tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post7455624941655327388..comments2024-01-25T00:03:14.339-08:00Comments on Well, I'm TRYING to run...: Race report: Hot Chocolate "15K", December 3, 2011AKA Darkwave, AKA Anarcha, AKA Cris.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09873516028463495708noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-41475008271952697162016-01-25T06:48:29.297-08:002016-01-25T06:48:29.297-08:00I stumbled across this fantastic race recap after ...I stumbled across this fantastic race recap after remembering that Atlanta's annual Hot Chocolate 5k/15k was yesterday. I don't know how to feel about these races. Well, personally, I hate them because they are clearly for-profit events produced by non-running people for the purpose making as much money as possible. But hey, that's capitalism...buyer beware. The people love it, so good for RAM.<br /><br />So much about a race can be learned by looking at the results.<br />9,357 people finished the 5K yesterday.<br />Roughly 50 people, 0.5% of the field, were sub-7:30 mile runners.<br /><br />There's an audience wanting it, so by all means, let RAM make their money...but I think after 5+ years, the Hot Chocolate series is well known as a fun-run, not a race. It's a really expensive really early morning party you over-pay for to get a sweatshirt, medal, hot chocolate, etc...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-39836528517674688752012-01-04T23:18:15.845-08:002012-01-04T23:18:15.845-08:00Thanks for this information. It is a very detailed...Thanks for this information. It is a very detailed one. Great pictures by the way. I've heard many people signed up for this. Your adventures did help a lot.Nikita Gouldhttp://www.primalchocolateblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-38209477193402705622012-01-03T09:31:20.448-08:002012-01-03T09:31:20.448-08:00I seriously wonder how RAM Racing is still allowed...I seriously wonder how RAM Racing is still allowed to put on races? They are always way overpriced and much too crowded. They appear to just try and make as much money as possible without a care for runners' safety. I ran the 5k this year and there were quite a few issues (despite the "without a hitch" proclamation in the half-assed apology), and I don't plan on running another RAM sponsored event ever again. Glad you walked away uninjured despite the odds against it!Kelly @ Running Kellometershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15261285599296693612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-30369267201398238182011-12-28T10:52:15.914-08:002011-12-28T10:52:15.914-08:00I know I'm late to this party, but this post i...I know I'm late to this party, but this post is awesome. And I love that once you realized what a cluster f*ck it was going to be, your reaction was "how could I not go???" I appreciate that you did, and wrote such a great race report as a result! Thank you! Also, I ran the Hot Chocolate 15K in Chicago last year, and while it wasn't nearly as bad as the DC race, it wasn't good enough to convince me to shell our another $65 and run it again in 2011, despite the "improved race course!" which moved the race from the too-narrow Chicago lakefront path to the streets of downtown Chicago, which from what I read on other blogs were also too narrow for their poor corral system. Oh RAM.Maggie Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13403171228033713629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-45810430421166334542011-12-09T17:43:52.732-08:002011-12-09T17:43:52.732-08:00It is nice to see a description of how this race w...It is nice to see a description of how this race was just objectively poorly organized as opposed to the WTF U OWE US A REFUND I WON'T BE RETURNING bullshit that is all over the facebook. No doubt the screwed up big time, but few sources there I'd trust to tell it.<br />Pretty impressive workout under the circumstances.ARhttp://angryrunner.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-11730724355760202912011-12-08T07:53:43.521-08:002011-12-08T07:53:43.521-08:00Some photos to go along with your wonderful commen...Some photos to go along with your wonderful commentary.<br /><br />https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2697774319495.2145047.1110720858Don Libeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12396665796257950441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-71753527817885166062011-12-08T04:19:49.453-08:002011-12-08T04:19:49.453-08:00OMG, this was great in a horrific, fascinating way...OMG, this was great in a horrific, fascinating way. You definitely got a great story out of it, if nothing else. Amazing how they straight-out lied about things. Never heard of such creepy doings from a race before.Girl In Motionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12845071620369547052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-68733443148777171562011-12-07T17:19:25.628-08:002011-12-07T17:19:25.628-08:00You finished right behind me (I finished in a litt...You finished right behind me (I finished in a little over one hour) and yes, the results are totally off for women- I was told by friends who saw me at the turnarounds that I was 6th or 7th woman but I ended up showing up much farther down. I checked some of the bibs of top women (check out 5th, 6th, 8th, 12th for example) against Marathonfoto and you will find men running with womens bibs, as evidenced by the cursive name on the front. I wrote RAM and amazingly they wrote right back saying that they are fixing the results, so we will see. <br />Great race report- I had the exact same experience as you agree with everything you said. Only a fun experience because it feels like we lived through something quite historic!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-69809083703401258482011-12-07T11:19:01.654-08:002011-12-07T11:19:01.654-08:00Thanks guys - I've made two updates:
1) corre...Thanks guys - I've made two updates:<br /><br />1) correcting the spelling of GhiraRdelli (thanks to Lizard42195)<br /><br />2) adding in mention of the person I had to hurdle in the middle of the course. I normally dislike making substantial modifications to a post once posted. However, I deeply regretted omiting that point from the report, and I think it really helps capture just how dangerous parts of the course were -- a point that gets overlooked due to complaints about traffic and delayed starts.AKA Darkwave, AKA Anarcha, AKA Cris.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09873516028463495708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-80173477815165745392011-12-06T13:50:05.384-08:002011-12-06T13:50:05.384-08:00This was fantastic. I have to give you a lot of cr...This was fantastic. I have to give you a lot of credit for actually seeing (and running) this in person.Charlie Banhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16423553678892678670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-30497330813303202772011-12-06T13:11:09.577-08:002011-12-06T13:11:09.577-08:00This is absolutely the best HC15k race report I...This is absolutely the best HC15k race report I've seen. That thing had SHITSHOW written all over it from the beginning and I'm glad to see it lived up to its full potential. I feel bad for all the people who got sucked in and couldn't find the humor in it like you did.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13187172647072971436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-39751483102776368352011-12-06T12:08:58.826-08:002011-12-06T12:08:58.826-08:00What a great race report. Found your blog from Run...What a great race report. Found your blog from RunningAhead. Can't imagine staying so positive when you know everything is going to sh*t around you.Old Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14796296042415354673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-11032514403840800082011-12-06T09:00:33.974-08:002011-12-06T09:00:33.974-08:00I wish I had been there. I would have had such a ...I wish I had been there. I would have had such a blast. Thanks for writing such a detailed but non-whiny recap of the day!Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10004930640458109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-70519559009873879752011-12-05T18:38:01.088-08:002011-12-05T18:38:01.088-08:00Great recap of a crazy race! I felt like such a je...Great recap of a crazy race! I felt like such a jerk all week when I kept saying "Guys, I think this race is going to be the worst ever." It was strangely satisfying to be right even though the race was really worse than I could have possibly imagined.Carly D. @ CarlyBananashttp://carlybananas.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-75348830736418806112011-12-05T17:30:09.640-08:002011-12-05T17:30:09.640-08:00this is an awesome race report. what a crazy race ...this is an awesome race report. what a crazy race - in every way possible it was absolutely nuts. i'm so glad i found your blog and look forward to reading more!Jessica (Pace of Me)https://www.blogger.com/profile/14489016806529715064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-19216467675515907942011-12-05T12:25:22.691-08:002011-12-05T12:25:22.691-08:00Great race report! I'm glad you still managed ...Great race report! I'm glad you still managed to have a good tempo run despite all of the craziness.Allisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14215575637275919972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-985570040128909572011-12-05T08:03:39.164-08:002011-12-05T08:03:39.164-08:00Great race report. So glad I opted not to sign up ...Great race report. So glad I opted not to sign up for that debacle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-12974105129515666142011-12-05T06:06:25.756-08:002011-12-05T06:06:25.756-08:00Thanks for the details on the race! I know SOOOO ...Thanks for the details on the race! I know SOOOO many people who signed up for this, but I could never get past the difficult logistics of getting to the starting line. Looks like I was justified. I hope to keep reading your adventures!<br /><br />Can anyone comment on the chocolate? That was the only enticement. Was it there? Was there enough? Was it worth it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-22250842462401186482011-12-05T03:07:07.389-08:002011-12-05T03:07:07.389-08:00Great race report!! I heard it was a disaster - gl...Great race report!! I heard it was a disaster - glad you confirmed! :) You ran a great race, despite all of the BS. Congrats!!{will run for margaritas}https://www.blogger.com/profile/05150491986681117900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-60685457304127684752011-12-04T17:41:21.707-08:002011-12-04T17:41:21.707-08:00Brilliant post and I put a link to it on my Facebo...Brilliant post and I put a link to it on my Facebook page. The are looking to blame everyone else but themselves. The USATF bib transfer thing is ridiculous and totally made up, just like the traffic accidents. Kudos to you for finding the humor!Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06265175590096078175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-39323839687103264152011-12-04T14:41:03.085-08:002011-12-04T14:41:03.085-08:00P.S. love the "5k" timing mat on the wro...P.S. love the "5k" timing mat on the wrong side of the road. Now I have a 20:xx 5k split on the books. right...Victoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04974235202743391870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-24025819505409451532011-12-04T14:39:46.169-08:002011-12-04T14:39:46.169-08:00This whole recap is both spot on and hysterical.
...This whole recap is both spot on and hysterical.<br /><br />Regarding the "short" course, I wonder if some of our garmins crapped out on the 6+ hairpin turns. <br /><br />Anyway, this experience will be like a bonding event for all runners from Baltimore to Richmond, and at all future area races, we'll be in start corrals talking about "that time we wasted 8/10/12/16 hours to run a stupid 15k."Victoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04974235202743391870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-64828711694974898482011-12-04T14:31:52.453-08:002011-12-04T14:31:52.453-08:00I live in the Chicago area and have YET to be impr...I live in the Chicago area and have YET to be impressed by any of the RAM racing events...If I run one now, it is only because the date and distance fit my training schedule. Last year the NS Half had a wrong map, when I pointed it out, they did not seem concerned or appreciative. They take forever to post results, slower than a local 5k race! The 15K/5K had major problems yet again here in Chicago.....I hope that you sent them your detailed review of the race and if so, I hope they have the decency to respond! They could really have a good thing if they could actually get the logistics down!!!Karen Redmondhttp://karenredmond.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-7331979575259231712011-12-04T13:15:46.738-08:002011-12-04T13:15:46.738-08:00Thanks for the fantastic recap! I was there mysel...Thanks for the fantastic recap! I was there myself and suffered through it as my own post will attest. I wish I had known ahead of time what I was getting into, I am so beyond bitter today. What a total shit show. Congrats on a great time and making the best of a bad situation!ImTheMarigoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11209634404762565438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3415039431326089985.post-25741021903584204722011-12-04T11:29:10.399-08:002011-12-04T11:29:10.399-08:00This is a wonderful recap. The photos really suppo...This is a wonderful recap. The photos really support what you are saying. Way to make the best of it. The sad part is that my comment does not include chocolate.Pavement Runnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02881530606891640970noreply@blogger.com