I really enjoyed my Hot Chocolate Phoenix experience!

Expo
A Hot Chocolate expo is not to be missed - you have to get fueled up on hot chocolate and marshmallows before a race! Parking was actually really easy - we parked at the convention center downtown and it was only $3 for the half hour or so we were there. Got in, got my swag (a performance hoodie), got my chocolate and some fun pics and was on my way home...

Race Morning
Another thing that was surprisingly easy about this race was the traffic/parking situation. The end of town where the start/finish was set up had plenty of parking lots. They were a bit busy at the beginning, so it was easier to have my husband drop me off, but he was able to snag a spot from the many people who were leaving after the 5K. When we left it was SUPER easy to get out.

I know the race is in the winter, but it was COLD. Just dress warm with a few accessories you can take off. I shed by gloves and buff around my ears by halfway through.

Course
I raced the new 10K course and loved it. Everything was super flat and we ran all around downtown. It was basically an out and back course, but the twists and turns kept it interesting. From what I heard, the two times the 15K course broke away from the 10K, the 15K people had to run hills. Glad I made the right choice.

Results
I ran the race 18 weeks pregnant, so, it was a little slower for me. I did a 3 min run / 2 min walk plan and it was really enjoyable. Finished in 1:21:55 and there were still many people taking their time coming in - which is awesome to see.

And, of course, I got to enjoy a big hot chocolate and mug of melted chocolate at the end. #winning!

I ran this race virtually last year and was finally able to run in-person in 2022. Here are a few highlights:

Expo
I thought the expo really was in a scenic location on the Broadway Pier and I couldn't believe they were giving out Oreos and Hot Chocolate at the Expo! I guess you need to try out the on-course fuel, though. Honestly, did I need to run after getting free cookie and chocolate? Thumbs up from me.

Swag
These Hot Chocolate races give you basically a full-on jacket as race swag. This year's was better than the last I think with a little quilted action happening in the front and lots of zippered pockets. I like it overall. Also a big fan of the hot chocolate mug at the end!

Aid Stations
Gotta say, this was maybe my favorite part of the course. I run well on pure sugar and I took advantage of 3 of the 4 on-course sweet stops - gummi bears, m & ms, and a big ol' marshmallow propelled me to the finish! And boy, did you need it because...

The Course
Holy Hills that was a lot of uphill! Every time you think you are done, you are not done. Personally, I was in a good training space to tackle this course and crushed it, hills and all with a 17+ minute PR, but it's definitely not easy. Thankful it was only 15K and not a half marathon.

Overall, a fun themed race that stays true to their promise of chocolate for all!

2021 was my first year running the Craft Classic Half and my first race back after all the races were cancelled in 2020. This is one of the smaller races I've done and I liked the smaller, local vibe.

Race Expo / Swag
Packet, t-shirt, and bib pick-up was at RoadRunner sports. I liked that we got bonus points for shopping at the store that night, since I usually shop there anyway and I needed new shoes! We also got a digital swag bag with coupon codes after the race.

Race Course/Experience
This has the potential to be a really sweltering race. We got lucky that there was cloud cover all morning! Much of the course is actually downhill, which was nice, until you get to the hill at mile 10-11. This was a bit cruel. Worse than other races? Maybe not, but definitely tough on me since I was not well-trained up at this distance. Then after I survived that hill, one last hill at the end really ensured this was my worst half marathon time ever.

But you know what? I was still smiling! Because I was in San Diego and I just finished another half marathon! So, even though the course has it's challenges, that's kind of the point, right? Don't let that keep you away.

Race support on the course was great for a race of this size - after the first stop that had porta-potties, it didn't seem like the later stops had any lines. After mile 9 there was water every mile. It's not a very scenic route and not a lot of people out cheering, but you definitely don't have to worry about finding what you need on course.

As the name implies - there is also free beer at the end! I am not one to partake in beer after running so far, but it's a good bonus, and I did pick up a free beer glass that I have been using regularly.

Overall, would recommend it and potentially run it again!

This was my first ever 15K race distance and my 4th virtual race since most of racing has gone totally virtual. I have to say the distance is really nice; not quite as hard on you as a half marathon, but still a distance that you need to train up a bit for. I was working my way back from injury and it was a good goal distance to work up to.

The all-important thing about a virtual race is the swag bag. Since you can't be at the race expo, the swag bag brings the expo to you. I'd always heard great things about the Hot Chocolate races, so I was really glad I didn't need to miss out on the hot chocolate itself - they sent packets of cocoa with your race bib and medal! This was definitely my favorite part, since I don't have luxurious hot chocolate that often. You also get a hoodie and we scored free hats with a special code!

This was my first ever turkey trot and Run Sedona does a really great job with a small-town race.

Pick-up: We were able to pick up our bibs and swag at the Sedona Running shop the day before the race (you could also pick up same-day). Instead of T-shirts, this race gave us these cool big mugs with the race logo on them! So, not really an expo, but Sedona Running had some really cool Run Sedona gear in their shop and offered 10% off for racers.

Race: This was a small race (maxes out at 500 runners) and run on open road. If you could stick with the pack, though, we owned the road for a bit. There was a water station half-way through and the SCENERY - I just love running through the red rocks! Really great views on this route. There are a few hills on this route and Sedona is at almost a mile of elevation, so it was a challenge for me as a low-lander. Still, I was only 30 seconds shy of my 5K PR!

Be prepared for any weather at Thanksgiving in Sedona - our day was cold and threatening rain, but it juuuust held off.

Oh, and there was pie at the end, so #winning!