Race pictures

I just got saw proofs from my half marathon official race pictures. Unfortunately they did not look the way I imagine I do when I run.  See, when I feel good, I imagine I look like a cross between Olympians and running models, smooth, strong, lean, well-groomed, and breathing easily with my well-defined muscles in perfect form.  Maybe even smiling slightly, because I look good.  

In reality, even when I feel good, I look like a galloping, red faced hippo.  My hair swings wildly, my smile is a grimace, my body looks contorted instead of smooth, and my quads are always in recoil so they never show the muscles I'm sure must have been present but apparently ran to hide when they saw the photographer.  And on a bad day, it is even worse.

To prevent terrible pictures, I have decided all future running pictures should be taken of me from the knee down.  What can go wrong with the calf? As long as it is clean shaven, the calf always looks how it is supposed to, strong and orderly.  It does its job and looks good doing it.  The ankle and the shoe always follow in line.  This way I won't have to worry about my face showing the strain that I feel, spit hanging from my chin as I gasp for what could be my dying breath right when the photographer snaps the next shot.  Calf-only shots will show none of that.  

My sweet mother in law, who would never intentionally say anything unkind, convinced me of how I must really look when I run.  She saw me after my post race shower and commented, "Wow.  You look beautiful.  Not like you ran at all." At least now I know.  Perhaps appreciating the beauty of a runner mid-race is an acquired taste.