Friday, January 14, 2011

An Awesome Day

Watching the clock, I managed my way at work through the morning, waiting for the clock to show a time acceptable for me to start my early lunch.  The PF Changs Expo awaited me.  Finally I left the office and road the metro downtown and walked into the expo.  Expo's are about free stuff.  Fill out the card with the work email and enter a drawing, pick up samples and watch what others are doing.  I saw a guy walk up hand a card and receive a Power Balance pendant.  The wrist band, with the same technology as the pendant, are the latest craze.  I don't know if I believe in the electro-magnetic, radio waves, super strength, mumbo jumbo but I am curious.  Everytime I take their "strength" test I can't tell the difference so I listen to their spiel and walk away.  I learned these cards are handed out by the goody bags in registration and I zipped over there to get my own card and get my own pendant.  I'm pretty sure that the people in the Power Balance booth should have been doing a drawing and not flat handing out these $35 pendants but I wanted in on the deal before they figured that out.

My Free Stuff
I also got a Power Balance bracelet...for free from the PF Changs booth, 2 bags, 1 "backpack", bandana from Brooks, bars, cereal, bandaids and a fuzzy gecko from Geicho. All for just walking around.
My Purchases
I did my share to support the economy and help the vendors pay for their booth and bought a pair of Nike Lunar Glides 2, Nike Capris, throwaway sweats to wear at Boston and a lubricant spray.  I'm hoping the Trislide helps with the chafing since I'm not having luck with Aquafor and gave up long ago on Glide.

While I was wandering around I recognized a face and quickly put a name to the face....Frank Shorter!  Since he had just finished with the news crew, I asked if I could take a picture with him.  We found a lady to take our picture but she needed to take a picture of the Simpsons display first.  Frank was super nice and took a picture of her with the Simpsons and even made her lay upside down on the bench to get the picture.  She then asked if we wanted our picture with the Simpsons too, Frank, again being very nice, said no we don't want it with the Simpsons.  She took our picture and then asked if he was famous or something.  I laughed and said yes, he's famous.  Frank said non-chalantly something about the Olympics.  We exchanged a couple formalities...he had his hip replaced and can now run up to an hour at a time and he likes the canals.
I headed back to the office and showed everyone I could the picture. Non-runners couldn't understand why I was so gitty with excitement so I was limited to who I could show the picture to.

A couple hours of working and I got the text that the press passes were picked up and Sunday is on.  I get to ride on the press truck for the marathon.  I hope to be on the truck for the female marathons but I'll take anything.  I'm so excited I could pee my pants.  I may have to start wearing Depends because I'm so dang excited about Sunday.  It doesn't look like the interview with Kara is going to happen because her baby, Colt, is sick.

I sent in my money for Chicago Ragnar and proposed some team names.  Running Relays has some great suggestions for names like
Agony of De Feet
The Poor Unfortunate Soles
SWAT (Sweaty, Worn Out and Trapped in this Van)
R.O.U.S.’s – Runners Of Unusual Speed (if you like Princess Bride this one is awesome)
Worst Pace Scenario
Running Our Assets Off
Kiss My Asphalt
Gu’d To Go
Runs N Roses
Sleepless in Chicago
The fast and the Delirious
The Postfontaines
Elvis Has Left The Van
Kenyan Albino Running Team
So You Think You Can Run?
Law and Odor
Pimp My Stride

This Isn’t A 10k?
Your Pace or Mine? 

On my way home Rae from Ragnar called me and said I was IN for the SWAT team at Del Sol.  I thought I had told her I wanted to volunteer as SWAT but I guess I didn't and I was worried there wasn't space.  Luckily there's an opening and I get to work Exchange 6 with Rae. Not only do I get to work the exchange,  I also get to set up the starting line and ride with Rae through the night handing out stuff.  It'll be an exhausting night of fun.  I want to find a costume for the weekend.  I was thinking a bright blue wig with orange and blue socks to go along with Rae's costume.  Ideas of what to wear?  Where do I find funky socks and wigs?


Happy Running!

11 comments:

The Path Traveled said...

Wow...you hit the jack pot today! I wish we had functions like that here in Louisiana.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I'm jealous. Your right - those power balance things are not cheap. My 2 kids have the braclets.

Abby said...

You hit the schwag lottery today!

Johann said...

I've always been a huge Frank Shorter fan! Awesome that you could meet him! Have a wonderful time on the press truck!

Jennifer said...

Great day! And meeting Frank Shorter; incing on the cake!

Marci said...

Great freebies. I bought one of those bracelets at St.George expo... meh, maybe it works, but not entirely sure but for free, thats awesome!

Italian Running Mom said...

What a beautiful photo of you with Frank Shorter! Enjoy your new running shoes Nike Lunar Glides 2 and have a nice weekend!

Adrienne said...

Sounds like you are having a fabulous day. Good for you. Free stuff always makes every day better.

Jamie said...

You scored at the expo. Hope you had good Sunday at the race!

Lindsay said...

in australia power balance admitted their stuff is whack and are refunding people. i guess they figure americans won't ever figure it out...

that being said, i did buy one. hahaha. i was intrigued to see if there was any sort of difference. i never noticed one.

Black Knight said...

When I began to run (1985 - I was 29 y.o.) I bought a book about running and the protagonist was Frank Shorter.