Dallas Hot Chocolate 15k/5k race review

The day started early that morning. 4:30 am to be exact. I needed to leave the house around 5:15 or 5:20 in order to drive the 20 or 30 minutes to pick up my friend that was running with me. While I was getting dressed she texted me saying that Ram Racing (the timing company of the race) sent us an email. I asked her why. They told us that if our pace was slower than 12 min per mile (which in our case 12 min per mile is faster than our normal 13:30 to 14 min mile pace) we should switch to the 5k instead of the 15k. Ummmmmm let me think about that for a second? NO! They said that they were worried because it was 29 degrees and were worried about hypothermia. Funny, I never got that email for the White Rock Half Marathon that I ran back in December and that race was cold AND wet. We both didn’t want to switch. Mainly because we really do think they were worried more for their volunteers that had to wait for us instead of the actual runners. They weren’t going to offer us a refund of the overage that we would pay if we moved down in distance.

So I left the house and headed her way. While I was driving I ate my breakfast smoothie (which was harder than I thought) and my oatmeal. I picked her up and we headed to Fair Park (near downtown Dallas). We both wanted to get their early so we didn’t have to deal with a parking nightmare (which I heard it ended up being). We got there around 6:20 or 6:25. I am very glad that they let us wait inside the automotive building so we didn’t freeze while we were waiting on the race to start. It was nice and warm in there.

I participate in a Biggest Loser Challenge. I am on the Sassy Shamrock Sherriff team. I was lucky to meet up with one of my fellow teammates Kay. She was participating in her very first race (the 5k). I called her the night before and advised her to make sure that she wore a warm jacket, covered her ears in some way, and to wear gloves. She would have been miserable if she hadn’t. Here is a picture of us before the race. Due to time issues I didn’t get to meet up with her at the end. It was soooo good to meet her!



I was going to meet up with a few other SparkPeeps but things just didn't work out this time.

They called all of the 5k participants first. They started about 30 minutes before we did. We didn’t go out to the starting line until the last minute. Our corral was at the back so it’s not like it mattered when we went. Here is a picture of my friend (Tammy) and I before the race:




The first mile went well. The only downside is that the streets of downtown Dallas aren’t level and have tons of cracks/pot holes. Somewhere during that first mile my friend stepped wrong. Her knee started hurting! Uh oh! She felt like it as a painful popping feeling. At the 2 mile water stop we stopped in a parking lot to let her stretch that leg. It didn’t really help her. She was still in pain. She felt bad because she felt like she was slowing me down (she knew I wanted to finish in less than 2 hours) so she let me go ahead of her. I thought of her when I hit the 4 mile marker and water stop. I thought about texting her that there was a courtesy van and ambulance at that stop. But I soon forgot and kept going. The route was VERY hilly. And whoever thought to put a mile just before mile 9 needs to get beaten up! I saw that particularly steep hill and decided to walk it instead of try to run it. I do intervals of running and walking. I didn’t care if it was a run or not. I walked that steep hill. I then ran down the hill. I was sure I wasn’t going to make it in less than 2 hours and that really bummed me out. I stepped up my pace just a little bit and saw the finish line. I noticed the time on my watch. If I stepped it up just a little bit more I could at least finish the race in 2 hours (not less than but at least in 2 hours). I managed to finish the race in EXACTLY 2 hours. Which is (and I can’t remember which) either 5 minutes or 9 minutes faster than my previous personal record! Woohoo!!!!!!!!!! My pace was just under 13 min per mile with is a minute faster than what I do in my half marathon training! Yippee!!!!

I then checked my phone! Several missed calls and several texts from my friend Tammy. She made it to mile 6 and then had to hand in the towel. She knew she wouldn’t make it to the end (and she wouldn’t have!). I proceeded immediately into the Automotive building once again to try to find her. That is when I meet up with a couple of friends of mine from work. Since this was the Hot Chocolate race they had fondue instead of the typical race fare. I ate the apple slices, 1 marshmellow, and a bite of the banana before I had to throw it away. I had pushed myself pretty hard at the end and I was very nauseated. So fondue was not what my body wanted. Bummer, because it was tasty. I was able to drink a cup of the hot cocoa (which was the best hot cocoa I think I’ve had…EVER). The picture below (which I took from a friend of mine’s blog because I didn’t take a picture of the fondue) is what they gave us for post-race food:



Overall, I was pleased with the race. It was cold, but at least it wasn’t wet! I finished in a good time. My friend made the good decision to stop while she was ahead (and before she got seriously hurt). She is still hurting today and saw a doctor earlier. Nothing is broken so they don’t know what is going on. Would I do this race again? Definitely!

The official race pictures haven't been posted yet (you know...the ones where you are crossing the finish line), but I am pretty sure that I will buy those (like I've done every other race).

On the race front I do have a couple more races planned for the spring. Those races are the Dallas Trinity Levee Bridge 10k on March 3rd and the Dallas Rock N Roll half marathon on March 25th. If anyone out in SparkLand is going to be at these races send me a SparkMail and we can meet up.