What's Your Dream?

Hey Y'all! Just a friendly reminder that the Seattle Hot Chocolate 15k/5k is on the way! Use promo code: SEATTLESWAG5 at registration !  I love this race, it is just the right length and the chocolate is amazing! Come join in on the fun! Keep on Running!

Hello everyone! I am super excited to announce that I have been selected a a Hot Chocolate Ambassador!  I have run two Hot Chocolate 15ks and last year I even paced the Seattle Hot Chocolate 15k !  The Hot Chocolate 15/5k series began in Chicago in 2008. The owner of RAM Racing was looking for a fun, holiday event to end the year since the Chicago Marathon was the last major running event of the year (October). Something that wasn’t Christmas or Santa-themed that people would really enjoy. While a Starbucks fanatic, hot chocolate is the only thing he’ll order and as he was pontificating holding a cup of cocoa the light bulb went off! That year there were 3,000 runners. In 2009 that number grew to 12,000. 2010 – 30,000 runners. 2011 – 40,000. 2012-13 we have hovered around 40,000+ runners, making it the largest race in the city of the Chicago. In 2012 RAM Racing expanded – taking the race to Washington D.C., Dallas and San Diego. Each year we have added...

Where to begin... The very idea of running for Chocolate is a wonderful one! I saw this race and just had to sign up, there was no question. The expo was fun but considerably smaller than I thought it would be considering the size of the event. There were really great photo ops and they even had volunteers out helping race participants capture their Hot Chocolate memories. They also had a chocolate fondue station with mini hot cocoas as well. That was pretty nice. The only thing negative about the expo was their lack of directions to get to it! There weren't any signs around the Seattle Center either pointing towards the packet pick up despite the huge number of volunteers wandering around setting up for the big event. We had to make a full circle before we found the expo (under ground and only one sign saying packet pick up) but we did eventually find it! The info that was distributed for race day said to be at the race area by 6:30 for a 7:55 start. I thought that was a bit ear...

So for a couple years I have slowly watched the world of virtual racing grow and grow. If you don't know what a virtual race is, it's simple. The race host puts up a website that you go to and sign up, you pay a nominal fee, then run said distance you signed up for, record your time, post you time on the website and see your standings. These races can range from getting a free printable bib to the much more eccentric races, like the ones I am about to tell you about. So despite my doubts and wonder of how this could be enjoyable, so I decided to give it a try anyway! I am signed up for two virtual races! Don't ask me how that happened because I am not exactly sure... So I started looking into a virtual race company that one of my mega marathoner friends posts about every once in a while on Facebook. I thought "If he likes this stuff and he travels the world to run, then maybe I will!" So I looked into it and signed up for the US Road Running 's  Hallow...