My First 15k!
San Francisco Hot Chocolate 15k
January 9, 2022
Golden Gate Park
1:15:40
Disclaimer: Representing BibRave, I received a complimentary entry for this event. To learn more about Bibrave or how to become a BibRave Pro Ambassador go to Bibrave.com
I’d been dreaming of running this sweet race ever since I heard about it a few years ago. It takes place in my area each January which inevitably makes it extremely popular due to it’s time proximity to New Years and the health resolutions that come with it.
I registered for the 15k, but there was also a 5k race offered which took place on the same morning. There’s nothing like registering with an experienced race organization! Everything from the registration process, to the final follow-up emails were professional and informative. Since I live about 75 minutes outside of the city of San Francisco, I chose the bib mailing option during registration. This meant, for a nominal fee, my race gear would arrive by mail in advance of the event. Even information in regards to the mailed SWAG was absolutely streamlined and contained tracking numbers and estimated arrival times. No stress = happy runners! Bonus: No COVID concerns since I didn’t attend the expo. (although I‘m sure the large bib pickup is a fun time). I also appreciated the extra effort organizers took to respect local neighborhoods. Event staff listed local parking lots and organized shuttle buses from multiple downtown locations to make arrival to Golden Gate Park a sinch.
My race packet arrived nearly 2 weeks prior to race day and I couldn’t wait to rip it open! Instead of the usual boring T-shirts that most races distribute, the Hot Chocolate races proudly delve out warm, cozy jackets! I tried mine on right away!
I was super excited to finally be experiencing this event in-person. It was a new running location in the Bay Area and a new race distance for me as I’d never before run an official 15 kilometer race.
So, on Sunday, January 9, 2022, I donned my toasty new jacket, pinned my bib to my Bibrave tankard, and headed down I80 westbound to the City by the Bay. The traffic was light at 6:15am as I crossed the Bay Bridge into San Francisco under typical, slightly foggy conditions. I parked in Kezar Stadium parking lot and unbelievably found some friends from back home shortly after exiting my car! The lot charged a $14 “special event” flat rate for the day which seemed reasonable to me for city parking.
It was still dark and the air was cool and hazy. The sun began to come up as we walked the .75 miles over to the event staging area. The walk was not only beautiful but productive as it gave us a chance to “warm up” after the long drive. I was a bit surprised how pristine the park was. Gardens, statues, art, and nature trails were abundant and I was excited for the 15k “tour” I’d be taking of it later that morning.
Our first clue that we were getting closer to the action was the welcome sight of a line of porta-potties! We took full advantage of them, appreciating that there was no wait. It was about 7:30am by this time so we organized our gear and meandered over to see what was happening closer to the start.
It was only about 35 minutes until race start but the DJ played on the Music Concourse to only a handful of runners arriving from the shuttle buses. I wondered where everyone was.
We walked passed the post-race hot chocolate booth, up the steps, and around the back of the Spreckle’s Temple of Music where we found the crowd of runners shopping in the merch tent, using other facilities, dropping bags at gear check, and validating their vaccination status (which was a requirement to later enter the starting corrals). I’m sure I would have recognized some runners from Instagram had we not all been wearing masks (and the same black jackets).
(photo of Spreckle’s Temple from internet search)
After receiving my pink vax sticker, I checked my bag. For this race I decided to carry my phone in my pocket for photos at the start/finish. I was still mentally debating whether I’d be running it as a “fun run” or hard effort, and ultimately decided a few miles in to keep it somewhere in between. Ten minutes before the start we walked over to the corrals. Several thousand people were well organized into roped off corrals. I gave my friends a final goodbye and good luck at corral M and headed to the front in corral H, 8:00 min/mile pace.
It was cold so in the final 5 minutes I jumped around in place trying to warm up. My Garmin connected to GPS but it didn’t want to pair with my headphones. I could barely hear over the event music and announcer anyway, so instead of worrying about it, I opted to try the connection again once I started. As our corral crossed the start we headed up a short hill. It was just enough to get my heart rate up. We all crowded onto a beautiful bike path which wound around a bit then spilled onto a wider road. I was dodging foot traffic quite a bit in the beginning but by mile 1 it had already spread out. That’s when I got my music started too. Aside from the short hill at the start, the first 3 miles were downhill.
We were flying all the way down to the ocean. As expected, the park continued to impress. I did not expect to see waterfalls or a Dutch windmill! (Photos below are from a later internet search)
The lush evergreens captured the cool air keeping us comfortable and blocked from any of the bay breezes. When we reached the Pacific, we turned left at mile marker 3 onto the Great Highway and continued straight for a mile and a half before reaching the turnaround. This out and back section offered scenic, sunny views of waves crashing and the sand dunes of Ocean Beach. I was surprised to see so many people in wet suits carrying surf boards and crossing onto the sand. Each aid station was fully stocked with Honey Stinger hydration and water (which I gulped down). But also, in keeping with the “sweet theme”, each station gave out a special treat! Gummy bears, M&Ms, and marshmallows to name a few. While I stuck with my one GU packet that I took at mile 5, I thought the candy was a cute gesture. By mile 6, I was ready to get the work done and head back up to the finish.
(photo credit: my friend Val)
Up we went! The hills were definitely noticeable by now but I kept climbing. I took one small walk break, then regrouped and finished strong! Hooray!
With an official finish time of 1:15:40, I completed my first 15k on an amazing course. SWEET! I collected my medal while another runner shouted to me, “Hey, amazing effort on that climb!” I thanked her and returned the compliment while remembering passing her a quarter mile back.
On the walk over to the post-race party, I checked the website results and realized that I finished 4th in my age group out of 221!
Delighted with these statistics, I retrieved my checked bag, changed into my warm jacket, then went to grab that hard-earned chocolate reward! I loved the little compartment filled with creamy dipping chocolate not to mention all the goodies to go along with it: marshmallows, pretzels, Rice Krispie treats, Oreos, a banana, and of course a cup of their signature hot chocolate.
By this time the DJ had the runners’ party in full swing! The earlier fog had given way to bright sunshine and runners gathered in the square, high on sugar, celebrating rising to the challenge of the morning race.
What a fabulous experience! Not only was I proud of my finishing time, but grateful for EnMotive for pushing forward and going to great lengths to continue with this in-person event in such trying times. No doubt it was a much needed moral boost for so many and the perfect way to kick off 2022 in San Francisco, one of the most iconic cities in the world!
The Hot Chocolate 15k/5k, America’s sweetest race, is offered in many cities nationwide! Where will you run for chocolate? https://hotchocolate15k.com/
