Boston Marathon Expo – 2014

Boston Marathon Expo highlights

I went to the Expo Friday night. Last year I was there when it opened and greeted hundreds of runners as they arrived to pick up their packets. In years past I’ve gone on a Saturday. This year I took Friday off to go early, but had an afternoon conference call, so I had to wait. It’s just as well. It was less crowded and I still saw a lot of friends.

They had the Expo set up differently this year. Instead of walking into the “Grand Hall of Numbers” to pick up your packet and then enter The Expo, you had to go up to the 3rd floor to get your number.

This photo was taken on the escalator going down to The Expo.

Thankfully they had lots of volunteers, because even I was a bit confused and I’ve done this a few times.

I like the Grand Hall of Numbers better. This year, we picked up our numbers on the front side of the building with windows over looking Boylston Street. There wasn’t anything grand and majestic about that setting.

boston marathon expo — Grand Hall of Numbers

I know adjustments needed to be made this year due to the huge number of runners. I get it. Hopefully next year they will go back to the Grand Hall of Numbers.

On The Expo floor

There were a lot of vendors giving away food samples this year.

There was a company called “Oh Yeah! Nutrition” which had the best energy bars I’ve ever tasted. The bars are 85 grams and have 26 to 28 grams of protein and 18 to 19 grams of fat. The carbs range from 27 to 36 grams.

I’m not a nutritionist so I can’t say if these are the best bars for you from a nutritional stand point. But they are the best tasting bars I have ever had. I’d say they were even better than a candy bar as they were not too sweet.

Sam Adams was there giving out tiny samples of their 26.2 Ale. I’ve never had it before so I was eager to give it a try. It was crisp with a well-balanced hop/malt flavor. Definitely an ale that a runner would enjoy.

I think I talked to just about every vendor there. Well, maybe half of them. I talked to just about all of the people there representing a marathon. So many great races. I wanted to sign up for several of them, but I do have a job and there is that matter of money. Hopefully I can get one destination marathon in this summer.

I hope you enjoy/enjoyed the Expo and picked up lots of swag. I think the best item in the runners swag bag was the Sam Adams bottle opener. It was in the bottom of my bag and I was surprised last night when I pulled it out. Definitely something I will use. For some reason my photo of the opener will not load, so I’ll save it for another time.

In addition to the cool bottle opener, each runner gets one of these. When you pull it out of your bag it just looks like another marketing card. But when you open it up there are three cool gifts: the commemorative bumper sticker, temporary tattoo and one of those wrist bands we have been hearing so much about. I almost bought a wrist band but they did not take cash.

#weruntogether, baa, wrist band,boston strong — One of these is in every bag

Run well my friends, see you in Boston!

Andy

Boston Marathon Expo

The Expo opens Friday at Noon.

Boston Marathon Expo Advice

Most likely you are staying in a hotel in town and can walk to The Hynes Convention Center. The address is in your Runner Passport. Just in case, it is 900 Boylston Street.

You can walk there or take the “T” as we call the subway here in Boston. If you take The T you want to take the Green line to the Hynes Convention Center stop.

Now, for all of you out-of-town folks, there are 4 green lines, B, C, D and E. The A train used to go to Watertown, but was closed in the 60’s. The Green Line ends at Lechmere Station.

YOU DO NOT WANT TO GET ON A TRAIN BOUND FOR LECHMERE – THAT IS THE WRONG DIRECTION.

If you get on the Green Line at Lechmere, Science Park, North Station, Haymarket, Park Street, Boylston Street, Arlington Street or Copley – DO NOT TAKE THE “E” TRAIN.

B, C & D all stop at the Hynes Convention Center. The E train does NOT. Between the often poor sound quality and the driver’s Boston accent, you may not understand the announcements. Most trains have electronic signs that tell you which station you are entering. The name of each station is also on the walls of the station. If you are dressed like a runner, everyone in Boston will be more than happy to help you also.

After you pick up your bib, shirt and check out the Expo, you will want to take the Green line INBOUND. The train may say Lechmere. That is okay.

Blogger’s Convention

I was going to try and get a bunch of blogging runners, or running bloggers (?) together at the Expo. With travel plans, it has not been easy to co-ordinate.

I plan on going Friday and hanging out for a few hours, probably untill 2pm. Since I live near by, I may go again on Saturday or Sunday.

If you want to meet at the top of the escalator on the 3rd floor send me an email at [email protected]@yahoo.com. Send me a message with your cell phone and I’ll send you a text message.

It may be fun to hang out at the pasta dinner if our seating times line up.

T map, boston marathon expo — Green Line

Run well and I’ll see you in Boston!

Andy

Bloggers convention in Boston

Who’s running the Boston Marathon this year?

Since this is a running blog, I assume most of you are runners. I bet some of you are running Boston this year.

This seems like a great opportunity for some of us to meet in person at The Boston Marathon Expo and have a bloggers convention! Race day we will be split

: No broken links!

up by our start times. It won’t be like the old days when we took the earliest bus we could to Hopkinton and hung out for hours.

I am taking Friday April 18th off. If any of you are interested, I’d love to meet you at the Expo. If this is your first Boston Marathon I’d be happy to show you around a bit and answer questions. The Expo is a lot of fun and they always have freebies.

Even after two years I still feel like a newbie blogger and would love to talk with other bloggers and find out about your experiences.