Ow! My legs are rebelling...

[Patrysha]

It's Trade Show weekend in my small northern town and we're two days in with one more to go. My legs are in a state of rebellion and I am only hoping I can still walk when four pm rolls around today. Taking a mostly sedentary person like myself and putting them out to stand on a concrete floor for three days is torture. We've had anti-fatigue mats in there since the second day and I think they did help, but the damage was already done by night one. My body is just not used to this anymore!

On the plus side...all my clients are thrilled with the booth and we won first prize for Best Use of Space in the multiple category (they had one prize for single booths and one prize for those with more than one booth--we had two)

So now I have snazzy little sign and bragging rights and picked up a little bit of free publicity (both radio stations so far, and I am thinking the paper will catch up when they publish on Wednesday)

[KristineS]

Congratulations on the first prize, that's awesome!

I do identify with your sore legs though. I've done a trade show or two in my time and there is never a way to find comfortable enough shoes. Those cement floors are torture. We finally broke down and bought padded flooring and that helps quite a lot. It was relatively cheap and it since our companies do several trade shows a year it's saved a lot of wear and tear on our people. If you do a lot of trade shows, it's worth it.

[Steve B]

I use the padded floors that go together like a puzzle in bright colors. They are good for a kids play room. It was pretty inexpensive. I did a three day trade show and my legs were fine. But, I'm normally on my feet a lot during the day.

[Patrysha]

Well made it through and I'm still walking...so all is well :-) The mats really did help, it was the first night that was brutal. Now I know I won't forget if I do the same thing next year.

[vangogh]

Congrats on taking first prize. I hear you about the standing. You have to get used to it, though in this case just as you're getting used to it you're stopping.

Many years ago I worked where my job meant walking door to door. The first few days I'd come home and my legs felt like rubber. Fast forward a week or two and they felt fine after being used to all the walking.

Standing without walking has always seemed harder to me than walking.

[KristineS]

I think standing without walking is harder. It seems to me like that is more wear and tear on your legs.

Just thinking about it makes me want to avoid trade shows entirely. Not sure I'm going to be able to manage that this year though.

[Patrysha]

We were lucky with this one in that we did have two booths and it was laid out so we did have room to walk in the booth. It might have been in a 20ft x 10ft square, but I did keep moving most of the time I was there. I don't think I could stand still if I tried!

[Blacktalon]

It's Trade Show weekend in my small northern town and we're two days in with one more to go. My legs are in a state of rebellion and I am only hoping I can still walk when four pm rolls around today. Taking a mostly sedentary person like myself and putting them out to stand on a concrete floor for three days is torture. We've had anti-fatigue mats in there since the second day and I think they did help, but the damage was already done by night one. My body is just not used to this anymore!

On the plus side...all my clients are thrilled with the booth and we won first prize for Best Use of Space in the multiple category (they had one prize for single booths and one prize for those with more than one booth--we had two)

So now I have snazzy little sign and bragging rights and picked up a little bit of free publicity (both radio stations so far, and I am thinking the paper will catch up when they publish on Wednesday)
That's all you're standing for? Bah. I've worked for 8 1/2 hours straight AND walked 10 KMs all within the same evening, multiple times!

Think of the calories you've burned though ;)

Congrats on the prize. Your resilience enabled you to go straight to the end and take the prize.

Now share it with us ;)

[Patrysha]

So have I (stood/walked for long periods of time) - it's just that was when I was much younger and before I had a driver's license (I got mine when I was 33).

I've been primarily sedentary for a long time.

And I already had lost 10lbs before the Trade Show without trying...

All in all...it was a good thing.

My clients/co-vendors have all offered to pay more towards the costs of pulling it off as they all realized that I hadn't accounted for the costs of the second booth when we made the deal. (I made the decision at the last minute when three booths to the sold out show became available and didn't consult anyone...but I knew it had to be done - and my theory was correct in the end)

Anyway...even losing money I am well ahead of where I was at this time last week. My business name was broadcast over both radio stations and is likely to be in the paper, I made several valuable connections that I can follow up on and turn into solid business...and I did have a blast despite the pain.

Already plans are in the works for more co-promotion strategies and I'm quite excited about what the next couple of months have in store :-)

[orion_joel]

What really kills the legs is a job, where you are working night shift, and walking around and around a room with a concrete floor and thin lino covering. For sometimes not just 8 hours but anything up to 10 or 11 hours. With almost no chance to sit down.

You get use to it for little periods but it always starts to hurt again at some point.