Best expo yet!
I’m surprised to hear myself say that. I wasn’t sure that expos got better than Indy or Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego. Apparently they do.
I also didn’t know there’d still be new things to experience at an expo 43 races in, but there were!
First off, right when I walked in there was a nice volunteer – in a jacket and tie(!) – enthusiastically helping people. (Everyone here was incredibly nice.)
Check this out – they had free yoga! Free yoga. I kid you not. It was presented by Lululemon, and they gave me a free yoga mat (to keep!). (It was a nice yoga mat too. It was restorative yoga, and it made me feel restored. (Thank you so much, Brie!)
After yoga, I did a trip through the expo. Before you even entered the hall, there were big tables set up manned by the very lovely Friends of the Monterey Public Library.
There were sightseeing brochures and things to encourage people to explore Monterey.
Also, before you got inside the actual expo, there was a whole sign-making station set up, which I thought was cool and a fun activity for spectators.
Outside and inside the expo, you could hear about how this half marathon is going green. You could also recycle your shoes.
Onto the goody bags, they are absolute geniuses here. Your little bag check paper was attached to your bib (normal) but had adhesive on the back! What? Instead of tearing off your bib number and getting a zip tie – you just stick it right on your bag. And by “you do it” what I mean is they do it for you!
Also, in said bag, I got a beautiful shirt. Tech material, long-sleeved, a color other than white (maroon-y) – all of my favorite things! It also has the date of the race prominently displayed on the front. I loved it.
Plus, there’s a big, really well put together weekend guide in the bag.
Now my quick little tour of the expo – there was a group promoting international running adventures (such as the Great Wall Marathon (in China of course). We’ll start talking about all these races they mentioned (China, Tanzania, Antarctica) another day…
I also got a free Gatorade! Boom! I love when I get free Gatorade, and if it happens, it’s usually at the race, but on expo day? Thank you so much Gatorade!
I also spent some time at the awesome booth for the San Diego Half Marathon at Petco Park. They gave me a free shirt, a discount code, and told me about their new race next year in Mammoth. They have a San Diego/Mammoth challenge thing in the same year coming up. Even though it’s too late to be a San Diego legacy runner (I was out of town during the race this (inaugural) year), I could be a challenge (and Mammoth) legacy.
I ran by the pacer booth and saw Darris (the race director of the Columbus half), so that was very fun.
I have to mention the cool thing the Modesto Marathon is doing. They put all the names of people who qualified for Boston (who’ve never been to the Boston Marathon and who registered saying they were going to try to qualify) in a hat after the race. They draw a name, and that person gets $1,000 so they can plan their trip to the Boston Marathon! So cool, right? Sign me up in uh, 5 or so years…
The point is, this expo rocked and I am unbelievably stoked for the race tomorrow!