After my last ultra effort, a 50k in October, I posted some less than flattering photos of yours truly on course. (Go ahead, click on this link if you must see them for yourself.) In that post I cite not paying attention to the photographer as the main reason that my pictures are not all that glamorous.
In my efforts to be authentic and just focus on my race effort, I end up popping a gummy into my mouth at the wrong time, yielding one awkward chewing photo, and in another picture taken toward the end of the race, I showcase every bit of the fatigue that I was feeling.
My conclusion about race photos after looking at the pictures from that race?
I’ve noticed that when I’m flipping through a race’s free* professional race photos, I most enjoy the pictures where runners are flashing a big smile and a thumbs up to the photog, jumping, or otherwise hamming it up for the camera. To be honest, I’m not thinking about how the post-race photos will turn out while I’m racing.
But maybe I could?
It’s such a small amount of time in an ultra—those moments where you run by the person with the huge lens pointed at you—why not take a few seconds to strike a pose or flash a smile?
I may need to write this personal goal into my next race plan.
While I didn’t actually include this bit of instruction on any spreadsheets in preparation for Rocky Raccoon, I did remember this reflection while out there on course, and more importantly, when I noticed a big lens pointed at me, I applied this advice.
I smiled.
And waved.
The results this time around are far more preferable to the race where I just pretended the photographer wasn’t there.
Lesson learned.
And the extra effort didn’t make my ultra experience an iota more painful than it already was!
Who knows? Maybe it was the instant potatoes? Like the potatoes, it’s a strategy that worked, and I plan to keep it around.
Stay tuned for what worked #3 in my next Rocky Raccoon post. Even though I DNF’d, I learned a ton, and am filing away quite a few tips to take into my next ultra.
*of note:
I mention free race photos when I wrote about TROT’s Mission Tejas event, because those photographs were, indeed, complementary. They were advertised pre-race as being included in the race package that I purchased. I’m sure that TROT in some way pays for their racers to have those photos, so while free to me, they are likely not free in the purest sense.
To be clear, the race photos I posted today, from the Rocky Raccoon race I just participated in via Tejas Trails, were not free. They were never advertised as free, but instead offered for purchase from the race photographers who worked the event.
There’s no right way to do it—this is my second time purchasing race photos after an event. I’ve also downloaded “free” race photos a time or two as well.
Gorgeous! I’m loving the pants! I’m proud of those 69.4 miles!! Way to go!!