I was excited to be able to take part in the 2020 HC15K held in Louisville - it was the inaugural year for this race in our city! Granted, running it virtual due to COVID wasn't how I envisioned it, but I was ready to take on the challenge just the same. I actually ended up running this race in the middle of a virtual race series I was doing, so I had ran many miles this week, but it was a great fit with a 15K distance-not too short, not too long. I actually forgot how much I love this distance.

I picked a route that incorporated my neighborhood and local area in case I needed to make a pit stop during my race! (It was a warm morning, so I am glad I started early, but the benefit of a virtual race is you aren't ever late to the start line!).

The things I really liked about this race were:
1) The communication: the race management company was very proactive in their communications to runners via email and on social media. I always felt like I knew I was up to date with any changes.
2) The SWAG - I loved the packet I received which included race nutrition, a hoodie, bib and of course, CHOCOLATE. I had some mini dark chocolate and 2 packs of hot chocolate milk as my post-race reward.
3) The medal - This medal is super on brand and unique-I don't have another one like it!

I recommend this race -the quality is great for price that you pay and there is a local charity that benefits from proceeds. See you in 2021 Hot Chocolate 15K!

This was my second experience with this race and running company. I opted in for the virtual Indianapolis option hoping to run the race in Indy as my son had a scheduled hockey game that weekend. I love running in Indy-there are so many great places (I even wrote a blog about it)! The hockey game ended up getting canceled, so I opted to stay close to home and run this one in the end.

I have nothing but great things to say about the race management-their site is easy to use and they keep runners up to date via email communications. All the info I needed was always a click away. I received my race swag (which is always amazing) about a week prior to the race day (10/10/20).

On race day I picked a beautiful park that wasn't crowded. The great thing about virtual racing is that I can sleep in and start when I want, which to me is an advantage because I am not an early morning person! I started off a little slower than I wanted and didn't catch my groove until around mile 5, but after that it was smooth sailing! I loved having my hot chocolate for after the race (and on Monday morning to celebrate AGAIN).

I recommend this race for those who are looking for a good virtual option that has nice swag and a great charity-St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
Another unique aspect is that they still hold a post-race party-it just happens to be virtual, so that you can learn more about the race, listen to great music, and fun trivia for some really nice prizes! That is just an added bonus that they don't have to do but I find it is something other virtual races are not always doing, so an added incentive to register for another year!

I was lucky enough to experience this race in 2019 as a BibRave Pro! First, I have to say the proceeds from this race go to the local Honor Flight chapter. That was enough to hook me! I decided to run this race in honor of my father-in-law, who is a USMC veteran (served in Vietnam).

Packet-pick up was not crowded and super easy to access! There is not an expo, per se, but the tech shirt you get at packet pick-up is very nice. You can stay warm pre-race because they open up the Florence Mall to house runners. The bathrooms are clean and well-stocked and the parking is plentiful-you cannot beat that!

I loved the pre-race announcements and stories about Veterans. It was especially humbling to find out that the flag hanging over the start line was touched by hundreds of veterans on Honor Flights; we were allowed to touch the flag as we ran through the start line!

The course is hilly. I had read this, but until I experienced it, I couldn't quite appreciate it! The last two miles will definitely test you. I loved the local crowd support on the course and there is water and Gatorade at aid stations generously spaced out every two miles.

After getting my amazing medal, I walked behind the finish area and into the post-race area. There was chocolate milk, granola bars, bananas, Gatorade, pretzels and also subs and the coveted Skyline chili dog. I enjoyed some food while I watched runners finish. I talked to a volunteer and told her thank you for a great race experience.  I easily walked to my car, grabbed a dry change of clothes and walked into the very warm mall to change.  The bathrooms were large and very clean--always a sight for sore eyes after a race.

Overall, I highly recommend this race if you want a hilly challenge, but also if you were ready to be motivated and inspired. Next year's race info can be found at their website at https://www.honorrunhalf.com/

I ran this race with several of my friends. We had a blast! We parked less than a mile from the start, we walked right up to the start line and then we were off. The weather was beautiful and the scenery is great. We had great crowd support from the musicians, to the aid stations and onlookers near the start/finish and in Cherokee Park. I love the stretch that runs down Whiskey Row as well. It is a great way to see a little of the city in the fall. The after party is like no other race I have been to-this is part of what you pay for when you register. Great food in the finish chute, bourbon, burgoo and pizza at the bourbon bash (you get a bracelet with your registration that gives you 4 bourbon samples, a beer, pizza and burgoo as part of your entry)! Plus, the band that plays (local band The Crashers) always brings great energy to the party. We were all smiling when we left that is for sure. Did I mention the digital downloads from the race are free? You get your money's worth with this race and you make lots of new friends along the way. The race management company has thought of most every detail for you. I highly recommend you come once for the race-you will be back!

The Go Big Blue 4 Miler was a very fun race! If you are a UK Wildcats fan, this is the race for you--you run through multiple sports venues, including the soccer, track and baseball fields and end up on the Kroger Field finishing in the end zone. Kids and adults had a lot of fun. I loved running in a sea of blue.