2019 NYC Marathon Expo

Just back from the NYC Marathon Expo.  I went to the Javits Center after my morning class to pick up the bib, shirt and athlete village bag.  Given the rain and overall dreary weather, it wasn't a fun commute.  But, hopefully, better weather tomorrow afternoon and the trip to Central Park to the 15+ and streakers get together :D

I did manage to find my name on the wall!

2018 NYC Marathon Packet Pickup at the Expo

What an awesome surprise I had waiting for me when I picked up my bib this morning at the Javits Center - a cool 15 finishes and counting patch!  Was not expecting that, to say the least.  Thanks NYRR!

This will be my 16th consecutive NYC Marathon.  Like all previous editions, I'm pretty psyched up for it.  No understatement to say it's my favorite marathon (and hometown race).

The only downside to getting there in the morning was missing out on the beer - which wouldn't be poured until noon :(

One other cool thing, seeing your name on a wall (temporary as it may be), never gets old!

As always, if you're running this one - say hello :D

2016 NYC Marathon Expo at the Javits Center

This morning headed over to the Javits Center to pick up my stuff for the Marathon!  I'm lining up in the last Green Corral of the first wave - which means running on the lower level of the bridge.  Haven't started off the race on the lower level in a few years :O

This will by my 14th consecutive NYC Marathon.  It will also be my 9th NYRR race of 2016, which gives me guaranteed entry for the 2017 edition - and, hopefully, sets me up for my 15th one!

Good luck to everyone running!

2015 New York City Marathon Expo - Packet Pick-up

I went to the NYC Marathon Expo yesterday to pick up my bib.  The biggest surprise, hands down, was the streamlined entry - no ID check before entering the Expo!  That in and of itself made the experience much more efficient (ID was, as always, required to pick up the bib - together with the registration card) - and quicker :D

As for the Expo itself, I enjoyed the NYRR/TCS space - especially for the photo op ("Track Me") and the heads up to download the TCS NYCM App - which I did (and now I'm tracking down my friends bib #'s so I can track them - haha).  Ran into Bette and my fellow Taconic teammates, Ted and Mike, while walking the aisles - and said hi to Bobby, as he worked at the NYRR booth.

Next stop - Athlete's Village Sunday Morning!  As always, if you're there, say hello!

2013 nyc marathon expo

while the 2012 nyc marathon was cancelled in the wake of hurricane sandy, there was a 2012 marathon expo. that expo, sans an actual marathon, was in the pre-boston bombing era.  this year the experience was vastly different.  i'm not sure if it was a because i went on friday, instead of the typical thursday trip to the expo, or the heightened security (principally individual baggage exams) that resulted a monster line that stretch across the front of the javits center - just to enter the building!  either way, the place was a crowded madhouse.

since my flight back from paris landed at jfk thursday afternoon, i wasn't able to get to the expo on the first day.  i noticed plenty of marathoners on my flight home - as well as jfk itself, waiting to get through customs.  most of my friends went to the expo thursday, so i missed socializing with them. that was a major disappointment.

on friday i was completely caught off guard by the sheer number of runners lining up just get into the javits center.  this was my 12th nyc marathon expo and i've never seen anything approaching the line to enter the expo.  not only did it stretch outside the building, but once inside it was folded over on itself 3 times before arriving at the actual baggage inspection - then onto the actual entry line!  the only saving grace to this experience was the line kept moving...  don't know if it was the time of day, the day itself, or just plain bad luck - but that experience was ridiculous!

once inside, the actual bib and shirt pick-up went quickly and smoothly.  but the bane of all these expos was the final gauntlet - where you're funneled through the official merchandise store before being permitted to actually enter the expo proper.  of all the hassles this is truly the most crass bit of commercialism runners are forced to endure.  if it was an easy path to zip through, i wouldn't care.  but having to zig, zag, and maneuver around every soul inspecting those souvenirs as if they were somehow the holy grail was exhausting.

for every person who wants to stock up on official marathon merchandise, i bet there are at least 2 who couldn't care less about it.  it wouldn't be hard to have an entrance that bypassed the official store.  it just wouldn't be profitable :(

hopefully the 2014 expo will be a less trying experience...

2011 nyc marathon expo at the javits center

the nyc marathon expo was packed, more than usual, this afternoon! maybe it's a reflection to the increased field, over 47,000 runners expected to line up on staten island sunday morning? i tooled around the expo with michael, emmmy, and lucimar for most of the time. but aside from the socializing, it was an exhausting afternoon :O