2013 Rock n Roll USA Marathon + 1/2 - Expo Review

The Expo Day Finally Arrived!

The BF has always giggled at me for saying (with passion), "The expo is important!"  It is important! If it's not enough that you get your bib, t-shirt, and ever-important swag bag, it's also the point where you really start to feel the energy and excitement of what is about to happen.

"The Rock n Roll Marathon + 1/2" (as they call it) had an expo that did not disappoint excitement-wise.  Well, at least it was dang exciting for me.  The poor BF got some heat from me for not walking fast enough to the expo.  :)

When we arrived, I snapped this quick photo of the sign, assuming I'd be able to come back and get another one of me there later.  Unfortunately, Homeland Security was pretty strict there and would not let me back. 

 



I was disappointed in how the race dealt with my registration.  As I mentioned before, they lost me.  I nagged a lot, and they found me, but I had a lot of troubles getting the registration form to print.  In some areas of their site, I was still missing.  Likewise, when my family went to pay the ridiculous $2 to track me as I ran (that should totally be free, that's bonk!), the system couldn't find me.  So, at the expo, I went to their "Solutions" booth to ask them to solve this issue.  They suggested I freaking try again.  I did, on my phone, with their special app, right in front of them, and it still failed.  They said having gotten my shirt and walked through the expo should have magically activated it.  Again, I showed them it did not.  They suggested I try the web site itself and come back if that didn't work.  Forget them!  I was annoyed and left.  So, good news, my family couldn't waste the $2 if they wanted to; bad news, they couldn't track me if they wanted to. 

That was a fail on the race's part, of course in addition to my registration snafus.

But nothing was getting me down at this point.  Instead, I was beginning to freak out.  I mean, FREAK OUT! 

They showed a video on screens of the half and full races.  Man, did that seem long.  I kept telling the BF that I didn't know what I was thinking, and that I felt sick.  His "trust the training, trust the taper" mantras were not cutting it.

WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING???!!?!?!?!



"This seemed like a good idea 3 months ago"



 

 

 

Anyway, I was sure feeling the emotion of this shirt.  It was a rip off at $25 for a crazy thin material, or I'd have bought it.

 

We had fun trying power bars, getting free samples, and looking at gear.  I tried on a Bondi Band and finally got the BF to understand that I am not the kind of girl who can pull one of those off.  He agreed that it was, shall we say, not flattering.  :)  Instead, I got myself a new visor with the race name and year on it.  Yay!

Fun Stuff We Found
 



 

My favorite find of the expo was SHOE BLING!!!  For real!  How perfect is that?!?! 

 

I was all over it!  I bought the one below, as well as a heart shaped one with tons of sparkle that said "I rock DC 3/16/13".  (I can never pass up a two-for-one deal.)  I only put the smaller one on my shoe for the race, because the BF reminded me of the "no new gear for race day" rule.  I felt comfortable with the little, light one (below), but the heart worried me.  In hind sight, I would've put both on.  I never felt it at all, but I did feel the joy of my blinged-up shoe.  :)

 

 

Please note that the "." in the "13.1" is a little rhinestone.  Fun!

 

Anyway, to get your own, go to www.beecausecharms.com

 

 

 

While at the expo, the BF and I also found these great dealios:

 

 



I don't have it closed up correctly, because I just threw it together to take a picture, but you get the idea.  They're a little Velcro do-dad that you slip under your laces (no need to undo the laces) and then tie your shoe, and then close it up with laces inside.  Even the BF broke his "no new gear on race day" rule to use these.  LOVED THEM.  I never once thought about my laces during the race.  They were so light, I never felt them, and there was no worry of the laces coming untied.

 

I think the man who designed and makes them was the man in the booth at the expo.  He said his son did a lot of cross country, and was having trouble with his laces.  So, the dad made these.  Awesome!  I bought them not only because they made sense and there was a two-for-one deal, but because I liked the guy selling them.  Made in the USA, clearly, and by this cool guy.  Try them!  You'll love them.

 

www.lacelocker.com

 

 

 

 So, all in all, a fun and fruitful expo.  The metro to and from was smooth, and we got there at a good time before it was too crowded and crazy.  I'm very happy with my shirt (women's cut, nice!)  and bag, as well as all the fun free goodies we got while we were there.  Here's the haul:



 

Since we didn't get the photo at the expo entrance, the BF got this one of me after we left (I'm still wearing the dress I wore to my work conference that morning.):

 

 

 



Race review to follow soon.  Thank you for reading!