What Photo motivates you?!?!

A few weeks back Hungry Runner Girl had asked people to send in their race photos and she would share on her blog. Naturally all the photos people sent in were great and flattering shots of them smiling or after their race holding their medals in victory that they're finished.

While all of that is great to see so many people enjoying running, it got me thinking... thats not entirely realistic. Where is the sweat, the potential 't-rex arms' the exhaustion / look of 'am i done yet?' that shows you put it all out there? When I look at race photos, what really moves me is when you can see emotion- whether its sheer excitement that you finished a race that you're almost in tears, or the opposite end of the spectrum where you are in so much pain forcing yourself to dig deep just to finish. Although in that given moment it is pure torture, its a nice reminder that we're not invincible and that we have to train harder and smarter.

A lot of is in the blog world are coming off injuries, thus putting being able to run healthy on a  pedestal, appreciating the long workouts, the lack of sleep from race travels, and above all- pushing ourselves to see what we can do.

So I ask you all- what photo motivates you?

The below photo, as embarrassing as it is for me, gets me pumped to know that I do have the ability to push through pain. It's a subtle reminder that I'm not invincible. When I look at it, it reminds me of how much pain I was in, but I had given so much in that race that I didn't want to give up and make the 11.5 miles that I had run before getting injured, be a waste. Last 1.5 miles were rough, but I ran my 2nd fastest 1/2 time to date- 1:54:25! 

Critz Tybee 1/2 marathon, Savannah Ga

So if you're willing, send me you're motivating photos to Jamesondirect @ yahoo (dot) com with the backstory and I will happily post them here on my blog.  It doesn't have to be of pain, its whatever truly motivates you to do your very best!