I absolutely love this race! Where do I even begin?!

Run along the north shore from military base to military base? Yes!

Support our troops? Yes!

Scenic route? Yes!

Top notch swag? Yes!

Unbelievably inspiring finish line? YES!

I was absolutely humbled by the support from volunteers and military personnel entering the base. Everything from parking and shuttling to aid stations was just perfect.

If you have never done this race then you are truly missing out. Just when you feel fatigued and question going on, you enter Great Lakes Naval Base to feel an indescribable feeling. The last two miles are tough but with the unbelievable support and cheering from the military personnel, you get your second wind.

Hero Hill?!?! Holy leg killer...

Thank you so much to the military volunteers for running it with us and pushing us up!

I am still in awe of such a beautiful finish line!

I missed out on this race last year and wasn't going to miss this one! This was my first winter race and I wasn't quite sure how to dress and I definitely overdressed!

Expo - I signed up at the Hot Chocolate expo and picked up my bib and gear while I picked up my other race stuff so this was extremely convenient. It was quick and painless.

Swag - The jacket is absolutely awesome and the color is perfect for guys. While I didn't wear the winter hat, it was just as cool with the Polar Dash logo.

Course/scenery - How can you beat the view along Chicago's lakefront?? The start line was on the sidewalk along Columbus and after a quick walk from the Soldier Field north lot, it was easy to find. The announcer had great energy during a pretty cold morning and it was nice to listen to his enthusiasm. I wish I had run the 15 miler, but the 10K was just as nice. The paths were completely clear and I anticipated a little ice and snow and wore my YakTrax but did not really need them. They did a great job of clearing the route! The bottleneck at the beginning is expected at most of these races but opened up after the first mile. What a beautiful path along the lakefront for some scenery! A quick turnaround at 35th street and the path takes you back along the skyline view!

This was a well run race and the volunteers braved the cold weather to help out and I can't thank them enough for standing out in that! The medal at the finish line was about as good as it gets! It will be hung proudly!

Well, since this is my second time running the Hot Chocolate I feel I can give a fair and honest review in comparison. To start:

Registration: Piece of cake as always since I registered early knowing this would be a popular sell out!

Expo: I came in on Friday to pick up my stuff and was there bright and early. I've heard lots of complaints from runners over the last few days about the expo being horrible, but honestly, I saw none of that. I waited in line for maybe 10 minutes at the longest! The expo had a ton of booths all well stocked.

Swag: The sweatshirt is great but I'm really not a fan of green or pink so maybe next year there will be chocolate brown, black, blue or reds? The medal?!? Absolutely the best addition to this race! Whoever designed this opened chocolate bar medal needs a raise! I heard hundreds of runners all saying the same. Bravo Hot Chocolate...bravo!

The Race: While it was rather cold out to start, that ambiance of excited runners and volunteers gets the blood warmed up. I was lucky enough to be in Corral B and the entry was easy. Once the crowds got in and the corral started to fill up, that's when the excitement built! Something about that countdown that really gets the crowd going. As for the course itself, I'll never be a fan of of the McCormick tunnel as it's just too dark and the potholes were just a danger. For the rest of the course, how can the beautiful city of Chicago be beat?!

I'm always going to run the Hot Chocolate race as it was one of my first races but also because the spirit of running it gave me the addiction to keep racing. I'll just have to remember to sign up early every year as the sellout in inevitable especially with the addition of that medal!

My first 1/2 marathon and I was extremely happy. I've heard many great things about the race and wanted to scratch a 1/2 off of my bucket list.

The scenery is beautiful but maybe I'm bias as I grew up here! The course and people cheering you on along the way was fantastic. The hills not so much but a great test of muscular endurance.

I'll be doing it again every year!