Today I entered the Hot Chocolate 15K. It’s a new race series and I think Columbus is one of the first cities.

Though in the high 30s when I headed toward the starting line, the sun was shining, the sky was clear and the day was sure to be beautiful.

Overall, the race was very well organized!

Packet pickup at the expo was pretty easy and straight forward. There was even a jacket exchange booth in case you chose the wrong sized jacket! There were plenty of sample jackets to try on, and if you decided you had picked the wrong size, you could exchange it right there at the expo! Nice!

The only problem at the expo was the music was so loud, I could not hear anything anyone said to me. I looked at Newton shoes and New Balance shoes, but could not hear the exhibitors. I finally gave up and left.

Race morning I was worried about where to park. I started to head toward the recommended parking garages, but the traffic was pretty backed up. I ended up parking at a free parking meter instead.

The 5K started 30 minutes before the 15K. I waited in a hotel lobby to keep warm.

The start was near the Columbus Commons park.

As we walked to the starting line corrals, I was surprised to see that every corral had a sign saying “No Walkers.” (Did they mean zombies?) I’m not sure I can adequately express how angry I was at that point. Yes, races have a problem with some walkers and some slow runners lining up too close to the front. However, EVERY corral said no walkers — even the one I was assigned. Lovely.

The speaker system was great. We could hear everything — even in the back. The start went smoothly. Steve and I were walking at a 12:43 pace, so we were keeping up with the slowest runners, but it didn’t seemed backed up.

The course went north on High Street, through the short North, through the OSU campus, around the Horseshoe, then south back to downtown Columbus. Along the river it was beautiful! There was one small hill near the finish that seemed more intense just because we were almost finished. Overall, it was nice!

There were four water stops starting at mile 2. Each stop had both Gatorade and water and were manned by plenty of excited teenaged volunteers. I think a couple were local football teams.

As we approached the finish, there was a party atmosphere, even though there were very few people along the finish cheering. The announcer announced the names of people as they crossed. We were handed a bottle of water and directed to the Columbus Commons Park.

It was pretty easy to find the gear check and the finisher’s mug, which replaced a finisher’s medal. The mug was sectioned with a place for hot chocolate, another for hot fudge, and room for foods to dip in the hot fudge, including a banana. The hot chocolate was OK, but the fudge was delicious! I dipped everything available and loved the pretzels.

The park was a great race finish area. There were plenty of inflatables around, a stage and music. And plenty of port-a-johns. Because we were at the end of the 15K, the crowds had cleared out by the time we got there. I didn’t feel there was a shortage of water at the water stops or food at the finish.

Other than the expo being way too loud and the “no walkers” signs, this was a well organized event. Everything went smoothly from start to finish. I liked getting a jacket instead of another race shirt, but the jacket is just a wind breaker and fits tight. (There was the option to trade sizes at the expo.) The after-race food was a nice change, though I wouldn’t like hot fudge after every race.

The entry fee was high at $68 when I entered close to the race. I’m not confident I got my money’s worth. But, you could tell the race company was used to putting on big events. It was well organized.

I struggled both mentally and physically in this event. Though the water stops were great, there was no crowd support and no entertainment on the course. I wasn’t able to find anyone to talk to during the race either, so ended up listening to my iPod. I also had a small problem with my right foot and ankle. (The injury started in the Columbus Marathon.) I’m pretty sure my shoes are not supportive enough and that is causing the issue. That, and a blister on my left heel, kept me from being very fast. In fact, I think each mile I got progressively slower — starting at 12:43 and ending at 14:17.

Though this was a well-run race, between the high fees and the “no walker” signs, I’m not sure I will enter it again.

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