bibchat

Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Allstate Hot Chocolate Virtual 15k/5k – DETROIT as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!

As I’m sure you’ve figured out by the disclaimer above, I’m going to be participating in the virtual Detroit Hot Chocolate 15k. This will be my 2nd experience with a Hot Chocolate race, but it is my 1st time actually getting to participate. Confused? Allow me to share with you the journey between my “first” Hot Chocolate in 2015 and the event coming up in April….

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Not quite a year after my wife Tammi and I moved to Columbus, Ohio in 2015, I had signed up to run my first marathon in 11 years. It was a slower experience than my first, but still incredibly rewarding and leaving me with the desire to continue running MUCH more frequently than I had been. With that in mind, I sought out another race that I thought would be a lot of fun. That race? The Hot Chocolate Columbus 15k.

At that point in history, I had just been recently promoted to full-time with my employer. Regardless of that promotion, and as any good employee should do – I had put in my request for a day off on the date of the Hot Chocolate event weeks in advance. This request was approved and I thought no more of it (the request) and got myself pumped to run my first 15k.

Well, friends…even the best laid plans go sideways sometimes. THIS was one of those times.

Word came down from our district manager that there would be an all-hands meeting at each of our stores. The day of that meeting just happened to fall on the very same day as my approved day off – the day of the Hot Chocolate 15k. Humph. For those of you keeping track, no – I wasn’t able to get out of the meeting and inevitably had to forego running the race altogether.

On the plus side, I was still able to snag my goodie bag. To this day, the jacket from the 2015 Hot Chocolate 15k remains my only piece of race swag that I have from an event I never ran!

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Fast forward to the present and I’m excited to get my chance to participate in a Hot Chocolate event – even if it’s virtual. Earlier this week, I received my goodie bag for THIS year’s event and the race organizers really knocked it out of the park! I completely forgot about the Knockaround shades being a part of the Goodie Bag this year, which made for a fantastic surprise. And speaking of the jacket – while I do enjoy my 2015 version, this year’s edition is a definite upgrade!

The event planner part of me also give major props to the person who made the GOOD CALL to not put dates on any of the swag. Seems like common sense, especially given the state of the world at the moment, but it opens up more uses for leftover items. The sustainability of the swag is real!

So, even though this event will be another virtual one and it’ll be another run in or around my neighborhood, I’m very happy to say it will be my FIRST Hot Chocolate event – and that is excitement enough for me!

The Detroit Hot Chocolate 15k/5k is THIS weekend, but there is still time to get in on it!

Use code BRHC20 when you register and you’ll snag a free Hot Chocolate branded hat!

Disclaimer: I received an entry into the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Honor Run Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!

Earlier this year, I had signed up to run the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Honor Run Half Marathon (Honor Run from here on out) through my ambassadorship with BibRave. The event takes place just a few hours away from me in Florence, KY and I have actually heard quite a bit about this event – mostly from fellow BibRave Pro Corey. Since the opportunity to participate had come around again through BibRave, it seemed like a good idea to opt-in!

But first…

And before I dive much deeper, it’s important to share that this was the first event I had signed up for since the pandemic really took off in March. I signed up in May and, at that time, the event organizers were still planning to hold the event in person. Many questions were floating around about this event – and pretty much every in-person gathering. As I’m sure you’ve probably already figured out – the Honor Run was cancelled. Rather than dwell though, I’d like to focus on some of the positives and what I’m looking forward to about

Positive #1 – Great Cause

On May 29, I had received my notification that I was selected to participate as a part of Team BibRave. I was pretty excited about this because I have never run a race in Kentucky AND I’d get to see what the hype is about surrounding this particular event. Another driving force that nudged me to opt in for the Honor Run is because of the cause this race supports. All proceeds from the races that make up the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Honor Run (Half Marathon, 10K Run/Walk, and 5K Run/Walk) are donated to Honor Flight Tri State to help send local Veterans to Washington DC for the day to see the memorials that they have earned.

Positive #2 – Great Communication

From the moment I found out that i would be participating, the communication from the event organizers has been consistent, honest, and just great. Not even a month after I registered, organizers send out a participant survey gauging interest in the event – keeping in mind it was still planned to go forward. The survey made it clear to me that the organizers had thoughts but valued the opinions of participants enough to genuinely engage them. They didn’t have to do this, but it was pretty cool that they did. I actually ended up borrowing the idea in the planning, and eventual cancellation, of the annual alumni band reunion I held coordinate – which actually helped us quite a bit! No more than a month after that survey, organizers let all participants know that the all in-person events would be cancelled and no virtual event would be held. All of this communication within a two month time span. I can’t wait to see what they do when a pandemic isn’t happening (spoiler?).

Positive #3 – Running ISN’T Cancelled

Yes, you read that correctly. Despite the event being cancelled completely for 2020, I still plan on running a half marathon on November 8. There’s no swag involved and no race day stuff, but I was going to be running the distance that day anyhow, so why not just do it here closer to home? No long lines at the porta-pot and the aid stations can have whatever I want? Like one of my co-workers says, “I’ll take that as a big ol’ W!”.

Positive #4 – Already Planning for 2021

You read that correctly as well. I don’t enjoy missing an event. EVER. Given all the good things I’ve heard about this event (online, personally, etc), the way the race organizers manage things, and the support this event gives to those who have already given so much, it’s a no-brainer. I’ll absolutely be in Florence, KY next November when the Honor Run returns.

This post was different…

…and that’s okay. A lot of things are different right now. Events are cancelled left and right and things in general are a little, um, not great. Despite all that, the Honor Run has me hooked on an event I’ve never participated in and I can’t wait to get to Florence in 2021 for the real thing!

Preston Ramsey

Always Striving

FINALLY Getting Hot Chocolate

The Race That Wasn’t.