Hi all! With the NYC marathon coming up this weekend, I thought that now would be a good time to share some expo tips! I have been to the marathon expo twice, in 2017 and 2021. The two experiences were really different, as the 2021 event was pared back due to covid. I will say, I am hopeful that the 2022 event will be bigger again, so without further ado, here are 10 tips for the NYC marathon expo!
1.Bring a backpack with you to the expo (and maybe throw a water bottle in there – gotta stay hydrated leading up to race day!)
Even if you don’t plan to buy anything at the expo, it makes things much easier if you have a backpack with you. When you pick up your race bib and shirt, it is likely you will get a clear bag with a string on it, that is not the most comfortable thing to carry around. If you’re like me and you plan to shop a but at the expo, having a backpack gives you easy storage for all of the goodies that you purchase!
2. Download your NYC marathon confirmation form before heading to the expo, and make sure you have your ID with you.
You will need your ID and your NYC marathon confirmation form to pick up your race bib, so make sure you have both with you before heading to the expo. A volunteer will check both of these before giving you your race bib. Remember, you can’t have someone pick up your bib for you. You can have your form on your phone rather than printed, but service is sometimes spotty at the Javits center, so save a screenshot.
3. When you pick up your participant shirt, try it on.
NYRR has changed the shirts that they give out to participants in the last few years, so even if you have always worn the same size shirt, try it on before leaving the shirt area! Lately the shirts are running a little on the small size, so you may want to size up if possible. The finisher shirts are not sized the same as the rest of the newbalance gear – everything I purchased, I got a medium. For this finisher shirt, I sized up to a large.
4. If the “official new balance marathon gear” is important to you, go to the expo early.
The race expo opens on Thursday of race week, and while some of the marathon gear on the New Balance website has already sold out, they often will have all styles and sizes available when the expo opens. So if you have your heart set on a particular jacket, head to the expo as early as possible. If you go later in the week, there will be plenty of options available, but a lot of the styles will sell out in certain sizes. Things like mugs and glassware also tend to sell out early in the week, so if you wait until Saturday to attend, they may not be available.
5. Check out the vendor booths, especially if you’re already thinking about your next race.
Other races will have booths at the expo, to promote their upcoming events. There are often expo registration specials, that will get you a discounted rate or some extra swag if you register at the expo. Plus, already having your next race on the calendar will help to fend off those post-race blues. There are also plenty of running fuel companies offering samples at the expo.
6. If you are running with a charity or club, check if they have a booth at the expo.
If your group has a special start area on Staten island, it is likely you’ll need to pick up some sort of credential at the expo. This varies from organization to organization, so check in with the team you are running with to find specifics. I have run with the NYPD running club in the past, and had to pick up my bus pass at the expo.
7. Take the time to look at the vendor list and map before heading to the expo.
If there is a brand you really love or have been wanting to check out in person? For me, this brand was Sprints, a running hat company that I am constantly getting Instagram ads for – and I was finally able to try them in person at the expo. From hats to massage guns and sneakers, there are plenty of opportunities to check out gear in person at the race.
8. Have a goal pace in mind? Meet your NYRR pacer.
Did you know NYRR has pacers on race day? They carry a pole with their goal finish time and are typically in blue and white striped jerseys on race day. There is an area of the expo where you can meet them and pick up a pace band.
9. Not a fan of the “official” race gear? Don’t worry – there will be other options! Look at the other product booths.
While the merch may not say “NYC marathon,” because NYRR has a lot of copyrights around the marathon, there will be plenty of other vendors at the expo. Some of my favorite shirts from past races have come from alternate vendors at the expo. I love to see what brands come up with to celebrate the race each year. My personal favorite? The NYC themed Ghost sneakers that brooks releases each year.
10. Take stock of your race fuel before heading to the expo – that way if you come up short, you can buy more at the expo.
Stressing because you made it to NYC but your luggage didn’t? Or maybe your cat decided to bite into your gel stash while you were asleep (this happened to me on a recent morning run – I picked up a gel to find it oozing all over by hand, with some tiny bite marks on the bottom of it)? Well either way, there will be vendors at the expo selling a wide variety of gel brands. Gu, Ucan, and Gatorade had their own booths, and fleet feet was selling other brands like honey stinger and SIS.
Mike and I headed to the race expo on Thursday evening this year, after we finished work for the day. We were able to get our bibs, and while we had to deal with intense crowds in the new balance race merch section (the cost of a first day expo visit), it was overall a quick and easy process. Once we had our bibs we wandered the show floor, taking advantage of the photo ops and window shopping at various vendors. Before leaving, we made sure to find our names on the runner wall, and write down our race intentions and hang them with all the other runners.
I’ll leave you with one “bonus” tip – make sure you take the time to soak it all in, it’s race week baby!