2022 Asheville Hot Chocolate Races

The Asheville Hot Chocolate races are back on for 2022! This is great news for me as it is probably my favorite race series in Asheville. It started with just a 10K, but then in the last few years, they added a 5K option. Now, for 2022, they have added a half-marathon option! 

For those of you that follow me, you know I've been doing self challenges since getting back into running. I broke 30 minutes for the 5K. I've broken 8 minutes for the mile, and now my new challenge, will be getting myself into better shape so I can run the half-marathon. 

All the races will mainly follow the new and former greenways that follow the French Broad River. It's a beautiful run that starts at the Isaac Dickson Elementary school, goes down Hill Street and then mainly along Riverside Drive & Lyman Street. 

The 5K will go down Riverside, onto Craven Street and back along the greenway back to the school. 

The 10K will go down Riverside, along the greenway next to Lyman and into the French Broad River Park before heading back. 

The Half Marathon will continue from the French Broad River Park into the greenway along Amboy Rd down through Carrier Park and turn around at the end of the Hominy Creek River Greenway trail before heading back. 

Just so you know, there are also options for the younger kids. There's a Marshmallow Dash (1,269 ft,) and a 1K Hill Climb.

Being in January, it could be cold (obviously) but I have also ran it with rain too. That was a very cold year and the hot chocolate at the end was much appreciated. 

If you haven't run any of the Hot Chocolate races, I highly encourage you to do so. They are so fun, the courses are nice and flat, which is hard to come by in Asheville, and the participants are the best!

If you would like to run either the 5K, 10K or Half, please use the sign-up link below:

https://raceroster.com/events/99b55236-2784-4e72-9756-afe8fa693417/details?aff=5K4PX

2021 Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games & Results

 

Well, I almost didn't run in this year's 2021 Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games. In fact, the night before I posted a question to my Instagram followers asking if I should run or not. It was an overwhelming 193-3 vote in favor of me waking up the next day and running. 

Not wanting to let by followers down, even though I felt unprepared, I threw on my running clothes and headed out to the meet. When I got there, there didn't seem to be too many people. In fact, I was once again, the only one in my 50-54 age group. There were two in the 55-59 group and I knew the one guy from 2019. He's fast! I wasn't 100% sure about the new guy that showed up this year, but considering he brought his own starting blocks and had at least two pair of track spikes, I knew I was in trouble.

I signed up for the 50m Dash, 100m and 200m because I do like the sprints. I always wanted to be a sprinter but I was just better at distance. Here's how I did: 

In the 50 meter dash, I ran a 7.04. In 2019 I had run a 7.49 so I was very happy with my time this year. I was third overall, being beaten by the two in the next age group up. I was however first in my age group...pretty easy when you're the only one. 

In the 100 meter, I had a lousy start. I mean really bad. I felt like I couldn't get any speed until about 30 meters in. I just felt tight or something. I guess it wasn't that bad compared my 2019 time of 16.06. I ran a 16.31. I was third for the men and, again, #1 in my age group...lol. I was actually 4th overall as there was a really fast woman running who is the wife of one of the men I was up against. 

For the 200 meter, I felt good. In 2019 I ran 37 seconds. This time around I ran 34.87. Again, I was first in my age group and 3rd for men, but 4th overall as the same woman from before was in my heat. She smoked me on the straightaway.

This year, I decided to run the 1500m just to see how I'd do. I had recently broke 8 minutes for the mile so I was hoping to run a 7:30. I ended up running a 7:36 but I crossed the line in 1st place against two other runners, the husband and wife duo who kicked my butt in the 100m and 200m. 

All in all, I earned 4 Gold medals, qualified for the State games in September and made some really good friends. I also got a really weird tank-top tan that I have to now try to fix...lol.

If you're looking for results for this year's games, click here.