Since the Dopey Challenge was four days of races, I figured I’d break up the recaps so I don’t bore you with one big huge one.
Anyway, the first day started with an early morning rise to get to the airport. I was traveling with my mom and my almost five year old.
On dee plane. He’s a good flier, or is it flyer?
We got in to Orlando where my sis picked us up and went straight to the Expo. Both of them were doing the Dopey too! Crazy cause my moms hadn’t ever run a full marathon before, but she wanted in on the action!
With my sis and mom and dwarf.
The Expo takes place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. That’s where they have all their soccer, baseball, and football fields, along with a track and some field houses.
The Expo was divided into three buildings. The first one is the main baseball stadium where we had to pick up the boy’s kid’s race packet. While we did, we took a chance to preview a portion of the marathon course that runs there on the Atlanta Braves baseball spring training field.
Diggin’ the dugout.
The other two Expo buildings housed all the usual stuff that you usually see at an expo.
Yup, that’s an expo.
I’m not big into expos, I prefer to get my stuff and get out of the crowds. But I did have to take a closer look at some of the bling we were shooting for!
My precious is so close.
I wish that was the end of the story, but it wasn’t. The big thing this year was the RunDisney New Balance designed running shoes. There were lines down the street, and people were buying them even if they didn’t have their size! Turns out a lot of them were turning around and selling them on Ebay for like $700. Crazy! That said, my mom and sis wanted some, so we went back to the Expo a few more times the next few days until they were able to get them.
They were all the rage.
It wasn’t all bad though, as they had a bar there for me to play at. And one booth had a Wii for the boy to play with. And I got to see some of the speakers. And my mom bought me some new running shades. And we got stickers for the cars – you know, the kind that say 48.6. Hayup.
Anyway, we got through the Expo, got some dinner, and went to the hotel to sleep (or at least try to) because the 2 am wake-up call was looming.
My Dopey Game Face.
So there you have it, the Disney Dopey Challenge Race Expo Recap (from my perspective).
How about you? If you were there, do you have any opinions on the Expo? Either way, how do you feel about Expos – Do you like all the crowds and merch? Or are you like me and want to get your race stuff and go because you prefer to buy things on your own terms?
Piratebobcat 