Unflattering pics: I’m not on Social Media... - Bridge to 10K

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Unflattering pics

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator
85 Replies

I’m not on Social Media other than this forum and following parkrun on Twitter in case of cancellations etc.

but last night I was on my home PC entering a 5K Christmas road race on the 27th of December when I decided to look up my local parkrun on the Facebook page. I’m not on Facebook but I can still look at the photo’s etc. I just can’t post which suits me fine. Anyway I decided to look at the photos from last Saturday’s parkrun. The photos were really well taken and I kept scrolling through them. I was running a comfortable slower pace for me and felt really comfortable and at ease all the way through the 5K. But when I came across a couple of photos of me mid stride I looked like I was taking a fit and 10 years older than 45. 😂🙈

I had this perception that I was an athlete. But it turns out I look like a middle aged man who is about to blow a gasket. Glad I’m not on Facebook now.😀

Damien

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damienair profile image
damienair
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85 Replies
RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10

And luckily, because you are not on Facebook, you cannot post that photo here :)

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toRunaroundSue

I wouldn’t dare. Looks like I’ve no neck and my head is about to explode. 🥵

And there I was thinking I was comfortable and running a nice easy 5K.😀

JonathanP profile image
JonathanPGraduate10 in reply todamienair

You could post a link to the Facebook page though ! 😋

primaballerina profile image
primaballerina in reply toJonathanP

YES - we all want to see it now... (note my profile is an unflattering picture of me after a run!) I have no standards!

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toprimaballerina

Oh god no! I couldn’t do that to anyone. 🥵😂😂

Buddy34 profile image
Buddy34Graduate10

Me to Damien, I don't do any social media apart from this forum. Someone on here had mentioned parkrun photos on Facebook so I looked them up and have got into the habit after I attend parkrun and NO they are not flattering at all 😂😂

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toBuddy34

😂😂😂 I won’t be getting into that habit. Best to have a false belief that I look like an Olympian.

Buddy34 profile image
Buddy34Graduate10 in reply todamienair

I think they need a motion camera 😂😂.

Bluebirdrunner profile image
BluebirdrunnerGraduate10

Carry on livin' the dream Damien😉 your running acheivements speak for themselves!!😊💪🔥xx

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toBluebirdrunner

I’ll just stay off Facebook. No more looking at mid run photos of myself.😃

mrrun profile image
mrrunGraduate10

Top athletes in action don't look chilled out either. You see strain everywhere, from muscles to facial expressions. What makes their photos look more 'appealing' however , is their phenomenal fitness and, erm, youth. Things that in my case would require top level photoshop master with wild imagination.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply tomrrun

I’ll keep an eye out for a photoshop master.😀 Definitely won’t be posting those pics up here.

ForbiddenPlanet profile image
ForbiddenPlanetGraduate10

Ha ha. If I ever make it to Park Run I would not dare to look! 🤣

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toForbiddenPlanet

I adore parkrun. I love everything about it. Other than my photos in mid stride. Ha ha.

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10

I now use Facebook for two things only. The Ukulele group/page (because I am one of the admins!)

And parkrun. A week or so before we visit a tourist parkrun I follow it just to get a heads up if any changes occur, eg when Yeovil was cancelled due to stormy weather, to save a wasted journey. We also use the visitor posts to ask about height restrictions on the carpark so that we know in advance whether we will get our Romahome under or if we have to find an alternative place to park.

I don't post on my own Facebook page now.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toRunaroundSue

I used to have a Facebook account until about 5 years ago. I don’t miss it and I can still look in on parkrun Facebook pages if I need to.

I was staying over at my mum and dads last night. I ran a parkrun this morning with my wife Nicola. We never get to do a parkrun together. It was lovely and we had a post parkrun breakfast too.

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10 in reply todamienair

That's nice. Breakfast after parkrun is always good.

We volunteered today so that we could go straight to the ukulele gig, but we still found a place to buy a bacon buttie :)

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toRunaroundSue

Well done for volunteering. My sister is a music teacher and bought my son a ukulele last year. I was busy watching YouTube and learning a couple of songs with him. But I’m not very musically gifted. Must pull it out and have another go at it.

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10 in reply todamienair

Yes, have another go. I had never played anything before I was given my first ukulele for Christmas 8 years ago. I taught myself a handful of chords from Ukulele for Dummies, then within a month saw an article in the paper about a new ukulele club so went along. It was really good for helping me learn - the club is still going strong although only two of us from the first meeting are still there.

I don't really learn well from watching YouTube but playing in a group is very helpful.

I can now also play guitar and, after a workshop at a folk festival, learning to play tin whistle, which has the added bonus of beginning to read music.

Anyway if you want some songs to play, feel free to download our songbook. All songs have chord diagrams, choose ones with just 2 or 3 chords to start with.

stockportukulele.blogspot.c...

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toRunaroundSue

Thank you so much RunaroundSue , I can still remember a couple of tunes on the Tin Whistle from School. I will have another go at the Ukulele.

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10 in reply todamienair

So you are more musically gifted than I was when I started.

We can have a jam at the Giant's Causeway in October.

There is also some information for beginners on the webpage, written by my friend.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toRunaroundSue

I’m certainly not musically gifted. I am tone deaf. I have 2 brothers and two sisters. Of 5 siblings, 1 has music in her blood. She teaches choir and competes at school level. She also is a voice coach and teaches piano. She can just pick up an instrument and play it, guitar, ukulele, recorder, tin whistle. She is also my running buddy for 10K events.

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10 in reply todamienair

I am totally in awe of anyone who can do that.

Two things I never imagined I could do were play an instrument and run. Not particularly good at either, but good enough to enjoy both :)

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10

Oh Damien, I’m sure you’re being hard on yourself! 😅 You’re a lovely runner. 👍🏃‍♂️

If you want to see really unflattering photos, find ones of me mid-run. I look like I’m a shuffling old biddy, whereas in reality I feel like I’m striding out nicely. One was taken at PR a couple of weeks ago and I even gave the photographer a friendly wave and a cheery smile. I found it on FB. Excuse me, how many chins? 😳 I don’t even have a double chin in real life. How unfair is that? 🤣

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply tocheekychipmunks

Ha ha. I know, same for me. I look like I have a double chin which is welded onto my chest, no neck, 😀 and my face is red and looks like I’m about to explode. Plus it looks like I didn’t sleep for a month with the bags under my eyes. And all along I was saying to myself that I was going along at a lovely comfortable pace. Definitely would not be a pic for a dating website. Thank goodness I’m married.😂😂

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply todamienair

Yes, me too! Where do our necks go and why do our chins multiply? 🤣🤣

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate10

I don’t ‘do’ social media either apart from here, I haven’t got time and I don’t trust Facebook! But I know what you mean about the photos. From all the races I’ve done over the years I’ve only ever bought one photo simply because I look half way alive. In some of the others I don’t even recognise myself at all 🤔 I feel your shock 🙀😂

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toIrishprincess

Haha. During the summer when I was at my best fitness wise I looked at a few pics on Facebook on the parkrun page and I looked ok, not great but ok. Wow how the camera has a way of ruining self belief in how you feel against how the world actually sees you. 😂

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate10 in reply todamienair

You’re talking to a woman who didn’t recognise herself in a full length mirror once and started chatting to the “woman” who didn’t get out of my way 🙄

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toIrishprincess

LOL 😂

mrrun profile image
mrrunGraduate10 in reply toIrishprincess

On the plus side, there could only be worse. As a hot weather aficionado l would be seen around beaches and you know what look is preferred there...My son finds my middle aged presence hilarious but l always tend to stick around him as he, as a swimmer, is in possession of a proper torso, so nobody, NOBODY, pays attention to a slim, bespectacled, greying marathon runner. I perfected my cunning positioning.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply tomrrun

My 2 young men will be putting me into that position soon I’m sure. 😂

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate10 in reply tomrrun

Beaches and hot summer days! One of my nightmare scenarios 🙀all that sand 😖

But I bet you still get a few appreciative glances mrrun .....

mrrun profile image
mrrunGraduate10 in reply toIrishprincess

Yeah, the ambiguous ones that can be interpreted both as interest as well as deep sympathy.

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate10 in reply tomrrun

😂 I doubt that’s the case 😉

About the sympathy I mean.

Grannyhugs profile image
GrannyhugsGraduate10

Oh no, the joys of easy photo posting. I was contemplating my 1st parkbrun but you’ve put me right off if they post photos 😂😂😂

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toGrannyhugs

Don’t be put off by the photos. I adore parkrun. I love everything about it. Photographer is one of the volunteer roles. They only post them up on the local parkrun Facebook page. I don’t care who sees them. Photos are posted every week so no one cares. I don’t look at them very often.

I just got a shock as I thought I was having a lovely relaxed easy run which I was. But my photo looked like I was about to explode a gasket.😀😀

primaballerina profile image
primaballerina in reply todamienair

I expect your "relaxed" run would be nearer my record run for 5K which caused me to take 2 weeks off after straining my achilles! So not slow at all, and I can't say I looked good during or after that run! Also I noted that just doing a few minutes faster time for a 5k nearly doubled my calorie useage according to Garmin. Anyhow you definately ARE an athelete... if you can do 5K in 30 mins or under - and your 'under' objectives and acheivements are pretty amazing.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toprimaballerina

Ah thank you. I’ve gone from a back field runner to a 1/3 field position. But lately have really enjoyed slowing back down and just easing into the run. It’s lovely to do 5K and feel like you could do another one. I’m planning on doing a New Years Day Double.

Spike75 profile image
Spike75 in reply toGrannyhugs

I’m doing my first one on Saturday. Delamere Forest, Cheshire. I don’t live near there any more but my Dad is about 5 miles away and we are going back for a funeral tomorrow. Might as well do SOMETHING fun this weekend, and dear, departed Auntie Val would approve.

Grannyhugs profile image
GrannyhugsGraduate10 in reply toSpike75

Sorry to hear about Auntie Val, give her a run to be proud of 😁

Spike75 profile image
Spike75 in reply toGrannyhugs

I hope to be under 40 minutes.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toSpike75

Well done. Enjoy Delamere Forest, I’m sure you’ll love it. Sorry to hear about your Auntie.

Elisabeth3 profile image
Elisabeth3Graduate10 in reply toGrannyhugs

Go for that parkrun. Don't mind the photos. Not everyone appears on the photos...

runwithdog profile image
runwithdogGraduate10

i look awful in our pr pics but am so pleased with them because i cant actually believe i am out doing this with all these nice running people.

(was told at school i could not run,50yrs later it seems i can a bit :) )

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply torunwithdog

Well done. I don’t mind my pic being taken at parkrun. I just don’t want to see it afterwards. I don’t look so good.😃

FawnDoo profile image
FawnDoo

I recently ran in the Glasgow 10k and really enjoyed it, but when I looked at the post-event photos captured at points along the route, I looked like I was being tortured in every single one! I prefer to think that we’re just so focused on the run that we don’t spare a thought for unimportant things like mugging for cameras 😃

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toFawnDoo

Ha ha. Yeah, I sometimes smile and wave to the camera. If anything that makes it worse. I look like I’m in the middle of some kind of medical emergency episode.🤣

Sybilw profile image
SybilwGraduate10

Oh I think I’m the same so that’s a reminder not to look!! Great that we get out there though. 🏃🏼‍♀️ 🏃‍♂️

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toSybilw

Absolutely. I adore parkrun. I just have a deranged fantasy that I must look like an Olympic athlete in mid stride. In actual fact I look like I’m in the middle of a life threatening situation 😂. Damn cameras.

Sybilw profile image
SybilwGraduate10 in reply todamienair

I saw myself on our local rat run. Like you - my illusion shattered. Hunched over and legs flailing. 🤣🤣

marmalademonster profile image
marmalademonsterGraduate10

You’re out there doing it! Those that mind what you look like don’t matter and those that matter, don’t mind! That’s the extent of my running wisdom by the way!

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply tomarmalademonster

I don’t care either who sees the pics. Just as long as I don’t.😃 I just look so uncomfortable when in fact I was the 31 minute pacer running an easy 5K a few minutes slower than normal.

Spike75 profile image
Spike75

I had a similar experience doing a 5k in Nottingham on Dec 1st. Felt ace, looked horrific!!!

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toSpike75

Exactly. It’s hilarious really. You’ve got to laugh.

Oldgirlruns profile image
OldgirlrunsGraduate10

I feel your pain - I always imagine I’m running along with grace and flair. Regrettably, everyone else sees the absolute opposite.......🥴

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toOldgirlruns

It’s a great feeling though when you finish a full 5K any day. It was something that I could not do 3 years ago.

Idkwhattodo123 profile image
Idkwhattodo123

Lol. You might even inspire someone out there!

I am the same I think I am running like Paula Radcliffe" but the reality is far from it! I crawl along like a snail - I've had lots of people laugh at me, but I am beyond caring. 😁

linda9389 profile image
linda9389Graduate10 in reply toIdkwhattodo123

No way? Laugh? Are you sure? They must have something to hide - couch residers feeling guilty and belittled 🤬

linda9389 profile image
linda9389Graduate10

So I read this first thing and immediately empathised - I hate my race and parkrun photos with a vengeance. You'd have to go a long way to find someone who looks more 'special' (and not in a good way!). But mulling it over on the dog walk this morning it struck me that how you feel is worth a gazillion times more than any photo! The value of feeling good when you're running? That's priceless. Go you!

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply tolinda9389

Thanks Linda. A year ago my Parkrun PB was 31:04. And it had been a year or more since I’d reached that type of finish time. Now it’s 25:36 and a 31 minute 5K for me now is an easy run. I was doing 31 minute pacer that day and running with ease, I just looked awful in the photos, you’d think I was in the middle of a medical emergency.😃

I don’t give a hoot who sees the pics. I’m proud to have done 57 parkruns so far. All of them have been very rewarding and special.

Damien

linda9389 profile image
linda9389Graduate10 in reply todamienair

Wow! That's a fabulous 5K time, and great progression! No one else would look twice at the photos, but they may well look twice at a time like that 😍

Run46 profile image
Run46Graduate10

That's hilarious Damien...so sorry your bubble's been burst 😂

I'm happy to say I've never seen any pics of myself running so can still pretend I look like a gazelle 😉

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toRun46

Anyone who is off the couch is a gazelle in comparison to the couch potato I once was.

Run46 profile image
Run46Graduate10 in reply todamienair

And so say all of us 👍

Emm8 profile image
Emm8Graduate10

In my head I look like Mo Farah

On the parkrun photos.....

I don't 😂😂😂

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toEmm8

😂😂 so glad I’m not alone

iain-strachan profile image
iain-strachanGraduate10

There's one of me, taken on a Parkrun in August this year, where I look like a zombie!

Couchpotato2 profile image
Couchpotato2 in reply toiain-strachan

Proof...

JaoJao profile image
JaoJaoGraduate10

Ahhh don't worry about it Damien, i'm the same! I've been told by my friends I have good running form but on the parkrun photos I look like a dumpy elephant! Parkrun photos are not flattering at all! If you are bothered by the pics then I know that at parkrun when you come in front of the photographer, if you cross your arms they will not take your photo or they will simply delete it. I'm sure you are not that bothered by it though are you :)

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toJaoJao

I don’t care one little bit. I just incorrectly believed I looked like an elite athlete when in fact I look like I’m in agony. And not very pretty either😂.

I don’t care who sees them.

Damien

Aspire24 profile image
Aspire24Graduate10

Oh Damienair I know just how you feel😂. On the plus side I look slimmer but somehow redder and oh so sweaty, or is that a glow😂😂. But I do so love that feeling at the finish line, even if I’m only chasing my PB 🏃‍♀️

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toAspire24

I too love that finish line feeling. I went to a different parkrun this morning. The last kilometre was a straight. You could see the finish line volunteers in their high biz vest off in the distance. I thought the end would never come. But I paced nicely and was delighted with my 28:25 finish time. I enjoyed the post parkrun glow and breakfast.

Deals1 profile image
Deals1Graduate10

Sorry but this did make me smile 😂☺️

Yep totally know how u feel! I must admit I'm on social media as handy for some stuff, and I don't post personal stuff. Anyways I sometimes scour the weekly parkrun pics (unless I've taken them! 😂) to see if anyone of me.. That might give a clue to my running style etc.... BUT If I find one.... I actually look NOTHING like I think I do in my little head 😂😂🤔. I look in pain, not happy and as if I'm about to collapse! So don't worry u aren't the only one.

Let's just keep our happy thoughts 😂😊👍

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toDeals1

😂😂😂 good to know I’m not alone. I don’t remember seeing a photographer at parkrun this morning. I think I dodged another awful pic. But I loved the run and was happy with my 28:25 finish, plus parkrun breakfast and got to spend the morning with my wife.

Deals1 profile image
Deals1Graduate10 in reply todamienair

Great time. U r getting closer to sub 25. And breakfast too. Great start to the weekend 😀😀

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toDeals1

Thank you. I was closer in August and September. I got down to 25:36 at parkrun. That’s my PB. I have slowed down since but still have a good base. I’ll work on speed again in the new year.

My 2020 goals are, sub 25 Min parkrun time, 25 Volunteer, 100 parkrun t-shirt and silver level obsession badge, (40 x parkruns in a year).

Couchpotato2 profile image
Couchpotato2

Haha, I believe it’s quite normal to look awful in running photos. I remember feeling so good about a particular run and feeling almost gazelle like. Saw a photo, look like a toad waiting for it’s lunch. I reckon it’s best to stick with the feeling!

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toCouchpotato2

😂😂 definitely best to focus on the feeling and dream that we are elite athletes.

Couchpotato2 profile image
Couchpotato2 in reply todamienair

exactly. I got a bit obsessed with the topic after that and looked at loads of photos online and felt better. If you look at my link below you'll see that even elite athletes dont look good in running photos. Coincidentally, my mum took photos of me running today and they are ok, I even have one with flying feet!

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply toCouchpotato2

My pics from last week were car crash in comparison to the ones online.😂

Couchpotato2 profile image
Couchpotato2 in reply todamienair

yes I think some of mine are far worse. the toad one especially...

Couchpotato2 profile image
Couchpotato2

This is a fun read: runnersworld.com/runners-st...

Couchpotato2 profile image
Couchpotato2 in reply toCouchpotato2

And this: runnersworld.com/runners-st...

Couchpotato2 profile image
Couchpotato2

And i found this: google.co.uk/amp/s/metro.co...

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