It was Marvelous Monday and I was walking along 2nd
Grade hall when I saw Desiree Smith or “Dr. D” at Hall-Kent. Eager to speak (or
shall I say brag), I got her attention while wearing my “Hot Chocolate 15k/5k”
hoodie with the finisher’s medal (secretly tucked) in my pocket. Have you ever been so proud of a t-shirt,
hoodie, or medal that you thought about wearing it to work the next day? Feel free to shout “YES!” or go ahead and
silently think I’m crazy. Well, when Dr. D. stepped into the hallway, I had
to tell her about the Hot Chocolate Race in Atlanta. She was impressed
(okay, okay…only excited) about the race and the cozy zippered plush I was
wearing. Little did Dr. D. know, a grander moment was on its way. Smiling
prouder than a child who lost a tooth, I reached into my pocket and…BAM! I
showed it to her.
Yep, I stepped into the spotlight (doesn’t matter that I
created it) and Dr. D. did exactly what I thought she would do. She
oohed and aahed over the craft of ribbon and chiseled metal. Flabbergasted
(this may be a stretch), she took pictures and escorted me through Microsoft’s
cloud to Nivada who invited me to this moment… sharing my story!
You
know what? You, too, can have this moment and others with me. The Hot Chocolate Race is a 5k or 15k (you
decide) that offers the absolute best goodie bag. Last year, I ran
the 5k solely for the hoodie after seeing our school nurse, Ellen Trimm or “Dr.
Trimm” wearing one. Y’all, this race is so cool! In addition to the hoodie,
everyone gets a draw string bag and finisher’s mug. Let me tell you, this isn’t just a Sippy you
get from the Dollar Store. Well…it may only cost a few dollars, but it’s filled
with hot chocolate and is divided into
sections with chocolate syrup to dip the banana, rice crispy treat, wafer, and
pretzels – all of which they give you! They call it “America’s Sweetest Race.”
Benefits and proceeds go to Ronald McDonald House Charities. Oh, how sweet it
is!
This year was the first time a finisher's medal for the15K
was included. Without a doubt, this is
the only reason I switched from the
5k to 15k. Sorry, no fitness story of
how I wanted to stretch myself… it was
all about the medal! If it wasn’t for that, I would have run the 5K and
continued to rock the hoodie, draw string bag, and finisher’s mug. DeShaundra Johnson from Shades Cahaba is
rockin’ hers. When you see her, give her
a “Hooty-Hoo!” She did a great job completing the 5K. She got her goodie bag.
Now, get yours! Check out the Hot Chocolate race online to learn more. http://www.hotchocolate15k.com/
Perhaps, I’ll see you at the Mercedes Marathon on February 22nd. This year, I’m looking forward to running my
5th half marathon. I hear that 5 is the number of grace; I’m hoping
to have much of it the day of the race.
When it comes to training, I don't have much of a story, except
walking/running (whenever I can) at Patriot Park and with Black Girls RUN! (BGR) on
Tuesdays (Railroad Park – 6:00 pm), Saturdays (Lakeshore Trail – 8am). If you’re looking to get moving, these ladies
are incredible! They support many local
races, including Homewood’s Spirit Scamper.
They were even at the Hot Chocolate Race in Atlanta.
BGR is on a mission to encourage African American
women to make fitness and healthy living a priority. If you’re looking to get moving and need a
bit of motivation, surround yourself with individuals who have a mission of
staying fit. You can walk, run, and even “wun” (walk extremely fast). Whatever
you do…get moving! http://www.blackgirlsrun.com/running-groups/birmingham/
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