" Professional" Pics from my last race......................................

At most of the big races there will be a company taking pictures. A few days after the race they send you these little copies and offer them for sale. I have yet to see one of the pictures that I thought was worth the huge price they charge for them. Instead I am "borrowing" them for your viewing enjoyment.

I thought I would share them with you for a couple of reasons. First so you could see how nice all the other runners were to stay out of my pictures, letting me be the center of attention. Never mind the reality of the fact that these pictures were taken at around or after mile ten. Most of the others had already crossed the finish line and were drinking beer and/or munching on a banana. DESPITE that fact, let it be known that of the seven hundred plus runners there were one hundred and thirty-something runners that finished after me. As you can see by the pictures, I still don't have the notion of a race being about racing, I am too busy having fun.


In the first picture I saw the guy with the camera as I was coming up on him so I raised my arms and posed for the pic, just for kicks. This is also the posture I like use to work the crowds. Often people will have signs with names on them to cheer on certain people. As I amble pass them I have been known to shout out, "Hey! My name is Bob" (or whatever name is on the sign). " Where are my cheers?" They always graciously cheer me on. At one point in this particular race I rounded a corner that was filled with well wishers. As I am yelling and carrying on with them, I had to add, " The fact that I am able to have the energy to scream and shout like this tells you all that I am not running that fast. Cheer for me anyway!" A girl has to know her weakness now doesn't she?

If you squint really hard you can see that I am carrying my prayer cards with me. While I found myself easily distracted (nothing new here), I know that the prayers were lifted because I had spent some quiet, reflective time writing out the requests (and some that were not specifically requested, so I got you all in) before the race so when I came to a new mile and a new card, I sent my mind back to that quiet time and the race prayers became a reflection of that time. I hope you all felt the connection and the joy I expressed, and continue to express, for each and every one of you as you are always in my thoughts and prayers. Even those of you I don't know by name, as that is the power of prayer. Praise be to _____(insert your particular higher power here)!