I was offered a race entry to the Hot Chocolate 15K as a BibRave Pro. To be honest, I have not run a 'large' race in several years. Instead, I've been sticking to smaller venues that either have small expos or none at all. I usually pick up my packet the day of. After parties do happen, and they are great, mainly consisting of food and beer.

So going into the Hot Chocolate 15K in Tampa had me a bit worried. Where would I park? How early did I need to arrive? Why couldn't I pick up my packet the day of?

However, everything went so smoothly that I decided to sign up for a few more larger races!

To start, the expo was great. Large enough for a variety of items, small enough to get around within an hour. I took my daughter and we stopped at the Nuun booth and ate quite a bit of chocolate! I loved the swag, a long sleeved tech jacket! Probably the best swag I've ever gotten on a run. Parking was simple and cheap (less than $2 for the hour we were there).

Day of the race was perfect running weather, cool and cloudy. I got in very early and had no trouble finding parking. Plenty of porta potties lined the street, and several vendors were there handing out free items. I checked my bag with no problem and got into the corral, which was quite crowded. (This was the one thing I didn't enjoy, though the energy was fantastic!)

The race itself went smoothly. Plenty of water stops on the way, also serving Nuun (thank you!!). I remember seeing one porta potty, don't know if there were more. After the beginning the cluster of people thinned out and I ran with plenty of room. The clouds kept us pretty covered, which was great, since there wasn't a lot of shade. This is an out and back trail, and I know some people don't enjoy that but the view was spectacular so no complaints here!

I PRd at this race! Enjoyed the post party, which consisted of a great plastic container (still have it!) filled with chocolate treats and goodies. I would absolutely recommend this race. I felt there was a lot of thought that went into the items they had there, like the great jackets for all runners and the treats at the end.

The only thing this race didn't have: spectators cheering on the course. The volunteers, though, were so phenomenal that I don't think you needed extra people! Each time I ran through a water station I was encouraged to keep going.

Oh, and at the finish line, not only did I get an awesome medal, definitely high quality, but the announced announced my name as I crossed!

Small town coastal Florida 26,2. I did this as a half a few years back when it was in a different location. The race has grown and since moved to the beach side. The expo was small, but Jeff Galloway was there, which was fun. Parking both for the expo and the race was no issue. Race takes place along the bridges and waterways and neighborhoods of Stuart, Florida. It's a beautiful town, and for most miles the scenery was great. There were not a lot of spectators, so if you need that this probably isn't the race for you! My only grumble was the amount of time we spent on one of the major roads in Stuart toward the end of the race. The views from atop of the bridges were spectacular, the aid stations were plentiful and very well manned (and the volunteers very encouraging!) and you can't beat running in shorts in March! One complaint, though, was that the celebration tents began tearing down very early after the race. I finished in just at 5, so there were still plenty of people on the course; but by the time I got to the tents the massage tent was gone as well as some food options - and the beer! It was windy that day, but still, if the runners can go 26.2 then the people showing up to support them should be able to handle some winds so every runner has a chance to enjoy the after party!

This race is one of the best in the area for a small town, great vibe feel! No problem with parking and picking up race packet. Other racers were happy and excited. No mad scrambles to the start line and while you are doing some road running, the scenery was great! I didn't attend an expo and am not really sure how much of an expo there was; again, this is a small town race. But those are the races I love! Definitely plan to do this one again. Oh, and the food and beer at the finish line topped off a great run!

Highly recommend! I've done this race several times. The location is perfect, taking runners through several cute Jacksonville neighborhoods. I didn't attend the expo so can't comment about that, but the post race festivities are fun. The race is small - or it was when I ran it last - which I really like. Post race massage booths were open with little waiting, and the food was good!