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Behind the scenes at 3M Half Marathon packet stuffing
Visiting 3M during packet stuffing for upcoming 3M Half Marathon & Relay last week was sort of like stopping by Santa’s workshop.
Big cartons of tape, Post-It notes, knee braces and lint rollers.
Industrious employees, carefully loading items into small string backpacks.
One young volunteer, lamenting the fact that he’s an elf and not a dentist.
OK, I made that last part up. But I did get a happy, magical feeling when I swept through the room where employee volunteers were busy at work last week, loading 3M products into bags for runners who have registered for the Jan. 29 race.
“They’re the best bags of any of the runs they’ve ever done, that’s what people tell me,” electrical engineer Bill Taylor said as he dropped a protein cookie into his final, 1,500th bag of the day.
(That’s Taylor, comfortably resting in a bin of Post-It Notes, in the photo above.)
Taylor has helped stuff bags for 18 years and counting. He used to run the race, too, but traded the excitement of crossing the finish line for the thrill of tossing blister pads and flexible sanding pads into the packets, named “Best Schwag” by Runner’s World in January 2008.
“I’m not sure which is harder, spending two hours here or running the race,” said Jonathan Haggar, an engineer in the company’s manufacturing group, as he wrapped up a two-hour shift.
Each bag contains eight products, plus literature and a protein cookie. Not every bag is the same.
Eager to get your hands on your stash? The race has sold out, but if you’re already registered, you can get your bag during packet pickup, scheduled for 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27 and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Norris Conference Center, 2525 West Anderson Lane‚ Suite 365 - behind Northcross Shopping Center.
For more information about the run, go here.
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