Thank you all for your amazing comments after the Boston marathon on Monday! I am so overwhelmed with your support! I still have so much more to share about my Boston trip, but lets go back to last Friday and a rather expensive trip around the Boston Marathon expo…
I was literally waiting in the queue as it opened. First up….get the Boston Marathon Jacket. (side note, these are expensive. So expensive that they’d taken the price tag off them. I think they were $110-115, which seems excessive considering the exact same London Marathon jacket was £55!) But you can’t not when you’re in Boston, right? I also bought a Sparkly Soul finisher headband – those running the London marathon, did you spot their stand at the expo? It’s the first time they’ve been at an expo outside of the US!
I didn’t buy the tanks or long sleeve Adidas tops because they were $50 for a tank (again, compared to £26 for a tank at the London Marathon!). I couldn’t resist this t-shirt for Zoe (it’s the kids size XL) for her to wear while watching the race – I also nearly bought myself one too!
I wanted to get a selection of goodies from the expo, knowing that it might be a while before I’m back running Boston again. I methodically made my way around the expo (although if you saw my Instagram stories, I managed to miss a huge chunk of it when I first went round so initially thought it was really small!)
I always buy my Nuun at the expo, and they usually give you a free themed bottle too. They have recently released their new Nuun Performance, an endurance hydration and carb drink that has a really subtle taste and all natural flavouring. There’s 15g carbs and 60 cals in each serving. I tried it out over the weekend before my runs on Sat, Sunday and Monday…and I LOVE it. I think it will make a great pre-workout for those early morning runs when I get back to training again!
I was hoping to pick up some of my favourite natural Huma gels but couldn’t find them anywhere, so I bought my old tried and tested Salted Caramel Gu, some Clif Shot Bloks and a few of their new flavour Cliff Bars – mostly for the free hat that ended up saving the day on Marathon Monday.
I loved the Brooks Boston offering – they’d actually sent me a pair of both their Boston and their London limited edition shoes before leaving on my trip so I bought a matching top. Aren’t they fab covered in lobsters. Love the red, white and blue colour ways on both pairs of shoes. I have to say, some of Brooks kit they get so right, and some they get so wrong. Personally, I love these shoes and the London Marathon Union Jack Print (see below) but I know they might be an acquired taste… what do you think?
A top that I do regret buying is this North Face tank, I think it cost $30 and I’m not sure its that flattering, but it was one of the first stalls I stopped at after hitting the expo. Lesson learned – if you have the time, do a full lap first before making your purchases. I didn’t buy everything I thought I wanted to buy, like a mug, patch, and some other tanks because they weren’t quite right, and I’m glad I saved my money!
The above yellow top was the freebie top that all marathon runners get, it apparently alternates between blue and yellow each year. I’d probably have preferred the blue one however at least the yellow is distinctive. I saw SO many people wearing this around Boston over the weekend, and many wearing the new jackets before they’d even run the race. I’m superstitious about these things so wouldn’t wear mine properly until after the race – it seems like a lot of you on Instagram agree with me on this one?!
One of my favourite purchases was this New Balance Run Boston jumper that I spotted people wearing at Fenway Park yoga and tracked down. The fit isn’t the best (it’s a little boxy, this is the XS) but it’s so soft and snuggly. It was $50 so fairly expensive but I’ve hardly taken it off since buying it, and it’s more a subtle brag than the zip up… well, you can’t wear your medal everyday!
These are the Brooks London marathon shoes – Union Jack flags. I really like them, although not as much as the Boston shoe.
The last purchase was made using a voucher I was given by Heartbreak Hill Running Company and Nike at their Shalane Flanagan shake out run event. I had nearly bought it the previous day at the Nike shop and am so glad I waited. I have a NYC and Chicago marathon version of these half zip tops and wear them all the time, and I know I’ll get a lot of wear out of this chic black number. They are $70 so again, not cheap but great quality and I love how sleek it is.
Lastly, I also bought a pair of unpictured Lululemon running shorts with a small Boston stamped onto them. I love that other shops make their own Boston kit so you don’t just have to buy the main sponsors stuff. I wish that happened in London too – or maybe I’ve just missed out in the past?
What’s your favourite piece of my Boston Marathon stash? Those that ran Boston, what did you buy? London Marathoners – did you buy any goodies? I was a little disappointed by the lack of London stash on offer at the expo!
I would have bought everything! As I start contemplating whether or not I’ll be running a marathon come 2018, knowing that there’s an expo to buy all the things at is a point in its favour. Good luck tomorrow to you and Tom!
I love the Brooks London and Boston trainers! They’re brilliantly bright and fun!
Haha I LOVE Zoe’s kids shirt! I totally would have bought one for myself. I love the Brooks Boston shoes with the lobsters. I prefer last year’s London shoes with the tube map to this year’s Union Jack – or the 2015 shoes covered with telephone booths, those were the best!
Boston knows how to do marathon kit! I love the black top, it’s a really flattering shape and the Boston print down the back is very cool! Also love Zoe’s t-shirt!! xx
Maybe I could scrapbook that North Face tank? Or inherit it? ? Xxx
whenever i see someone wearing the boston jacket i think it’s pretty freaking cool. i also love the free long-sleeved top they give you. it’s a huge accomplishment so its understandably hard to revisit shopping to celebrate.
Great kit! I love those trainers and the Boston jacket is so cool! – I think I’d pay a grand for it, ha!
Oh man, I would want to buy everything! I love the Boston jacket so much. I didn’t actually realise merch like this was a thing, biggest race I’ve ever done is the Great Manchester Run (10k) haha!
Do you know if Brooks will also do Berlin-themed shoes? I got some great socks from their stand at the Berlin expo last year, but didn’t see any shoes, the lobster ones are really cool!!