Summary:
The San Jose 408K: Race To The Row is a fun, well sponsored race with a fast flat route & amazing swag!

Packet PickUp:
Sadly, I missed packet pickup at Santana Row & I missed out on all kinds of goodies! However, race day packet pickup was super simple. My hotel was less than a half mile away from the Start area, so I grabbed my bib & ran back to the hotel to stay warm until closer to the start time. Thats how fast & easy it was! But I definately recommend doing it in the days before or having it mailed to you so that you have your race morning free.

Course Route/Elevation:

This course was a tour through San Jose! No major hills, a nice downhill & pretty much level throughout otherwise.

Swag:

After the race, we were corralled into the post race area where we collected shirts, played games & picked up our gear. At the Amazon tent, we go cooling towels & Wrist bands (they hold your id, keys, etc.). You could also take a picture, but of course - the line was long. Speaking of pictures, in addition to the FREE race photots - there are plenty of photo stations throughout the post race area to pose with your crew. After grabbing my Amazon swag, I got my finsher's tee & headed to the buses. And these weren't just any buses, these were spiffy charter buses that took us the 5 Miles back to the Start area. (Which was deserted lol)

Summary:
Represent Running & their new title sponsor, Amazon - put on quite the event! The Represent Running team are all about running local & you can sense their pride of the Bay Area. Between the free photos & swag, you more than get what you paid for! :D

Summary:
A Boston Qualifier, the Napa Valley Marathon follows the Silverado Trail through world famous Wine Country. The inaugural Half Marathon followed the last 13.1 miles of the Marathon route. Peaceful, tranquil & serene - this was one of those most picturesque races I've ever run. 

Packet PickUp:
Packet PickUp was incredibly organized & held at the host hotel - Napa Valley Marriott & Spa! After getting checked in, I headed downstaris to the Hospitality Suite. I was fortunate enough to recieve VIP Access which included a special gift at Packet PickUp as well as receiving VIP Creds for Race Day Morning. In addition to a gift basked filled with goodies (Rudy Cabernet Savignon, Smash Mallows, a Nuun California Bottle & More!) there were water bottles & GU Stroopwaffles for us to load up on for race day. I grabbed a few & headed to the Expo. 

The Expo was just a few steps outside of the main lobby. First I grabbed my bib number in one room & then headed to the main room for my Runner's Bag. It was an intimate expo, offering your typical merchandise, local race discounts as well as merchandise from a local running store & winery. While it wasn't the biggest expo, they may want to consider moving it to a bigger room next year as it got very crowded very quickly. 

Once I received my Runner's Bag, I purchased a few items & headed out of the Expo. 

After the Expo & in the courtyard, there was a Beer & Wine Tasting presented by nakedwines.com. I grabbed a cup of Scott Kelly Pinot Noir & headed up to my room. By far the easiest expo experience! 

Course Route/Elevation:
The road does slope, so you will want to stay towards the middle of the road/yellow lines as much as possible. If you do that, you won't have any issues. 

Other than the above - this course is basically a straight shot. Its also, for the most part, closed. Its the worst when you are running along a race & have to dodge cars. I happily trotted down an open road with a few rolling hills at a consistent elevation decline. Whats not to love? Especially if you are trying to BQ, this course is perfect. It's not crowded, you can stretch out & focus on the task at hand. Yes, there are a bunch of turns at the end to get to you to the high school, but you also know once you enter the neighborhood that you have about a 1 mile to go. 

-- Aid Stations: Both GU & Nuun were offered on course & a few of the aid stations had orange slices & banana Halves. There was enough for everyone, it was well manned & stocked.

Swag/Extras:
--Wine: There was plenty of wine!

--Pasta Dinner: There was a Pasta Dinner held & the panel included some amazing runners! 

--Bag: Alot of people fly into Napa, so this study & durable bag was perfect! Everyone had to use their bag as a drop bag. I was able to throw in all kinds of items & still had plenty of room. It's nice & deep with plenty of pockets. This bag is now my official 'drop bag' at races. 

--Shirt: Although not a tech tee, this long sleeve is super lightweight & soft.

--VIP Start: Held at Conn Creek Winery, We were provided a light breakfast (Bananas, Yogurt, Granola Bars, etc.), Bag Drop & restrooms before the start of the race.

--After Race Fun: Showers & Locker Rooms at the High School. I didn't use the shower, but I did change out of my wet clothes in the Locker room - which on a cold & windy day was a true blessing! Hot soup was offered afterward as well along with the usual bananas, water & Nuun.

--Medal: The medal is big, beautiful & heavy - everything runner's want in a medal!

To Note: 
To say that the Napa County residents don't care is not at all a valid! This isn't meant to be an Urban Marathon with a huge amount crowds. What I will say is that I saw plenty of cars parked along the Silverado Trail with people in them & as the temps got warmer & the drizzle subsided - people were getting out of their cars. I even passed a few places where people were giving out treats. It was a cold & rainy day for Napa standards - previous years the temps have been in the 70s. 

Conclusion:
I had an amazing time in Napa & I PR'd my Half. The running community in Napa is amazing, many returning year after year to run this race. With the Half Marathon being inaugural, I absolutely plan on returning to run. #Legacy

Summary:
I'm officially in love with the 15K! A little more challenging than a 10K, but not as much as a Half! Last year, I wasn't ready for what this course had in store. This year, I arrived well prepared & was awarded with a PR!

Packet PickUp:
Hot Chocolate races have the most technology advanced check in system! Bib Numbers are not received before hand, however, you are provided a QR code. You take the code (for iOS users, it hangs out in your Wallet) & walk up to the first available station. The volunteer simply scans your QR code & tada - a little sticker prints out with your Name & Corral Letter which is then affixed to your bib and off you go to pick up your swag at the next station.

(Tip: If you are running more than 1 race - grab a different color hoodie! Since I already had the Wine colored one from San Francisco, this time I requested the 'Mens' hoodie - which is Black. I ordered a size Small & it fits perfectly! Now I have TWO super comfy hoodies!)

In addition to picking up up your bib, you can try on & swap sizes for your hoodie, grab some sweet treats at the chocolate station & keep hydrated at the Nuun Bar.

Usually, I grab my bib & go. But this year, they had a lot of merchandise on sale! Even though the only size they had was XL, I was able to snag a Hot Chocolate branded pullover hoodie for only $15. I wore it after the race on the train ride home - it was so snuggly!

Course Route:
This year I was ready for those hills! And it was such a clear, crisp morning that we were able to see so many beautiful views at the top of those hills.

Swag/Extras:
Chocolate on the course, Nuun available on course as well as before & after the race, Food Trucks & the legendary HC Finisher's Mug!

Summary:
Even though in CA we are known for our beautiful weather, our nights & early mornings are pretty chilly. San Diego is the perfect place to experience all that the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K has to offer without the frostbite!

Summary:

The Allstate Hot Chocolate 15K/5K in San Francisco is a simple, flat & beautiful out-and-back course that takes you through Golden Gate Park & along the California coast.

Packet PickUp:

Packet PickUp at any #HC15K race is a sight to behold - it's so efficient & technology forward! First, when you register - you receive a pass that you can add to your Apple Wallet. When you arrive at Packet PickUp, you take this same pass & scan it at your designated table. Bib Numbers are given to you at this time & a small little sticker prints out with your name & Corral letter designation - Cool right? The next station is where you grab your swag & then you head on to the Expo booths. Every #HC15K I've even gone to, I can be in & out in less than 10 minutes!

Swag/Extras:

The swag at this event is unbelievable! Nuun is one of the sponsors, so you can always grab a few free packets or a tube. This year, we received hoodies. The women's color is wine & the men's color is black. These hoodies are so comfy & perfect to run in! There are zippered pockets on each side & thumbholes at the end of the sleeve. While I didn't wear it during the race, I wore it home & I've worn it on my daily runs - I love it!

During the race, the aid stations are fully stocked - but there are also Sweet Stations where you can grab a few chocolate chips or M&Ms.

And of course after the race, you receive your iconic blue Hot Chocolate Finisher's Mug, filled with yummy treats: Snyder's Mini Pretzels, a Rice Crispy Treat, 2 biscottis, a Marshmallow, a scoop of hot fudge & a cup of hot cocoa. They also provided plastic bags to keep your mug in for transit. The fudge will eventually cool & harden - so you may want to put it in another container or cup. I used the bottom of our paper cups at the hotel to make fudge cups :).

More Swag: Free Photos, Free Personal Video, Legacy Status.

Course Route/Elevation:

For the run to be in San Francisco, I was expecting outrageous hills - but this course was actually pretty flat considering the locale. There were a few hilly parts, but nothing out of the ordinary. The best part of the course is when you are running along the Pacific Ocean. Words cannot describe it!

Medal:

This year, the medals got an upgrade! Each medal will be specific to the city you are running in. The San Francisco Medal is the full #HC15K candy bar with bite and the Golden Gate Bridge at the bottom. The ribbon for the medal was double sided.

Conclusion:

The #HC15K is a great race for the money. Its fairly priced so that all can participate & for what you receive - its an awesome value. You are guaranteed to make some new friends, get some cool swag & all the chocolate you can eat!