Last month, my friends and I ran the Hot Chocolate 5k/ 15k in downtown Denver.
We all ran Denver 2018 Hot Chocolate, so this was our second time running this race. A highly popular event held in various cities all over the country, Hot Chocolate benefits Make-A-Wish® Foundation. At the Post Race Party, runners receive a finisher’s mug filled with hot chocolate and other tasty goodies, hence the race motto, “Run for Chocolate.” In addition to receiving a finisher’s medal, you receive a custom race hoodie with the Hot Chocolate logo. A race where you receive chocolate, sweet swag, and help an awesome charity? It’s easy to see why “[s]ince its inception [in 2008], over 200,000 participants have run for chocolate, making [Hot Chocolate] the fastest growing race series in the nation!” according to Hot Chocolate’s official website, https://www.hotchocolate15k.com/. So yes, sign us up. 😊
My friends Jamie, Yoli, Cate, Trish and Kale, and I all stopped at the Hot Chocolate Expo the day before the race to pick up our race packets. Held at the National Western Complex, this expo is super fun, with plenty of vendors, race merchandise and gear, with volunteers handing out chocolate. I was unable to attend last year’s expo, so I was glad to go this year.
That evening, Jamie, Yoli, and I carbo loaded at Giodano’s on 16th Street. We then attended the Denver Zoo’s Enchanted Hallows Night Walk. Elaborately carved pumpkins and spooky music set a mystical atmosphere, and we observed tigers, elephants, and seals. 😊 Cate, Trish, and Kale had an entertaining evening at that night’s Avalanche game at the Pepsi Center.
We all stayed at a hotel right off Federal and 6th, a super convenient location to both the highway and downtown. Before bedtime, I prepped all my gear, ready to reveal a surprise, fun element to my race apparel: my Black Watch tartan, ie., Campbell plaid.
I’ve always wanted to wear a Campbell tartan while running, and this was the perfect race to debut it. I received it a week before the race and did a 6 mile test run in it, and it wore beautifully. When 5:15 AM rolled around, I dressed in a blue tank top, light shell jacket, arm sleeves, with my kilt over my black running leggings. With the 5k scheduled to start at 7:10 AM, Jamie and Yoli headed out before me to the race site at Civic Center Park. After a quick bite to eat in the lobby, Cate, Trish, Kale, and I departed to line up for the 15k.
The morning was clear and calm, much better than last year’s overcast, cold conditions. Our race was scheduled to start at 7:50 AM, and we arrived with enough time to make last minute checks on our gear. With so many thousands of runners, both events feature a wave start, based on one’s estimated pace/ finish time. I made my way into the first wave, with a goal of running a sub 8-minute mile pace. Pacers held signs designating pace times, so it was easy to know where to stand in the mass of runners. The start was right in front of the stately Denver City Council building.
This race has such a lively, fun atmosphere! By nature, I am not a morning person, but from the ambiance alone I was feeling alert and ready to run. At the call of “GO!” I just felt it: I was going to nail my goal time for this race.
Besides debuting my kilt, I also debuted two new pieces of technology during this race: my Garmin Fenix 5 Plus and Trekz Aftershokz Titanium Bone Conduction Headphones. The Garmin in one amazing fitness watch with so many incredible capabilities, and it especially came in handy this race as I could view my pace per mile. And the Aftershokz headphones are BY FAR the best headphones I have ever used. A concept originally developed by the military, the speakers of this device sit outside your ear and transport sound via bone conduction; that way, you can still hear your surroundings while listening to music. Lightweight and with plenty of battery life, I LOVE these headphones and cannot recommend them enough.
Back to the race: with 9 miles ahead of me, I made sure to keep my pace no faster than 7:30 min. per mile; any faster and I feared burnout in the last miles. My Garmin relayed both my live pace and pace I hit at the end of each mile. Energy wise I was feeling great and knew I’d knock this race out of the park. I was concurrently gearing up for Rim Rock Marathon, so 9 miles was a standard training run for me at this point. As I train primarily on hills, my pace would only speed up as Hot Chocolate is overall a flat course through the streets of Denver.
I consumed 2 GUs and several Honeystinger Chews before the race, so I opted not run with my race vest. There were several aid stations and I made sure to grab water and some M&Ms for sustained energy. I wore my Brooks Pure Cadence 6 shoes, my all-time favorite running shoes. With a 4mm drop and contoured fit, these shoes are perfect for racing. I wore them at DreamCatcher Half Marathon last year, and they performed beautifully…so yeah, I admit that these kicks are nearly two years old. Yikes! you might say. But despite their age, they still felt incredible this race. For me, I find the lower the drop (the less my heel is elevated), the more efficient my foot strike, leading to a higher cadence. Hence, “Pure Cadence.”
Sailing through the streets, I was in the “flow zone.” I was relaxed and having fun, running efficiently. My kilt posed no problems, and I had chosen the right amount of gear to stay warm, but not overheat me. I observed about four other folks running in kilts, so I was in good company.
Once the course turned west onto 19th, I picked up my pace a bit. My goal was to finish under 1 hour and 15 minutes. With my Garmin keeping me honest about my pace, I knew I could do it. Turning south onto Broadway, I took off on the straightaway toward the finish line, visible just a third of a mile away, directly in front of the Capitol Building. Legs churning, lungs burning, I passed several folks. Just over the din of the crowd, I could hear Yoli, Jamie, and Cate cheering me on, and with their encouragement, crossed the finish line in 1 hour 13 minutes 44 seconds. My overall pace was 7:55, which meant I had accomplished my goal of running this 15k at a sub 8-minute per mile pace! 😀
I received my finisher’s medal, and made my way over to my friends. We stood on the side to cheer on for when Trish and Kale crossed the finish. At that moment my other great friend and fellow runner Emily found me in the crowd. We hugged and congratulated each other as we both PRed in this race. 🙂 Shortly afterward the mother-daughter duo Trish and Kale crossed the finish line together; it is always so uplifting to cheer on your friends and to see the look of relief on their face upon crossing. They did it!
It was a triumphant day: Jamie and Yoli both PRed in the 5k by several minutes, as did Cate in the 15k. Well done ladies, super proud of you! 😀
Now it was off to the Post Race Party to claim our hot chocolate. The chocolate and other goodies—choco-straws, banana, and rice krispies—did not disappoint. Emily hung out with us and we all posed for pics: it was super fun to have Emily meet my Grand Junction Adventure Tribe. 😊 Emily was awesome in driving all us ladies back to the hotel so we could check out, and we all had lunch at Mimi’s Cafe. A successful and fun day indeed! Of course, I had to get ice cream afterwards, so off I went to Little Man Ice Cream on 16th Street.
Whether you’re an elite runner or a newbie, I highly recommend Hot Chocolate. Cool swag and yummy food, running for a great cause: it doesn’t get any better. And when you run with friends, it is an unforgettable experience. To Jamie, Yoli, Cate, Trish, Kale, and Emily: ya’ll are amazing! So very grateful to know and run with you ladies. Cheers to more adventures!
~LMC
