Today, I had to hit up the Javits Center to pick up my Dash to the Finish bib and shirt for tomorrow- far from just another drop in at the Road Runner's office on the Upper East Side.

In fact, this huge arena, which also hosts New York events like the Comic Con and the New York International Auto Show, is where the ING New York City Marathon pickup and Expo has been happening the past two days. Believe it or not, even though I have been in the city for 7+ years, I have never been to the Javits Center.

Whoa. It was simultaneously awesome and overwhelming.

Awesome factors: It was runner heaven everywhere you looked. From 2014 NYC Marathon merchandise by Asics, to compression socks, to shoes, to massage devices, to goos, bars, gels, and chews, there was a little bit of everything- and a whole lot in general.

I also really enjoyed the samples. Since I will soon be adding miles beyond half marathon distance, I actually need to get serious about finding out what sort of items will work for me. And it is really intimidating! So. Many. Choices. The samples were a nice opportunity to get my feet wet so to speak. I tried some beef jerky at one booth (awesome) and some chocolate peanut butter Power Bar at another booth (kinda waxy tasting?).

Overwhelming factor: I thought the overall set up and flow was- I'm gonna say it- really confusing. You could only enter in a very specific way, while a route right next to you would be completely marked off by a security guard in a seemingly arbitrary way. Also, the actual booths inside were a little random for my taste. It's probably the way these things are always done, but it would have been more effective to go through by sections.

Other than that, I had a blast! I only wish I had more time to really check out everything that was going on. Next year ;)