9:30 or so. I started in Corral 22 and ended up not starting the race til 8 am, the offical start with 7:15 but began about 8 minutes late. The hills are NO joke! I live in a hilly neighborhood so I did my best to train in similar conditions, but this course rolls and rolls and rolls! Mentally, it was really tough to keep running but I was determined to run up all the hills and take advantage of the declines and flats. The only time I walked was at the water stations, which were clearly marked and plentiful.

The course support was fantastic! The quietest area we had was in the Centennial Park around mile 11-12 - otherwise, there was lots of live music, signs, people offering orange slices, just a really great energy the whole way through. Right before mile 5 was a blast with tons of funny signs! It made a huge difference because it would have been all too easy to give up with the endless hills. The race was packed from beginning to end and all you had to do was look ahead to see the sea of people heading up yet another hill. A lot of positive self-talk and enjoying the sights helped me make it through! I also loved that this race supported St. Jude. There was a section where they showed photos of several St. Jude patients, and I saw many runners who were fundraised for the cause. It was incredibly inspiring and humbling.

We were just around the bend from the finish and someone said it was all downhill so don't hold back, and I took his advice! It felt great to finish such a challenging race - mentally and physically. This was my first long race since my plantar fasciitis injury and I'm just so grateful I did as well as I did!

After the race I met with up with my husband and a couple of friends. Iliked that they had a bilevel hangout spot and some yoga mats for stretching post-pace, but the finisher's area was really confusing. My husband went to get our bag from Gear Check but the VIP truck was wayyy out of the way and since it was so crowded, we didn't want to go back over to the main post-race party area. The design of the post-race area just left a lot to be desired.

I know I had a few complaints about this race, mainly with the VIP, but I'm glad I ran Nashville and I definitely recommend it. This is NOT the race for a first-timer, in my opinion. If you're looking for a challenge and a really cool city with great crowd support, this is the race for you!