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!

 

 



Registration Frustrations

So, the BF finally went for it!  He decided to run the Chicago Marathon!
:)

Yay, BF!  So Exciting!

Right?

No... hold on... running a marathon may be less difficult than registering for a marathon.

As you probably know, the Chicago Marathon registration through Active.com became quite the cluster... well, mess.  My poor BF was a bundle of nerves and excitement to register at noon the first day registration opened.

We made plans to have lunch together.  He took his MacBook with him to our favorite little coffee and sandwich shop to hone in on their free wifi.  We ordered food (not that he cared at all about food at a time like that), and he set himself up to register.

Then, frustration began.  Dead end after dead end.  I can't even remember what their error codes said, but we got nowhere.  Finally, we each attempted on our iPhones as well.  We got closer on a couple occasions, but no dice.

Poor BF.  :( 
He had to go back to work, with NO marathon registration.

Well, that will be the day I let my BF suffer like that if I can do anything about it!.  I was fortunate enough not to have any clients in my schedule right after lunch.  Don't tell anyone...shhh... but I spent a little time at work trying to get him registered.  Shhhh!  Shhh!  Big Brother is always watching...

But my BF deserved it!  And dang it if I didn't succeed in getting my man signed up for his very first marathon!  (insert cheering crowd noises here)

Not long after that, though, the big crash... the active.com website crash, that is.  As of today, it's still all a giant mess, but my BF is registered!  Confirmed!  He's running the Chicago Marathon this fall!!!!!

(Big sigh of relief and grin of joy)



With that, I could return my focus to my own upcoming race...

As you know, in just over two weeks, I'm running the Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon in D.C.  Well, walk-running it, but whatevs.

The BF is running it, too, and he periodically mentions emails he has gotten from the race.  I've heard nothing since the confirmation email and receipt, but he gets emails.  A week or so ago, I emailed them asking to be put on their mailing list so I didn't miss anything.

No response.

So, Monday, I went to email again.  While on their main page, I see the "confirm registration" button, and figure I might as well start there.  I bet you can imagine where this is headed...


******************************************************************************************

No Matching Participant Found Please double check your information and try submitting again. In case you have difficulties downloading or printing this mandatory document, blank confirmation cards will be available in the lobby of the Health & Fitness Expo for you to complete and turn in. Please bring photo ID.

Q. What if it shows that I am Not found in the database?A. Please put in your information exactly as it shows on your receipt/confirmation that you received when you originally registered. Often times, names are entered backwards or we have an incorrect date of birth for you. If you can confirm your registration (either by an e-mailed receipt/confirmation or credit card statement/cleared check) and there is a typo with your name or date of birth, please be sure to visit the Solutions table at the Health and Fitness Expo and we will be able to change your information in the system. We will have blank confirmation sheets for you to fill out at the expo to retrieve your race packet, make sure that you bring your Photo ID.
***************************************************************************

 

AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Well, needless to say I started to panic at this point.  I went back to my confirmation email and called the phone number.  I called, and start to explain to the gal my dilemma.  She checked my confirmation number with their system.  Nothing.  I offered to email the confirmation, and she told me she just fields the calls and I can address it with Laura.  Unfortunately, Laura was out of the office Monday, as they were all out for the NOLA race on Sunday.  "She will be in tomorrow, and I'm sure she'll get back to you soon."  OK, fine.  Sure, I'll leave a voicemail.

So, I left a slightly panicked, but bubbly voicemail.  "Please confirm this for me, because I'm wigging out a little" blah blah blah, all sweet and non-confrontational. 

Tuesday comes and goes.  Nothing.

So, today, Wednesday, I called again.  I asked for Laura, saying I called the other day and hadn't heard back.  I was told that Laura was in meetings all day yesterday, and has not come in yet today (10:30am CST).  Did I need to leave another voicemail, or just wait for her to respond to the one I left?  Oh, I'll leave another voicemail, thank you very much.

This one, less pleasant, but still not witchy:  "Please call me...  The money was taken from my account...  I have a confirmation email, etc."

In the meantime, the race is near selling out, and I have no race number, no nothing.  All I have is a check account with $135 less in it than there used to be.  I signed up January 18th!!!

So, the evening has come and gone without a call from Laura (of Competitorgroup.com).  So, now I email again.  Tonight I emailed Competitor Group and Raceit.com. 


Tomorrow I will call with a less-than-pleasant tone, but I know I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt here.  Of course, they will make this right.  Right?  They have my money.  I have proof that they have my money.  I'm sure this will all work itself out, but it is still ridiculous!  All I keep thinking is, "what if I hadn't checked?"  I don't usually check my registration.  This race is almost sold out, and I would have gone there to get my bib and swag, and found NOTHING.  Sure, maybe they'd have made it right when I got there, but who wants that fight at the expo?  Who wants that emotional roller coaster before their race!?!?

What the heck is going on with these big races?  Is it just me?  Is this happening to a lot of people?  Do you normally check your registration for your races?  Have you ever had problems like these?

I'd love your feedback.  Throw me a comment, would ya?  I'd love to know if I'm not the only one frustrated like this.

For now, I'll keep you posted, and I'll keep my running skirt on and train...