Day 6

I took the show on the road today. The orginal plan called for a few pit stops along the way but the ride to Jacksonville takes a few hours and i didn't want to miss packet pickup. So i decided to melt away the chunk of miles before the grand finale at the expo.
I wanted to get to 45 miles before  Saturdays race where i counted on polishing off the last nine of my 54 in the Gate river run 15k.
I arrived at expo a little after three, i was surprised i had no problem parking and was able head right into the exhibit hall. Received my bib and was directed to shirt pickup where i learned that they were out of womens 2x shirts.  They weren't going by size ordered but what people wanted. They had it in mens but the color was neon yellow green. I liked the fusia the women's came in, so i took large. I cant fit it but I will eventually  frame it anyway. In fact I wish now that i had asked for a small.
After getting my swag bag taken care of i entered the expo part. It was the first time i have attended a large expo where i could buy shoe brands and gear.
I tried on hokas they didnt feel or fit right.The girls at the booth were awesome though. Looked at a few others brands too but nothing caught my fancy. I also spotted belts that held water bottles, cell phones and accessories. The young lady selling those was a good pitch person and if i hadn't already seen them cheaper in my local sporting good store i would have taken one home.Glad i finally got to see what people in my running groups were talking about though. Then i remembered the day was all about finishing those miles.
The expo area wasnt large though and i wasn't able to walk off much and so i left to do some laps in the parking lot. Now i know I looked tore up, my pants were to big and i had on a dinky training tshirt. I would not have shown up like that but i was tired and frankly was in character mode. I was so deep into getting my fifty four i vowed not to change my shoes or style of dress until after the last mile was done. I didn't know anyone in Jacksonville anyway.
Well, on my way out i ran into a lady from BGR Orlando. Twenty thousand runners and i see one of the few people I ve met at races. thats my luck. On my way out i pasted this guy who for some reason liked playing the Flintstones theme. To funny because yabba dabba do was not how i was feeling knowing i needed ten more miles before race day.

I made tracks to the side of the stadium parking lot that would serve as the starting corrals then proceeded to cross off 8.5 of the 10 i needed. I was losing daylight so i walked back to the expo area where a lady stopped me to offer her post meal ticket. I normally don't eat race food but decided to check it out. Two young girls sat in front of the beer trailer with a large uncovered bread basket of dinner rolls on one side and nasty looking ziti in red sauce in warming trays on the other. I saw just a few people eating washed out looking iceburg salads along with the pasta at the tables. It was late and everything was wrapping up so i passed on the free meal, regifted the ticket and got in my ride knowing i had one and a half miles to do before the race the next day.