I ran a 5k yesterday (yay for me and my two girls who did it too!).
As I sprinted to the finish line, I knew the look on my face was one of sweaty determination. But as soon as I saw my husband (and his camera), I put on a happy face—both to high-five my little guy and because the camera was there.
But then last night, my good friend Shannon posted this photo of me on Facebook and quipped, “Christina coming in for the finish. Are you going to remove this picture Christina?“
She had a point—NOT a great shot of me. I’m soaked, from the water I dumped on my head, the hose young girls pointed at us as we ran past, and sweat. I look every bit the 10+ pounds heavier than I should be. And, my expression is not flattering.
I was tempted to untag but I haven’t yet, and Shannon later said it best: “It’s a “real” picture…I like it!”
Like my decision to (sometimes) don a bikini even when my body isn’t at its best, I’m trying to be ok with how I look at this moment. Even when this moment is sweaty, tired and not camera-ready.
(though, this photo of me disco dancing instead of stretching? It’s a keeper, a ridiculous keeper)
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You, my dear? Are awesome!
I was very tempted to untag the picture from John that shows my sweaty armpits BEFORE we even started running. Running shows some very unflattering photos but I figure that running isn't easy so if a picture shows our hard work, even better!
You know, I heard someone say that no blogger should ever post an unflattering or unedited picture of themselves. Which I think is CRAZY!
We get all annoyed at the media for having airbrushed pictures of celebrities and models and yet we're not able to show pictures of ourselves as we really are?
I've been overcoming this phobia lately by purposely putting unflattering pictures of myself on the blog. (Like the one where I'm one month post-partum. YIKES.)
And your photos? Not at all unflattering, btw. You look like a running rockstar. That's the thing, pics we find unflattering tend to be the stuff everyone else sees and thinks That's perfectly normal.
Don't you dare untag that photo! It absolutely *is* you at your best – you've just accomplished something that you worked hard for.
I have to agree with Julie: you look positively powerful. It's a keeper.
You are a forty-something, asthmatic, mother of three and you just ran a friggin' 5K in 99% humidity. WOOHOO! That photo is nothing to be ashamed of.
But that's coming from someone NOT on facebook. Someone who has a photo posted from senior year of college: I'm wearing j'orts with with the highest waist I've ever seen. *shudder*
"Ugly photos?"
I do not think that means what you think that means.
always keep the pictures – they show the true us instead of the posing for the camera picture perfect view of us. My favorite pics of my kids are candids or moments that I catch before my subject realizes the camera is pointed in their direction – those are the shots that when we look at them now and down the road will bring us back to that moment. Congrats on the 5k!!
I wish I could click "like" on Mrs. Q's comment. She's 100% right. And Mrs. Q…. really? No facebook?
By the way, in case anyone is wondering, that's me in the 1st picture with the blue shirt. I just didn't want everyone to know what an athlete I am 🙂
Do you know that this is the first time I think I've ever seen you? I am happy, because it's REALLY hard to properly stalk you without a photo. So thanks for that.
I also love the pics. They show you as you really are. I love that you are a disco dancing, sweaty mess. Muwah!