I tried a few different facial expressions for you. And I thought this kind of “I’m too cool for school” one was the most fun.
What? We’re doing this again?
Yes! I know it’s been three weeks since I’ve had a race.
(I had set aside extra time in the schedule in case anything happened (illness, injury, etc.) that would make me need to add a race in at the last minute. I ended up not needing that extra time. Yay!)
As I was walking from my apartment to the expo, I saw a bunch of big trucks. There are often a bunch of big trucks around Los Angeles. My first thought was, “Huh, I wonder what movie they’re shooting here.”
Then I realized, “These trucks are here to set up for a race I’m running! Exciting!”
There are signs in the elevators, and generally all around my apartment building about road closures and things. Oh yeah, a race is a’coming, and it’s almost here!
When I picked up my bib, I went to the little area where you run it over a timing device to make sure the bib is working and has your information associated with it. My name and everything came up on the screen. Then I saw a box that said, “Don’t believe in resolutions. Live all year long!”
I looked at the timing guy full of wonder. “This is crazy! I just wrote a blog post last night about that same idea. It’s like this message was meant for me!”
I thought this was the same kind of thing they did in Seattle where a random, fun message was generated for you.
Nope. It then dawned on me that I had written this message a million years ago (hyperbole) when I first signed up for this race. During the sign up process, you were asked for your New Year’s resolution. That’s what I said (of course).
It came up on the screen, and it’s on my bib. (And I do still think they’re pretty wise words if I do say so myself.)
The timing guy and I had a good laugh about the very short roller coaster ride of emotions/realizations.
This expo was very well staffed with volunteers. There were so many people. If you needed help with anything, you could have it immediately.
(And the volunteer shirts were rad. They got tuxedo t-shirts. I loved them and it sort of made me wish I had volunteered… Perhaps next year.)
I did run into Wendy and Marty, and Wendy’s friend Heather, which was so fun! This was Wendy’s 52nd race in her journey! Congrats to her for being done after tomorrow! (She’s not keeping a blog about it, or of course I would link you. So does have an old podcast though if you’d like to hear about her weight loss.
I made my way around the booths. You’ve already heard about almost everything they had there – Wipro San Francisco Half, Hollywood Half, San Diego Half, etc. There was a booth here for the Clippers. So, that was fun and different. Don’t get too excited. There weren’t any basketball players there. There was just Clippers swag (and a nice woman) at the booth.
I think that covers it all. Expo complete, and race number fifty-one(!) tomorrow!