The 2021 Allstate Hot Chocolate Nashville event transitioned from live to virtual. While I will miss running in Nashville, I’m glad the event directors considered the safety of all participants.

With 2021 following right behind 2020, many spring races have switched to virtual events. The Allstate Hot Chocolate Nashville event is one of those races.
During this unprecedented time of racing, event directors have had to rewrite the book on how to coordinate events in a virtual setting. Some things you can’t replace virtually.

For the Hot Chocolate fans, those bowls of hot chocolate at the finish line were amazing! But since we can’t be in Nashville, they sent the chocolate to us. The finishers’ jacket was a fantastic upgrade. Warmer and thicker! I love this jacket for wearing after running on cold days. This year, Alabama has had unseasonably cold weather deep into our “spring” months. This jacket stays in the car for a quick warm up.
For race day, I chose one of my favorite places. The Tuscaloosa Riverwalk is approximately 4 miles of paved trail with plenty of views and restroom stops.

The weather was fantastic and I spent my miles thinking back on the 2020 Hot Chocolate Nashville event. It was so cold but I had so much fun that day!

I can’t wait to be back to live racing again. In the meantime, virtual events like this one are a great alternative. See you in Nashville in 2022!

My December running goals just did not happen. Between being sick most of the month and trying to hang on to teaching, I had to dial things down to walking and resting. I was not able to complete this virtual run on Christmas day. But I had hopes of completing it before the end of the year.

I chose one of my favorite places in Tuscaloosa. The Riverwalk area around the campus of University of Alabama is beautiful, flat, and safe.

This time of year, we have 2 sections of the Riverwalk designated for the Tinsel Trail. Local business and groups contribute decorated trees for the public to explore. During this year of social distancing, it was one of the few things that were not cancelled.

Today was perfect weather for taking on the 5K. I slowed down for the trees, sped up to chase squirrels and puppies, and walked to take in the end of the trail.

This virtual run is part of Ram Races and these guys do a phenomenal job of hosting races. In a year when runners needed something to help fill the void of in-person racing, Ram Races really stepped up.

Registration was super-easy and quick. Once you have an account with RAM, it just takes a few clicks to pick your race, gear, and extras before the checkout.

My packet and gear arrived quickly. The clothing is always great quality. I also love the creative finisher medals.
While this closes out my 2020 year, I look forward to more virtual races with BibRave and Ram races.

My December running goals just did not happen. Between being sick most of the month and trying to hang on to teaching, I had to dial things down to walking and resting. I was not able to complete this virtual run on Christmas day. But I had hopes of completing it before the end of the year.

I chose one of my favorite places in Tuscaloosa. The Riverwalk area around the campus of University of Alabama is beautiful, flat, and safe.

This time of year, we have 2 sections of the Riverwalk designated for the Tinsel Trail. Local business and groups contribute decorated trees for the public to explore. During this year of social distancing, it was one of the few things that were not cancelled.

Today was perfect weather for taking on the 5K. I slowed down for the trees, sped up to chase squirrels and puppies, and walked to take in the end of the trail.

This virtual run is part of Ram Races and these guys do a phenomenal job of hosting races. In a year when runners needed something to help fill the void of in-person racing, Ram Races really stepped up.

Registration was super-easy and quick. Once you have an account with RAM, it just takes a few clicks to pick your race, gear, and extras before the checkout.

My packet and gear arrived quickly. The clothing is always great quality. I also love the creative finisher medals.
While this closes out my 2020 year, I look forward to more virtual races with BibRave and Ram races.

Have you ever participated in a family pet race? This was the first one for Atlas and I and we had so much fun with the Scooby Doo Run! The Scooby Doo Family pet run is virtual so anyone can participate in any location. This is a great alternative for the many races that have had to cancel in-person racing.

The swag bags this year included some great gear with a 20oz water bottle and long-sleeved tech hoodie. Atlas especially loved this dog collar. They arrived quickly included the medal. I like this so we could celebrate our run with the medal immediately after finishing.

For race day, we used our local park. It’s close to our house, has a marked course, and water fountains. We did most of our training runs there so Atlas was very familiar with the area and all the smells around the track. He’s a bird dog, so his sniffer worked overtime for his first few laps around the walking track.

Registering for the Scooby Doo Family and Pet Virtual Run was easy. Once you are registered, I received many emails and updates. The event is very active on social media so I could interact and meet other participants. Who doesn’t love a ton of pet pictures?

Another thing I loved about this event was their chosen charity. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is my favorite charity to support, through events and personal donations. I was thrilled to see their name on the single charity list.

Virtual races and runs are great for those who like the flexibility to run your event when and where you choose, within the timelines of the run. With so many in-person races cancelled right now, the Scooby Doo Family and Pet virtual run is a great option! We had a lot of fun training and we loved the gear bag. Thank you BibRave and Scooby Doo!

Since 2020 decided to push most themed races to Virtual, I have seen a wide variety of these virtual runs. DC Wonder Woman is one of the best. Registration was easy and quick. All I had to do was pick my size for the jacket.

Jacket?? Oh yes. This organization has gone way beyond the rest of the entry shirt competition. This isn’t your everyday cotton T-shirt. It's a quarter zip lined tech long-sleeve jacket.

What I LOVE about virtual racing? Not having to figure out parking and the logistics of post-race finding my car.

I didn’t have to worry about that for the DC Wonder Woman Run. I chose my local river walk for this run. I had a great time. I thought a lot about upcoming events and staying in touch with our local running group. I made plans to participate in more DC Wonder Woman events! I felt safe in my own environment. I had a BLAST!

As far as virtual support, I received plenty of email support and their social media posts were outstanding. I didn't feel like this organization takes your money, sends your stuff, and then forgets about you. I loved the post-race results option and playing around with photo stickers.

This was a great virtual run and this organization provides a fantastic "virtual" experience.