Dropping a photo

Photos are up from the CityTrail run last Sunday. They're always a gruesome sight. Sometimes I envy the people who look good in those things. Their faces are normal colors, they're smiling, hands in the air. Overall fairly happy. I think it's the same way I envy the walkers with their cups of coffee when I see them out on my runs. At that moment I'd rather be them. Peaceful with their lattes and conversation, a stroll along the creek.

But alas, I am not that person. I am the person in photos with a bright red face, cheeks jerking downward from the shear force of my body hitting the ground with each step, the boob on my impact leg plunging toward the ground despite a suffocatingly tight sports bra, and suddenly displaying 3 extra chins I didn't know I had. Sometimes, mercifully, I have sunglasses on and it hides some of the anguish. I hate my running photos. And since they usually cost around $30 just to download one, I rarely get them. I have one from my first marathon, with Debbie running next to me.

This time I found one I like. And it's got a gorgeous background. And it was only $7 for a high resolution download.

They've got a ton of speed style photos where if you click through them fast enough, you can see me running, especially at the beginning. I always analyze these things for my foot placement when it hits the ground, my arm swing, are my quads sticking out nicely? I also look in them for clues on why on earth people stare at me when I run. I don't get it. Some smile or nod, others just stare like they can't tell I can see them staring because I have sunglasses on. Are they looking at my misery? Is my scar super noticeable? Is it the red RoadID on my left wrist? Is it the fact that I'm so small and yet you can hear my footsteps a mile away?

Jason says it's because I look mean when I run. Why on earth would you blatantly stare at someone who looks mean? That's just asking for it.

Are they wondering how such small boobs can run amok so easily in a tight sports bra? Well...me too. I am truly amazed with one of my photos from the Carlsbad Marathon in January of 2013. Since then I have purchased tighter bras. I mean shocking. I won't post that. I just didn't know they could travel so far without causing injury. They should have passports for that sort of thing. Now I pull on my sports bra and wonder how on earth I'm going to breathe.

Anyway, so here's a fairly decent photo of me running. Maybe one day I'll do a montage of bad ones....my misery and despair out for the world to see.