The Hot Chocolate 15K fell on the same weekend I needed to run my 20 mile training run for Marine Corps. My usual running group was running the race so I signed up and figured I'd work out the logistics of piecing together my long run later. This was also going to be my first race in Denver since moving here this summer.

The expo was at some venue in downtown Denver. For me, it was convenient since I work nearby. For people coming from the suburbs I could see the location being a problem, but I believe they allowed people to pick up other bibs as long as they had the confirmation email. The bib process was new to me as they printed out your personal information on the spot and affixed it to a bib. You would think this would be a slow process but it actually went pretty quickly. The only problem I could see was when the crowd got bigger and lines were longer since there wasn't much space for the lines with the way it was set up. The curtain wall separating the packet pickup from the expo was fairly close to the pickup tables and it was already kind of congested when I was there right when the expo opened. I liked that they allowed you the option of trying on and exchanging your jacket. Race shirts/jackets are so varied in fit that this is a big deal for me. The sizes were pretty accurate though, but that can also vary from year to year. The expo itself was pretty bare bones and about the only things that interested me was the table for a local race series and the clearance race items.

Because downtown parking (in any city) can typically be a pain on any given day, much less on race day, my running group carpooled and got there early enough (about an hour early) we were able to park on the street for free. The race started on time and the start was well-organized. The course itself was nice and wound through lots of different areas. I got to see different parts of the downtown commercial area (lots of places I want to go back and visit!) as well as some nice residential areas. The course support from both police and course marshals and other volunteers was great. I *loved* the aid stations because they all had sweet treats available and they were well-stocked.

The finish area was also top-notch. My group was able to easily find one another since we didn't all finish at the same time. We got through the line to get our post-race goodies quickly and easily and, because the race starts/finishes at a large park, there were plenty of places for people to sit and enjoy their treats. The race also supplied plastic bags if racers wanted to take their treats home.

Altogether, I thoroughly enjoyed the Hot Chocolate race. My only negative was the price, but part of that was because I didn't register until much later. I realize it's a big race, but $70+ for a 15K was a bit steep, in my opinion. Still, I will probably run this race again next year.

I'm not good at marathoning. At all. But, for some reason, I can't quit it. As part of my 2018 comeback, I registered for the MCM. I'm lucky to have an extended network of running friends around the country with several of them located in the DMV area. For this reason, there were a lot of race logistics I didn't have to worry about such as where to stay and transportation to/from the expo and race since my host took care of all this for me but it is something you should be prepared for if you're going to do this race, particularly if you're new to racing or not familiar with the DC area.

I arrived in DC the Friday before the race and my friend picked me up and we headed straight to the expo. While the race starts and ends in Arlington, the expo was out at National Harbor. Although I'm not from the area, it didn't take long to realize how horrible this location was. It took us over an hour to get there from Dulles. We almost had a mishap as we got there since the sign announcing where to turn was placed such that it made us turn too early and we almost ended up back on the highway. For anyone not familiar with the expo location, I could see how they could easily get misdirected. We parked in the garage attached to the hotel and made our way inside. There were people directing everyone to the expo so it wasn't hard to find. Getting my bib was an easy process, but the expo wasn't too crowded at this time. After picking up my bib, we were directed to the spot to get our shirts where we were able to try them on first. Good thing because they ran a bit small, in my opinion. As for the shirt itself. Um. I really don't know how to explain it. It's just....ugly. They used a crowd photo from a previous race for the shirt design and it just doesn't work. Until you see it, you just can't understand. Anyway, the expo itself was your typical large race expo. Lots of good vendors with lots of merchandise for anyone who might have forgotten anything at home. Also, the Brooks MCM branded gear was all great, if a little pricey. In addition to the expo being in an inconvenient location, they didn't make paying for parking easy (or cheap). There's a pay machine in the garage near the elevators, but it didn't actually work. And what they didn't make clear was you were expected to pay inside. There was a registration desk where you paid for parking. There was supposedly discounted parking for expo attendees but, from what I've read on social media, you had to be there quite a while to get the discount. In the end, we paid $20 to park. And if you're taking the Metro, there isn't one within walking distance, so you would have to take a shuttle from the station to the expo. Again, not convenient at all.

MCM starts just before 8 AM, but there's a bit of a walk to get to the start from the train station, which is where my friend dropped me off (it's about as close as you can get because of street closures). Therefore, I got there around 6:30 and followed the crowd. I didn't see any signage actually directing people where to go, but you don't really need it with so many people. Runners have to go through security to get to the runners' village and start. At that hour, it moved fairly quickly. Some guys near me were talking about a previous year when they arrived a lot later and the lines were so bad that security just stopped checking people. Past security runners can check their gear bags. There are UPS trucks set up with numbers on them that correspond to the beginning of your bib number. The area is fairly large so lots of runners were sitting around having breakfast before checking gear and heading to the start. All along the route to the runners' village and in the village itself there were plenty of restrooms available. Even once you left the village and made your way to the start there were restrooms along the side of the road.

Announcements said the corrals corresponded to the color of your bib but I really didn't notice it. Perhaps it was because I was looking for a specific time corral (which *was* clearly labeled) and not the color. Despite all of the security to get to the start, they didn't do anything to stop non-runners from entering the start area. There were lots of people who weren't runners hanging out, even after the race officially started. Being the Marine Corps race, there was plenty of stuff going on to start the race - paratroopers delivering the flag, big planes flying overhead, cannons signaling the start - so you're not just standing around with nothing to see or do before the start. And even though I arrived so early, by the time I got to the start area I actually only had maybe a 20 minute wait.

The race itself was great. The only part that might be considered challenging comes near the beginning. There's a bit of a climb for most of the first couple of miles. After that, there isn't much elevation to contend with. The course takes runners through Arlington, Georgetown, DC and other scenic areas. There is a lot of crowd support all along the course with various groups coming out to cheer in addition to runners' friends and family. Even the Marines who don't really have much of a choice in the matter were very supportive. They made great cheerleaders, especially the one on the bridge (the one you have to beat) who had more energy than anyone I've ever met and who must have run several miles himself as he ran back and forth along the bridge and eventually made his way down to Crystal City(?) to cheer. Speaking of spectators, there are plenty of places for them to get to on the course to support their runners. I was able to see my friend 3 times along the route (her big cheese head helped). There were a couple of areas where the crowd was quite large and it did cause a bottleneck effect - I believe it was in Crystal City and down by the museums in DC where this happened. It would be nice if they could manage the crowd better in these areas because it was kind of dangerous.

If you've never run this race, be prepared for the Blue Mile. This is a section of the course where there are signs for fallen soldiers. Lots of runners were stopping along this route as they saw signs for friends or family. Once you get past the signs there are people lining either side of the road holding American flags. These are mainly the family of fallen soldiers. This is where I almost lost it. It's a very emotional section of the course, even if you have no connection to the Marines or any of the armed forces.

So far it sounds like a great race, right? Well, it actually is. Except for the finish. The awful finish. The finish that was designed by someone who knows how to torture people. You have to run up a short, steep hill to get to the end. Who does that??? I actually walked a good bit leading up to this hill just so I would be able to actually run up it. But once you finish, it's so worth it. At the end there are even more Marines, and a huge crowd, very loudly cheering you on. And, just like much of the rest of the race experience, the finish is very well organized. There are lines set up guiding runners to Marines to collect their medals. After you get your medal, you can get your official finisher photo taken in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial. Beyond that, runners collect a snack box, water, Gatorade, and warming jackets (I'd never seen these before). Unfortunately, the walk to collect your gear from the trucks is a bit long, but I was highly motivated because it had gotten chilly at the end of the race. Also, the snack box isn't much, but there are plenty of places in the area to pop into to grab food (I got fries from McDonald's fairly quickly).

We didn't hang around once I got my gear and food but it did take a while to get out because there are just so many people trying to exit the parking garage and make their way through town. A word of advice, if you do happen to drive (especially if you're not used to driving in the area) reserve your parking in advance using SpotHero or a similar service. If you use the MCM shuttles, be prepared for long lines. The line for the shuttles were a few blocks long.

In the end, I was pleased with this race (even if my race itself wasn't what I planned). It is very organized, lots of crowd support, clearly marked safe route, and almost everything you could want in a race. I highly recommend doing this race if at all possible.