Working the Expo

Working at the Expo was a blast! Probably because most of the volunteers were from the Y Run Club, the Maniacs, or local runners we knew. Eric, Rick and I met yesterday afternoon, took a swing through downtown to stop at the running store, then went up to the convention center to work our shift. Eric and Rick started in the packet line, I was on the handing-out-shirts line. It wasn't too long before Eric and Rick became the "at-large" personnel. As far as I could tell, their job was to wander the Expo chatting up runners - an area in which they both have exceptional skills. Melissa was working with me at the shirt table, then Jenny arrived and joined us. Rob came in a little later (after school) and pulled us over to work on sorting volunteer jackets. Jenny and I worked at that for the rest of the night - the jackets were for the first few hundred volunteers who signed up online. We were matching names and sizes and then sorting them alphabetically. Rick and Eric used some of their most excellent foraging skills to make a run to Starbucks - bringing back much needed food and drink. We checked out of there about 8:00.

We were back at it this morning. For my birthday (last January) Jenny gave me a shirt that says "marathon girl" from running divas. She got one for herself too, so we both wore them today. We were back in the volunteer check-in area, which somehow became the information booth. We shuffled runners over to Eric who was manning the maps, sent runners to DOR, to packet pick-up, checked in volunteers and handed out coats. We also held many, many discussions about parking. Again, we had a great time. Jenny kindly kinesio-taped my left leg (she is diagnosing a shin splint, I still think it might be a touch of tendonitis). I had her laying on the floor laughing after she applied the first long strip and I suddenly realized she was working on the wrong leg. We worked the 10 till 2 shift, then got sidetracked at a chiropracter's booth on the way out - resulting in my first ever chiropractic appointment for Monday. She was able to push on my upper back in the exact spots that it hurts when my heart starts giving me trouble. She also had an explanation for the tight chest and wheezing I experience (it has been confirmed that it is not asthma). I figure it's worth a shot to see if they can help me out - and they were having a marathon special on the initial appointment. So we'll see...

Tonight has been spent prepping for tomorrow morning. Rick, Michelle, Melissa and I opted for the early start at 6:00 am. The course opens at 6 hours, so this just takes the pressure off. The course is all hills from mile 9.5 to about 17 - we want to conserve energy to get through those and not worry about time.

I'll try to get a quick recap up tomorrow night - at the very least I'll let you know that I finished.