Hello and happy Friday, my friends, and get ready to laugh! Thank you all so much for all the hilarious and awkward running photo submissions for my Brooks gear giveaway contest. It was so fun to see all of them come in! I got so many amazing photos I had a REALLY hard time deciding.
Before I share the winner(s) and some fun collages of all the photos I received, I think it’s only fair I share my own favorite awkward running photos – these are both from my first half marathon back in 2010 and I say to have, I look about as terrible as I felt. My awkwardly flailing hands add something nice to the photos, too, I think. Lol.
And now, without further ado, I think it’s time to announce the winner of my contest!
Let me preface this by warning you that the winning photo is slightly inappropriate – but it was just too funny to not be the winner and it won because it’s simply the photo that made me laugh the absolute hardest.
The winning photo is from fellow blogger Chris! (I know, I didn’t realize I had any guys reading this blog, either!) Here’s what he had to say for himself:
I should preface this photo somewhat; about halfway through the Las Vegas marathon 2011, I tore a Gu pack open with my teeth while running, and it essentially exploded and dripped all over my thigh.
At the time, I thought of it as nothing more than annoying and fairly unpleasant feeling.
It wasn’t until I got my race photograph back that I discovered the combination of my pained finish expression and the race gel, which had dripped down my leg and then dried, turning an off-which colour meant that I looked like I had enjoyed myself a little too much while crossing the finish line.
I don’t know many people who have an x-rated marathon finish photo, but it’s certainly not one I can hang on my wall!
How funny is that photo?! Congratulations, Chris! Send me an email and I’ll hook you up with Brooks to receive your grand prize – a pair of shoes, shirt, and pants of your choice from their website!
And now, since I got so many awesome ones, I decided to choose 3 runner up winners, too! Sadly I can’t offer the runner ups an official prize, but I do have a 40% off Brooks gear code that I can share – so email me if you’re one of the runner ups. 🙂
The first runner up is Emily! At first glance, this is a totally normal running photo. BUT WAIT! Here’s what Emily said: “This is from my second half-marathon, the Shamrock Half in Virginia Beach a few years back. The picture of us is not the great part. Please look closely at the man in the kilt to the left of the picture. Notice anything awkward?? And answers the age-old question of what real men wear under their kilts!”
Amazing, right?!
For second runner up, we have Lindsay! I love this photo. Here’s what she shared: “This was from a 5K race at USF that I participated in as part of Girls on the Run. My running buddy, Savyon, was SUPER fast, but I hung in for the race. She felt like if we didn’t sprint the entire time, we’d “lose.” When I saw the finish line, I pointed it out to her, “Savyon, look, we’re almost there!” She sees it, grabs my hand and takes off like a bullet. She’s like, “come on, come on, let’s go!” So, after sprinting the whole race, we entered into what I can only describe as warp drive to finish. Later, I told my friends that this little 5K was harder than most half marathons I’ve done. No joke.”
I love that there was someone there to capture her getting dragged along by an 11 year old! 🙂
And finally, third runner up goes to Kiersten! She said: “I just got my race pictures from last week’s Superhero Scramble and I look so awful in ALLLLLL of them!” I was cracking up over her facial expression in this one!
And now, for fun collages of all the photos I received, plus some extra commentary! There are some REAL gems. Enjoy! 🙂
In the middle below, in the blue, Katelin says: “This is me running the Purdue Half Marathon in Lafayette, IN. It was my second half and it was hard! The combination of the face, hair, and dinosaur hands makes it pretty comical. I am not sure if I am screaming to the gods, pooping my pants, or running scared from a mouse. Your guess is as good as mine!”
The one on the bottom right, below, came with some hilarious commentary from the owner, Sarah: “Besides the fact that my face is deformed due to either a strong gust of wind or my blazing fast speed (unlikely), it appears as if I am pushing an imaginary shopping cart while doing a one-legged dance.” Lol!
In the collage below, the one on the top left is a little hard to see but comes with a hilarious story from Bryanna, the woman in the photo, who was running her first full marathon: “In the photo I am in the green, carrying my shoes. Apparently I took my shoes off and ran the last 6 miles barefoot, and had great blisters because of it. The young man to my right (in black shorts, white shirt) is my friend Joe who did the half marathon and met me at mile 20 to give me some oranges. He ran the last 6 miles with me, trying to keep me calm. I don’t remember the last 6 miles, as I, I guess, lost my mind. I love his facial expression in this photo. He looks so relieved that the race is nearly over and he has done is part to get me to the finish. No one could keep me from running as I became combative and Joe says he will never look at me the same. I do remember everyone asking why I was carrying my shoes. And I realized I looked like someone on house arrest, as our timing chips wrapped around our ankles.”
Also, in the middle above, there are two photos from blog reader Sarah in yellow with the tutu – the photos are: “from the “Happiest Place on Earth”, where I ran the first half marathon on my own with a lovely combination of bronchitis and strep throat. The things we do for running <3.” So true!
Below, there are some real gems from my grad school friend Lauren – she’s covering her face with her hands in the top left, sticking out her tongue in the photo on the bottom left, and on the bottom right “just loving life running marathons,” as she put it. Too funny! Love the photo from the undie run, too!
I love the one below with the guy in the random viking hat. The woman who sent me the photo, Erika (in the purple shorts behind him), said: “This is from MCM last year. I’m walking through a water stop, not feeling hot, along with my new bff the viking. :)” Too funny! His facial expression doesn’t quite live up to his fun hat!
I love the one in the middle below! Jen said: “I was finishing an obstacle called the Catskill Skid at the Warrior Dash in 2010–and I look like I’m crying. I died when I saw it.”
Also great is the one in the above collage on the left, second up from the bottom. Sarah said: “This photo was taken right after I ran through the live wire obstacle at the Boston Tough Mudder this year. I always crack up at race photos because I always have the most aloof expression and apparently not even electric shocks will change this!” You can see the live wires around her in the photo and it literally just looks like she’s out walking in the park from her facial expression! Too funny!
I loved the bottom picture in the collage below – Amy said: “It was a “Happy Dirty Girls” run meant for only women, but my guy friend dressed up as “Ginger” and ran with us!” Lookin’ good, Ginger! 🙂
In the photo below in the middle top, check out the green man! Pamela, who sent me the photo, said: “My husband snapped this shot while I was freezing and waiting to run my first half at age 40, I’m in the black shivering. We don’t know the green man but he had us laughing quizzically.” Interesting choice of race day outfit! 🙂
I also loved the top right from my college sorority sister Lisa, who was running on her wedding day! Don’t worry – she was running to get TO the church on time, not away from it! Meanwhile, in the middle on the bottom below, Virginia (in blue) was at mile 12 of her first half marathon and looked like she was ready to cry. Don’t worry – she finished and is now training for a full marathon! 🙂
I hope you guys enjoyed this post and had a good laugh to start off your weekend. 🙂 I wish I could have shared all the commentary and larger versions of the photos from everyone – they were all so great! Again, thank you so much to everyone who entered. I’ll have to do another one of these contests in the future!
Which photo is your favorite? 🙂
Have a great weekend, everyone!
