2016 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon Weekend - The Expo

How does the popular saying go, “Third time’s the charm”?  I won’t dispute that about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona race weekend. 
 
The first time I participated in the RnR Arizona races was to run the 2014 Marathon: I had a great time with friends and family and had a fantastic Boston Qualifying run.  The second time was last year’s (2015) inaugural 5k and the Marathon: I got to run the 5k alongside Olympian Ryan Hall, I ran my first (and only – to date) sub-3 hour marathon, won my Age Group for the marathon distance (and first ever award from any Rock ‘n’ Roll event), and got to celebrate my sister establishing a new Personal Record for herself in the marathon distance.  It was a weekend filled with personal and family glory.  This year’s event topped them all; not because of any personal or family glory but because I got to experience the entire race weekend in new and stimulating ways and because I’m coming back from hip/labrum surgery over the summer and this was the final proof to myself that I'd be able to return to long distance running and racing.  I’m going to tell you all about it (from my perspective), please pull up a chair and enjoy:

My sister and I were offered the opportunity to run the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona 5k and Half Marathon in exchange for telling everyone we knew (and everyone who’d listen) about the entire race weekend.  That by itself is an incredible honor; to have someone (especially a company so important to the world wide racing community) believe we would have something to contribute, believing we could say or do things that would inspire others to join this running journey.  That is something very important to the both of us: Inspiring others to take up this sport and strive to achieve reach new heights mentally and physically.  Charlene and I began trying to inspire others to join us long before the race weekend by telling people (via online social media outlets) about our personal experiences at previous RnR Arizona races, about our experiences with Rock ‘n’ Roll races in other locations, and about things that are important to us personally in regards to running the current RnR Arizona courses.

Charlene and I kicked off the weekend of fun by driving from Las Vegas to Phoenix.  We hit the road at first light Friday morning, intending to enjoy the drive itself and arrive at the first day of the Expo early enough to devote time to meeting and speaking with the event sponsors as well as search out some race gear which we needed to replace.  We talked the whole way; about the 2015 race weekend, about what we hoped to accomplish this weekend, about who we’d like to talk to at the expo, and naturally about what we’d gone through during the past 12 months since we’d made that particular drive before (you know, runner and sibling stuff).  

Sis also told me about a new app she intended on using over the weekend, called Periscope: I’d never heard of it before she brought it up but it sounded like fun (well, for her).  Charlene is very good at the social communication thing; she’s a natural choice to be in front of a camera talking about things that are important to her.  For me, I didn’t want to be on camera but I did want to help, to contribute.  I felt Periscope would be interesting and that’s a great place to start from.

This Rock ‘n’ Roll Expo was pretty big (as they typically are) and it was really jumping with activity.  Normally, Sis and I would go in to an expo with the mentality of getting our bibs, shirts, and swag and then making quick work of the sales areas (stopping long enough to purchase necessities or to find some information of personal importance).  This time we went in the mentality of learning about the sponsors behind the races and sharing it with others (you) as well as take care of a couple necessities.  It actually added a level of excitement to the expo in my opinion; gave me a purpose beyond myself and a new perspective on something I often take for granted.

  

One of the most important stops in the expo (well, after getting our bibs) was to visit with our new on-course fuel provider, Glukos Energy.  This visit is particularly important because they are new to the series and because I personally needed a new fueling product which could help me reach and even exceed my running goals.  My sister smartly identified a very important person within Glukos Energy, the CEO Mike McCormick.  We identified ourselves and told him why we stopped by and then asked point blank:  “Why should we use Glukos Energy, what makes your product special and/or better than the others”?  The short and sweet of his answer was; the fuel is designed to get into our systems quickly by providing exactly the type of fuel our bodies are designed to burn, Glucose; it contains incredibly important electrolytes; specifically with the gels, they are water based so you do not need to wash it down at an aid station; most importantly (to me) is that their products aren’t super sweet which can so often bother a runner’s stomach.  We also had the privilege of talking with Mark Jensen, the inventor of Glukos, about using the tablets and how easily the gels were to take.  I took the opportunity to ask him for fueling advice on my return to marathon running and about how I can best use Glukos Energy during race situations.  Mark’s advice was invaluable as the creator of this particular fuel and especially because he’s an accomplished athlete himself.  He asked us to try a sample of the gel to see if it fit with his and Mike’s descriptions and to see how our palates and stomachs would react:  The simple half ounce sample spoke volumes about how easy it would be for us to use these on course.  I know that it will be the fuel I train with for my first marathon post-surgery.  You can visit their website here for more information and for purchasing:  Glukos Energy

Maui Jim Sunglasses was an important visit at the expo for reasons that stretch all the way back to Las Vegas and the streets around my home:  Eye protection from glare, UV Rays, and blowing dust can’t be understated when you live and train in the desert.  I’ve seen and tried on Maui Jim’s sunglasses many times over the years but I’ve never approached them on the subject of wind protection as well as the standard vision protection options; this time it was my focus.  I explained to the nice young lady who greeted us that we were there to talk to them because of their connection to the Rock ‘n’ Roll races and because of my interest in checking out which styles they offered to shield the side of a runner’s eyes (for protection from blowing dust and debris).  She selected, and I tried on, the Waterman, Switchback, Kanaha, and the Night Dive model glasses as she believed they could fit my description and desires.  I quickly formed a personal favorite because the frame and lens style did indeed fit my need; they also passed my sister’s fashion critique - a familial requirement.  I wasn’t surprised with the viewing quality and clarity, they have always been high end in those regards, but they are a pleasure to watch the world through.  Here is a link to their website if you’d like to look into a pair of sunglasses that will fit your needs:  Maui Jim

Toyota had a huge presence at the expo and at the race.  I though their expo set up was a blast really.  Typically the vehicle manufacturers that show up for these types of events just park a car/truck or two where they can’t be missed and have their employees hang around to answer questions.  Toyota seemed to be much more interested in being interactive and personable.  They did have a few vehicles parked on the expo floor but each vehicle was open and interactive: one had rear liftgate open for us to play a game of Skee ball; another was set up as a photo booth inside the cabin with a souvenir picture to laugh at later.  They also had a test drive station set up in front of the expo/convention center which was cool.  Check out their website, you can even put together your dream Toyota car on there:  Toyota USA

We had a very interesting time wandering around the expo doing the live Periscope app interviewing RnR volunteers and staff, we were also lucky enough to bump into a Legacy runner who’d run the event even before Rock ‘n’ Roll put it’s stamp upon the race series.  A major highlight of the video, and of the expo, was spending some time in the Rock ‘n’ Roll station with all of the wickedly cool Heavy Medals and the various challenge medals that are being offered.  Charlene and I were both stunned at how creative and appropriate this series of the RnR Heavy Medals are; each one has something which loudly represents the world and history of Rock and Roll music and they got progressively bigger and more impressive with each count of a completed Marathon or Half Marathon.  My sister still talks about how much she loves the 8 Track tape medal (8 races in the calendar year), my favorite is the Stairway to Heaven medal (in the shape of a 7 for seven races).

Next up - The Rock 'n' Roll Arizona 5k

*Disclaimer:   I was an invited guest to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon weekend.  The views, reviews and opinions expressed are my own and not influenced by the organizers nor sponsors or any other company/individual affiliated with the event.

- Next - The 2016 RnR AZ 5k