The race expo. It’s a cross between a runners’ shopping paradise and an exercise in conquering agoraphobia.

Many race organizations require participants to pick up their bibs and t-shirts there, which also serves as a revenue generator and a marketing opportunity for sponsors.

But not all runners like to peruse the maze of crowded aisles in the days before a big race to try the latest energy bars, compression gear, or self-massage tools. Many runners find the expo visit the most stressful or inconvenient part of the racing experience.

For those who register for races that require the trek to the expo, we offer a few coping tips from seasoned runners.

1. Health & Injuries. Those who design expos create floor layouts designed to force the maximum number of attendees to have to pass through as many vendors as possible after getting their race bibs and shirts, but before finding their way out. For that reason, Karen London, who recently ran a half marathon in Phoenix, tries to know an escape route before she gets there.

“I just go get my number and get out as fast as I can,” she says. “I ask how to get out as soon as I go in and ignore the rest.”

Usually London also tries to have somebody else drive her there and wait in the car—parking just prolongs the entire process.

“I also don’t hesitate to duck out between screens or under curtains and back out the way I came in rather than go through as they want you to,” she says.

2. Go during off-hours. If you have the flexibility to attend an expo during working hours or on the first day it opens (the big race expos go on for several days), not only is the process expedited, but it is also easier to enjoy shopping around if you choose.

Emily Slager has run 46 marathons. Living outside of Boston, in Waltham, Massachusetts, has given her valuable experience in navigating the granddaddy of them all—the Boston Marathon expo. A mother of twin toddler girls, she is sure to leave them at home so she can either get through quickly or slow down if she wants.

“My expo strategy has been to go early or the oddest hours I can manage and then beeline in and out—no kids or slow family members in tow,” Slager says. “I’ve definitely cut out of work to get to the Boston expo before all the tourists roll in.”

3. Races - Places. Check the race’s policy first. If it’s allowed and you truly dread going, sometimes it’s possible to send an expo-loving friend to pick up your race materials for you.

Bob Carrick, who lives in New Jersey, finds bib pickup stress-inducing. His wife? Not so much. If an organization allows it, she is happy to go in his stead.

“She loves to get all the free stuff and doesn’t mind diving in and out of tables,” Carrick says.

Australian Sprinter, 16, Runs Record-Breaking 200m.

“I stay in the middle of the aisle as we walk down the row and she gets anything I might have some interest in,” he says.

4. Pro Runners Ask: Is My Agent Worth the Fee. Welch Suggs, a longtime runner from Athens, Georgia, ran a race in Detroit last year that made him rethink the kinds of events he’ll attend in the future. He had his two kids with him, ages 7 and 9, and stood in a long line to even enter the venue.

“I appreciate they want to make money, but by the time I’ve invested in a race entry and dealt with the crowds, the last thing I want to do is wade through overpriced merchandise I could find just as easily at my local running store,” Suggs says.

Suggs sticks to small-town races more often these days because picking up race bibs and shirts is less of a hassle, but if he does attend a big-city event, he has a few rules—the most important of which is, “bring snacks.”

5. Olympian Elle St. Pierre Is Expecting Second Child. Jacki Lenners has run her share of Rock ’n’ Roll races, which tend to be bigger affairs. In order to stay focused she figures out beforehand if she really wants to buy anything while she’s there and if she has any pressing pre-race questions.

“If nothing there is worth my time, I put blinders on,” she says. “For a big race, I do think it’s worth it to visit the booth for the local tourism office or transit to talk about race-day logistics and how the hell to get to the start line.”

Pro Runners Ask: Is My Agent Worth the Fee?

“Most race expos are at convention centers, which are usually located near bars,” Lenners says, joking. “Carbo load with a beer before entering the expo.”