I dropped off most of my belongings in my room -- which was actually ready when I checked in -- hooray! I left my favorite raincoat on the back of the chair (this small detail becomes important later) and loaded my tote bag with everything I would need for the expo. I was picking up my Dopey bibs along with race packets for my family members, friends, and clients and was afraid I'd forget something in my rush to get out the door.
The expo was running along pretty smoothly by the time I got there. The New Balance shoe craziness had already come and gone, with the early birds having already received their shoe fitting appointment spots. I proceeded to the HP Field House, where I spotted Kristen's mom. Too funny! I liked the logistics of being able to pick up both Goofy/Dopey race packets and shirts in one building. That was a nice touch this year. Of course, I still had to visit the Jostens Center to get my 5K shirt and everyone else's individual shirts, but since that's where the largest selection of merchandise is located, I didn't mind a bit.
Speaking of the shirts that were included with our registration, they are incredible. RunDisney tweeted this photo on January 5, so we were able to get a sneak peek:
And then they posted the Dopey shirt on the runDisney blog on January 7:
In the past, the Champion tech shirts were a waffle-weave type of material. This year, they are silky smooth. They are also gender-specific, which makes me very happy. The light blue marathon shirt is my favorite of the bunch, but of course the Dopey shirt will have the most sentimental value. What a nice souvenir of an inaugural challenge!
After picking up the shirts that came with our registrations, it was time to do a bit of shopping at the runDisney official merchandise booth.
The "Idiot Shirt" selection for the 10K was limited to the above, very girly Minnie Mouse print, so I decided to get one only for my daughter. (I think my husband and son were grateful for that.) I decided to get my son an "I Did It" Mickey plush toy so he wouldn't come home empty-handed. And even though I already had 5 tech shirts as part of the Dopey Challenge, I decided I had to purchase the tech "Idiot Shirt" to go with it. In the past, these have been regular t-shirts which are part of my everyday wardrobe since I work from home. I was a bit disappointed that a cotton shirt wasn't an option, but Facebook tells me I am in the minority. I also decided to purchase the Dopey logo Champion running jacket even though it is virtually identical to the Goofy jacket I purchased last year. I normally purchase a half marathon golf shirt for Chuck to wear to work, but that wasn't an option this year either. So he is also the proud owner of yet another tech running shirt.
Expo missions accomplished, I returned to Animal Kingdom Lodge. As I was entering the hotel, I saw a bunch of "suits" and tried to figure out what was going on. Then I spotted a guy with a very distinctive earring. It was Imagineer Joe Rohde, and I was starstruck! He and his team were examining the artwork just inside the lobby entrance. Spoiler alert: The "Lobby Decorative Shield Rehab" is scheduled for refurbishment March 10-14. Very cool to have witnessed a small part of that decision-making process.
I spent the rest of the day working and waiting for my friend Amy to arrive. She was running the Dopey Challenge with me. It took a while for her to get to the resort, so we just grabbed a quick dinner at The Mara and prepared for our semi-early wake-up call.
Next up, the Disney Family Fun Run 5K
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