Hot Chocolate Run 2016

This past Sunday my sister and I ran in our 3rd Hot Chocolate Run in Scottsdale. We ran our first one 5 years ago and have been doing it every other year since. The entrance fee is kind of pricey but you do get a nice jacket and some yummy chocolate after the race. Also, it is one of the only 15k races out there. They also have a 5k but I would never spend that much for such a short race. The 15k is good because it is not as demanding as a half but more challenging then a 5 or 10k. Also, it is a great, easy and flat course. The weather was perfect on Sunday which helped as well. Our first Hot Chocolate run is HERE and our run from 2 years ago is HERE. The first time we did this run it was our first distance race. I had never run more than 4 miles before deciding to train for it with my sisters 5 years ago. Then two years ago I was 3 months post-partum and still nursing and my sister was also pregnant. It was nice this time to really push myself and I ran it at an 8:30 pace which was my best yet by more than a minute/mile. I finished 25th out of the 305 women in my age group so I am very happy with that and couldn't have asked for a better day!



Pretty big crowd. Over 3k runners in the 15k

Staying warm before the race

Sharing my chocolate bowl with Mae

Done!

Hot Chocolate 15k

Two years ago when I started to get serious about eating better and working out regularly I got into running. I started with Couch to 5k and then decided I wanted to run something farther. Up to this point my longest run besides playing soccer had been the Pat Tillman 4.2 mile run. I looked into some races and decided I wanted to do the Hot Chocolate 15k because I was not quite ready to commit to a half marathon yet and wanted something in between. I trained for 12 weeks with my sisters and did really well and posted about it here. Since then I have run a 10k and 2 half marathons and had another baby. We decided to do this race again (last weekend) as a motivation to start running after having my second baby. It was definitely different this time around. I am a lot slower than I used to be and that can be frustrating but I got out there and ran 9.3 miles less than 3 months after having a baby so I know I need to be proud of that. Also, I have no injuries which I am also very happy about. I wish the run had started a little earlier in the morning and I wish they didn't have such a gap in between corrals, but the weather was amazing ( I was wearing a tank in December) and the chocolate after was delicious! Also, we got cool jackets and a medal this year! I have a feeling this is going to become a run we do every year! Thanks to my mom for helping with my babies for the race and while we trained. We had a much bigger group run it this year as well which is always more fun!

Justin and I before the race and Katy and I in matching pants

 

Race Photos

 

The whole group...and Evie and Ted

Do you have 3 sisters that will train for and run a 15k with you? I do.

We had to share our finisher's cup of chocolate goodies with Ev.

 

Justin ran really fast and I just had a baby...so we are pretty awesome!

Hot Chocolate 15k

As part of me trying to get healthy and lose weight I never should have gained, I signed up for the Hot Chocolate 15k. Of course, if I was going to run 9.3 miles, there would definitely be chocolate at the end! When I signed up back in October, I had not run more than a 5k, ever! I used the Hal Higdon 15k Novice Training Plan to get prepared for it and also had the help of two of my sisters joining me on the longer runs. They also ran the 15k as well. Last Sunday morning we got up early and headed out to Scottsdale for the run.

 

 

It was the coldest morning we have had yet this winter, but shortly after we started the run, we warmed up. I ran with my sisters for the first 2 miles and then they moved ahead as they run faster than me. I personally ran faster than I have before. The Saturday before when I ran my 8-miler, I ran a 10'14" pace so to do 9.24 miles at a  9'41" pace was really exciting for me. Back in July I weighed over 200 lbs. (yikes!) and when I started to run with the C25k program my pace was like 11'30"! I am now more than 30 lbs. lighter! Crazy how far I have come in 6 months. Also, look at how many calories that burned! 1208 is insane! I got my brooks running shoes back in July as well and have already logged atleast 124 miles in them!

 

I know that there are lots of people who run more than that, and faster, but for me this is a big deal, and I am proud of myself. I almost got choked up when I crossed the finish line becauase I was just so overwhelmed with emotions. I have never set such a huge goal for myself physically, so to meet that was just really big for me. And also, just before the finish line my mom was holding Everly and cheering me on, so yay, you can understand why I almost cried.

 

 

 

After the run we got our finisher's mug filled with hot chocolate, chocolate fondue and lots of stuff to dip in the chocolate. It was delicious, but we didn't have much time becuase I had a soccer game in an hour. Yay, I know, crazy, but we would have been short players if my sister and I hadn't gone. We tied the soccer game 1-1 and I scored the goal, but we really should have won. Oh well. The rest of the day was pretty busy, but I did get a pedicure and I used my sister's foam roller to massage out my leg mussels last night and I think it is paying off because I am not too sore today! I am not quite sure what is next on the fitness agenda, but I definitely have more to achieve!