I just got back from the Marine Corps Marathon Health and Fitness Expo....whew...I got to see a lot!
The event was held in the DC Armory. This is also where the racers went to pick up their bib and race package.
There were a lot of cute posters up where you could "pose" with them for photo ops.
Racers also got to go through a long line of free samples....it looked like they got a lot of free loot.
Brooks was the official sponsor for the race apparel. The photo above has the official jacket and shorts.
Some women's wear below:
This was my favorite item, even though it was pink. The jacket fit the girls working the both very well. It was thick and had cute details. There were three stars on the collar.
The back also had the race embroidered on the back. The jacket was $75....which seemed pretty reasonable.
I wish I snapped a photo of the line. This was the first day of the expo and the line was CRAZY. It wrapped and snaked around. It looked like it would take at least an hour to pay, so I didn't even consider buying anything.
For the other vendors, there were a lot of knick knack running booths....endless rows of tee shorts, head bands, lights, water bottles and socks.
There was also a lot of booths for different marathons.
The service dogs were soooo precious. I wanted to pet one really bad, but they had their working jackets on....
There were also a handful of booths that sold posters and plaques that allowed you to display your medal/bib from the race. I thought it was nice way of remembering a special race....especially if it was your first marathon.
I tried to keep a lookout for interesting products and brands that caught my attention. I narrowed it down to the three top brands at the Expo that offered something unique.
So here's my pick for the top three products to try at the Marine Corps Marathon Expo....
#3 - SPI Belt
These belts caught my attention because they looked tiny, but could fit a ton of stuff on your run. The vendor said they could fit FOUR iphones in one pocket.
There were an assortment of colors and patterns to chose from.
The best part was its size. The pocket only stretched to the size of your items.....when it was not in use, it was very thin. You could put your phone, keys, credit card, epi pen.....almost anything could fit in that pocket.
Unlike some other belts at the expo, the SPI belt was water resistant and had a cheap price. The highest priced belt was $30.
#2 Pearl Izumi Running Shrug
At $55, this shrug is great for days that start a little too chilly for a tank top. It allows you to easily remove it during your run.
Definitely something to try as an alternative for arm warmers....some arm warmers don't stay up or make your arms look "sausage-like."
They also had a running jacket that could be worn three ways...a jacket, vest, or shrug.
(sorry for the blurry photos...my camera phone has been misbehaving lately!)
It's a neat concept....just don't be the one that wears it as a crop top!
And now for the top pick.............
#1 Sweaty Bands
Holy moly....there were so many! At they had really cute patterns....I could have gotten 20!
These cute colored headbands range from $15-18. At the expo, you could buy 3 and get one free....it was too hard to choose!
There were so many solid colors and crazy patterns....
I wear headbands for golf all the time. With my hair getting in the way, I have to wear a hat or a headband so I can see properly. I love that these headbands can jazz up my solid colored outfits!
After several minutes of contemplating......here's the four I ended up buying:
