Congratulations to everyone that completed the Chicago Marathon and all other races this past weekend! My social media feeds were awash with running action photos and I love it. I can't wait to read all of your recaps!
On my own end, running the Army 10-Miler yesterday was an incredible experience. It was very moving and humbling.
 |
| One side of the finisher's coin. I love the design. |
I am currently working on my race recap. In the meantime, I wanted to share some details from the Army 10-Miler race expo, which was held at the DC Armory.
I figured the expo would be like any other race expo and be filled with health/fitness vendors, race ambassadors, and charitable organizations. This expo was different. It had an extremely strong military theme and was filled with dozens of army equipment displays. I felt like I was walking into an interactive military museum.
Not surprisingly, army soldiers were everywhere, including working the packet pickup booths and handing out shirts. As you can see, this was by far the most secure race expo I've ever attended.
The soldier who gave me my packet might as well have been on active duty, he was so serious and businesslike. I was actually a little intimidated (in a good way). No softies here, right?
The weapons displays were eye-popping. Check out the big guns (literally):
If guns aren't your thing, maybe you fancy missiles the size of a human body?
If you light up at the concept of explosives (pun intended), there are multiple options when it comes to working with them, e.g.:
 |
| Don't you love how these men are hanging out at the Explosive Ordnance Disposal table like "no big deal"? |
I don't know exactly what these displays are but they certainly look powerful:
There were also some larger equipment displays, such as this Jeep:
They even had this A/MH 6-M light attack/assault helicopter on site (I copied the description verbatim from its display sign, in case you were wondering):
For those in the military, these are probably commonplace items that nobody would bat an eyelash at. But for a civilian like me, it was a very cool experience to see all of these displays, mingle among so many of the soldiers, and watch them interacting with each other. I already had a lot of respect for all those that serve our country, but attending the Army 10-Miler expo deepened that respect even further.
Much more to come!
--
Workout summary from last week:
MONDAY - Yoga class, run 10 miles
TUESDAY - 10 minutes stationary biking, 20 minutes strength training
WEDNESDAY - Zumba class, Mobility 101 class
THURSDAY - Strength Max class
FRIDAY - Rest
SATURDAY - Rest
SUNDAY - Army 10-Miler (race recap coming soon)
--
Linking up with HoHo and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap.
Hope you loved the race and DC! I had a blast in Chicago - I always enjoy it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Courtney - I did love the race and DC is an amazing city! I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed your weekend in my hometown. Congratulations again on your shiny new PR over the weekend!!!
DeleteThe coin looks bad ass! (I'm always partial to medals over coins, but it makes sense for the Army 10 Miler.)
ReplyDeleteThat helicopter is so tiny - I get claustrophobic just looking at it. Did it feel tiny? You look like a natural in there. You may have a future in the Army! ;) I can't wait to hear your race recap!
Thanks Amy! I was thinking about you a lot during both the expo and the race. I saw a booth for Wear Blue: Run to Remember and it reminded me of you!!! Can you please share with me the background on why the coins make sense for the Army 10?
DeleteYES - the helicopter was TINY!!! I could barely fit into it! Notice the kid next to me looking happy, though, right? =D It would be an honor to have a future in the Army! Thanks Amy!!!
Sounds like such an interesting race and expo! Helicopters seem like magic to me - and i agree with the above comment - so tiny!
ReplyDeleteThe race and expo were both much unique experiences than I had anticipated! I also think helicopters are magical. I've never ridden one and still want to to do someday! Hopefully not all helicopters are this small, though, otherwise it would be pretty claustrophobic. =D
DeleteCongrats on your race! I have never seen an expo like this, really interesting and definitely gives perspective on the military experience.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janelle! I was really surprised by the expo, too. It really opened up my eyes to the intricacies of the military and how much skill and knowledge goes into what they do!
DeleteThank you, Karen!!! You nailed it - the expo was very educational while also a great recruiting tool. They are very efficient in various ways. I am very grateful for the sacrifices our armed forces make, too! It really put our freedom into perspective for me.
ReplyDeleteI would be just like you I have great respect for those who protect and serve our country but a race like this would just heighten that!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tricia!!! Definitely put the Army 10 on your race to-do list - I think you would really enjoy the experience!!!
DeleteWhat a refreshing change from the typical race expo! This sounds very enjoyable. I've heard nothing but great things about this race and can't wait to hear about your experience. Thanks for linking, Emily!
ReplyDeleteThank you, HoHo! The military museum-type atmosphere was completely unexpected, but really cool to experience something so different. It really put things into perspective regarding all the military knowledge and expertise that exists in our armed forces! Thank you for hosting the linkup, as always!
Delete