Women's Half Marathon Expo and Un-Ultimate Goody Bag

Two years ago when the inaugural Arizona Women's Half Marathon was announced I wasn't going to run it, spend $90 on the race just because it was for women.  When I saw the finisher medal with the center charm, I changed my mind.  Now with the third year running the race, I am committed to running it every year and hope on the 25th year of running the race my name will be listed somewhere with the other handful of people running it each year after the very first 2010 race.

This year the 3-peat participants will receive a special charm mailed to them after the race.  The finisher medal is classy with the state of Arizona and a woman running etched in the state.

2012 Arizona Medal

I noticed the race is now a Competitor race (same as Rock n' Roll). Competitor found a business model that works and a big market for chain races like RnR's and Women's Half;s.  I felt when it was just Women's Running it was a company out to make money and now with it being Competitor I feel even more strongly the race fee is for profit.

Today I picked up my race packet at the expo. The goody bag in prior years was advertised as the ultimate goody bag but this year it's called a "designer" goody bag.  It is the same awesome "designer" goody bag as in years past but there is definitely nothing ultimate about the contents. Honestly it wasn't ultimate in years past either.  The bag contained GU (expresso flavor...yuck), a Luna bar and Lady Speedstick sample and flyers for other races. That's it.  The truth is I continue to be very jealous of Giorgio and the Black Knight with the loot which includes wine they get in their goody bags.

I also felt the expo was lacking in vendors.  There were 3 or 4 headband vendors, a couple clothes vendors, and fewer vendors gave away free stuff than last year.  I did score 2 chapsticks though. I wonder if Competitor running the event is one reason the ultimate goody bag is no longer and a weak vendor line-up (although the RnR event has an awesome expo). The vendors have to pay for the booths and if the prices are RnR prices, it's no wonder there were fewer vendors for a women's only race which is much smaller than RnR's.

What do you expect with a goody bag and vendor expo when the race fee is $90? Do I just need to get over it and quit hoping for the days of ole when a goody bag actually had great stuff in it?