The Indianapolis Monumenal Marathon Packet Pick-up.

Greetings from Indianapolis... again.   This time for the FULL Marathon!  26.2 miles!  In the COLD of November...  Cheryl chose this time to fit in her Marathon run.   Her second one of the year. 

16 degrees!  Brrrr Chilly!

It was cold this morning in Iowa.   16 degrees!   And it is supposed to be cold at the start with a pleasant wind chill for most of the day.   Cheryl says i is going to stay in he 30's for most of the race.   Looks like she will be running in tights instead of Shorts.

Well,  the packet pickup was a joy.   Downtown and lots of people.   The convention hall was HUGE and there were many vendors... But Cheryl had memorized her bib number and wanted to go straight to the packet pick up counter.   

We then headed to the official merchandise so we could pick up a sticker for the car and a Jacket.  Cheryl likes it when she can get a jacket for a Marathon,  but sometimes they either lack having them or they are a design she disapproves of.   She settled on a rather large version of a Gore tex.   I personally think Gore tex is awesome and being slightly larger is great to fit layers of warmer clothing underneath.   But Cheryl likes Style over Function....  What are ya going to do?

Small Note:   LOTS of Boston Jackets there today. All different colors!    Cheryl felt like she belonged to an elite club.

We did not want to linger too long after 6 hours of drive time,  but I was pleasantly surprised that Deena Kastor was here!  There was a rumor that she would lead the Elite Pace group for the half marathon, but got hurt,  so then she was supposed to just MC the event.   Cheryl said she would be gone before we got there, but there she was!    Cheryl did not want to wait in line to get a selfie with her, so I snapped a pic with them both in the frame.   Deena took that moment to sign an autograph...

Deena in the Background. 

Really!  It's Deena Kastor!

But Hey!   Celeb Sighting!   You have to take what you can get.   As for now...  Time to relax,   Sugar up, and prepare for an insanely early rise and shine tomorrow.   Looks like I will not have the opportunity to see Cheryl at very many places.   IT could be a repeat of the Twin Cities and Chicago... and Boston.   Namely,  I see her at the Start and finish only.  It is probably a good thing since I usually end up taking too many pics of her anyway. 

Oh!   And another Challenge will be completed at the end of this race.  Cheryl has already run the Half Marathon that was linked to this one. ( The Ft Ben Half Marathon.)   When she completes the Full Marathon,  she will get a additional Challenge award.   If she does not forget it, that is.

So fingers crossed!  With a head wind, cold temps,  heavy clothing and all the other things that could slow her down,  she is looking to finish with a decent time.   Any PR or Boston Qual Time might be a little out of reach.  Then again, she says that every race.   I'll be happy with a few pics, a finishers medal, and the entire thing safely behind us.   My work does not end with the finish line... it just begins.