DO I REALLY LOOK LIKE THAT?
[WHAT is the skin on my calf doing in the above picture?!]
If these weren’t photos of me running a PR half marathon—one that was extremely emotionally significant to me—then I’d probably delete them from the Universe.
But they are, and vanity aside, I love seeing on the exterior what I know I was going through inside: pain, struggle, reserve, and inner strength. Check out the photos!
This is during mile 3 through the Denver Zoo!
Runners completed mile 8 after running through the Aurora Fire Station. This is where I experience a (very, very brief) runner’s high. Stupid-happy face!
Mile 8 again. The Real Life confession: I’m looking for a PortaPotty.
Just .1 mile from the Finish Line, I realized I was going to finish with a Garmin-running time of 1:59 and some change. Believe it or not, I was happy in this picture (and also, I’m not a 100-year-old confused woman).
Not positive where along the route this is, but I sure do look strong (and exhausted). I think it might’ve been near mile 11.
Here I am a few steps from the finish!
Annnnnnnnnnnd DONE. That face, though.
(This has been the week of not-the-prettiest faces.)
To see more pictures and to read a more in-depth account of the race in all its pain and glory, take a look at Race Recap: My Thoughts on the 2016 Colfax Half Marathon.
WHICH IS THE FUNNIEST FACE?
(IT’S OKAY. BE HONEST!)
(I personally just can’t get over the calf-skin wrinkles.)
The Real Life 
I really think they need to have signs saying “photographer ahead” so you can be prepared! I have so many race pictures where I am like really? WTF? These aren’t even close to some of the horrid pictures I have looked at from races. I do love it when they get pics of us looking at our watches though! 🙂
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I guess it’s just a rule of thumb that if you’re moving fast, you can’t quite look your best… but REALLY?! lol At least I’ve grown out of the “I think I’ll put on makeup for this race” phase. Eff that! 😉
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Ha! Right!
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That’s a great idea!
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I think you look fine. Like you said, you can’t look your best when you’re running fast. I won’t even buy my last race photos..I look like I have a pig’s nose!! Ridiculous. 😒
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HAHA! Heck no I’d never purchase these… they were free. 🙂
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Wow that’s nice! I get to see pics but they always have a logo or words over them so..I can’t really save or display them. And it seemed like your pics came in very quickly. Was it a small race or maybe just a well staffed photo company? I think mine took 2 weeks or so..but it was for the largest 15k in the US.
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It’s a huge race, but it seems to have been very well-staffed. I believe there are 16,000 runners who take part in five races total, and they sent each runner an email link with their images already filtered by bib number! I remember having to sort through thousands of images to find myself, so it’s so convenient that they did this for us! And they gave us the gift of not having to purchase them! Very smart marketing tactic, if you ask me.
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Yes, my pictures were filtered based on race bib # also but no pics were free.. 😔
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They should always be free, considering the entry fee!
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Agreed!! At least one pic, your choice.
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Noticing the negative comments about self appearance on here I would just like to say, as a photographer, I’d like to remind you that you’re running a marathon, not posing for a picture :). What you did is amazing. Plus when I look at pictures like this I want to feel what you went through. For example you mentioned “calf wrinkles” well I see it as how much energy it had to take at that moment to force your foot to pound the pavement in an unwillingness to give up. It’s all perspective, and from my perspective I just want to say congrats!
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I definitely agree! I am super proud of these pictures and the way I look (most often strong and determined) … but I can’t help but notice the opportunity for humor in some of these “candids.” 🙂
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The smile on your face throughout the race speaks volumes! Great spirit 🙂
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Aw, thanks! It was tough, but good.
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Congratulations! You look awesome! Strong is always beautiful.
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