Seattle Recap – Running + Hot Chocolate 5k.

{I received travel accommodations to Seattle and race registration for two as a member of the Hot Chocolate Blog Ambassador Program. All opinions are my own.} 

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again – one of the best ways to explore a new place is on foot. I always look forward to running and wandering neighborhoods and outdoor spaces whenever I have the opportunity to travel {see active recaps in Florida, Door County, and Europe}! K and I returned from a long weekend to Seattle on Monday night. I have so much to share from this trip as we packed in many outdoor activities with friends while visiting. Spring is blooming in Seattle!

We finished a 4+ mile run/hike on Friday morning with our friend Jenny in Discovery Park. At over 500 acres, it’s the largest city park in Seattle, located on Magnolia Bluff. It’s a beautiful wooded area with two miles of tidal beach and a bluff overlooking the Puget Sound. On a clear day, you can see both the Cascade and Olympic Mountain Ranges. Even though it was overcast and mildly raining, it felt wonderful to run outdoors in temperatures above 40 degrees. Forty is many degrees warmer than the past month in Chicago. We stopped by Volunteer Park Cafe for lunch after the run {highly recommend – don’t miss an almond milk latte + chocolate cherry oatmeal cookie} and wandered around Volunteer Park afterwards.

The second run of the weekend was bright and early on Sunday morning with the Seattle Hot Chocolate 5k. The race was very well organized, with separate start times for the 5k and 15k. Runners were placed in corrals with ~3 minutes between each racing group. Our Seattle friends dropped us off around the corner only ten minutes before the race and we were able to get right into our corral {D} with plenty of time to spare.

The Hot Chocolate race has numerous locations around the U.S. I ran the Chicago Hot Chocolate 15k race back in November {race recap here}. The Seattle 5k course had a few gradual hills and one steeper hill at the end, winding through downtown and the Pike Place Market area. I opted to run the 5k instead of the 15k to save my legs for exploring on our last full day of the trip, which ended up being a very good idea. We headed out for a mountain hike immediately after the run. Fueled by post-race chocolate, of course!

Seattle Recap Part 2, coming soon.