To give up on Parkrun - photo related

[Parkrunmisery]

OK so this is shallow but I did Parkrun yesterday and whilst I love its open and friendly ethos I look BEYOND SHIT in the fb photos they've posted. I'm honestly not being vain, but I am old (50s) and fat. I want to run to get fitter and thinner but having my photo on the Internet looking horrible makes me miserable.

So AIBU to sack off lovely Parkrun due to their insistence on posting photos of me looking utterly shit*.

*old, fat, red faced, baggy, flabby, grey, no make-up and hair looking shit. I really don't want to have to think about getting made up for sodding photos at 8am.

Keep going, imagine how great you'll look in the future if you keep it up!

Can you not ask them not to post pictures of you and try to avoid being in them in the first place

It's a bit self sabotaging to stop doing something that could make you fitter, healthier, happier, and better looking because you don't like how you like doing it, isn't it?

Who do you imagine is looking at the photos and being critical of them? Nobody looks attractive when caught in the act of running. Gisele Bundchen would look red-faced and weird if caught by an amateur photog mid stride.

Come off Facebook.

Just repeat : Parkrun good. Facebook bad.

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Thanks joopy - I've been doing it on and off for years - well a few years. I love parkrun and I love running - just really really hate the photos and there's no opting out of the pics AND at our Parkrun they seem to sit at the top of the hill to catch me looking really pained.

Does anyone know they are photos of you? Are you tagged? If so you should ask not to be.
If people you know have to go searching on the internet to find photos of you at parkrun, are really going to do that?

I understand you're uncomfortable with it.

But maybe those photos will inspire someone else who thinks they look terrible running to give it a go.

I think you should keep going, and stop worrying about the photos. And stop looking out for them.

Well if you stop running you'll always be fat so shooting yourself in the foot there . Seriously though, I understand. I love running but steer clear of events and organised stuff because of all the hoo-haa and photos and stuff like that.

Please stick at it, think about what an awesome before and after set of pics you will have to show off in future.

I hate seeing photos of myself so I know I'd feel the same by the way!

Of course you can opt out of photos! Write a private message to the FB Page or the parkrun organisers and tell them that you do not give permission for your photo to appear on their page. It’s not like some random person taking photos of you You know who is uploading them

Sorry, I missed the other posts. I do get that it's not about how we look - although a lot of people do look terrific, happy, bouncy, fit, smiley.

Even if I smile and jauntily run along with a spring in my step when I spot the photographer, I inevitably look dreadful in the posted pics.

I would hate this too. Can you tell them that for professional reasons you are unable to have photographs of yourself online? They don't have to know it's not true.

I hate this about all races. Not everyone wants photos of them on Facebook for many reasons. More so if you have just jumped out of bed and ran 5k!
People who don’t get it tend to ignore your feelings and it irritates me. I try to avoid the camera.

I'm a 40 something chubby runner,stayed chubby despite the running, but honestly like I said to myself when I went for a run this morning I fucking love how running makes me feel,and for me that's enough.

Get a T-shirt printed with Don't Photograph Me! on the front.

Or have one printed with Fuck Off - that should put them off.

Just don't look through the photos.
I only look through them when I saw the photographer and did a big cheesy thumbs up 😁👍. Otherwise I mostly look daft.

11yr old DS always looks good in his parkrun photos.

I look awful but tbh I didn't notice photographer , I was too focused .
I wouldn't worry about no one will see unless they follow the Park run even then may not notice you.

Parkrun is a great movement. Have you asked your local organisers to remove pics you don't like?

I don't like that either. Surely they need your permission? Is there a tick box when you register?
I just wish they did afternoon park run. 9am on Saturday is my least favourite time to run.

I love the idea of a T-Shirt with fuck off printed on it .

I'm glad I'm not the only one who hates this about Parkrun. Like you feelingdizzy I do love running and LOVE how it makes me feel, and I do love our little Parkrun - there's only about 30 of us that do it so it's lovely and friendly. JUST BACK OFF WITH THE CAMERA BUDDY.

At least you only look crap in photos when you are meant to look crap. I look crap in photos where I’m all dressed up and with make up on!

Just put your hands up when you see the camera, they should get the idea, especially if it's a small group.

I’ve got friends who do these runs and while they are not always the most flattering of pictures, I do think they look brilliant, doing something active that they obviously enjoy.

Speaking as someone who tried running and nearly passed out.

I suppose it's to encourage people....if all the people pictured looked like bloody models, us mortals would think "nah! Not doing that!"

OP most people look ordinary past a certain age. I'm 46 and whilst I was a proper gorgeous woman once, now I'm just a "nice lady"

Nobody would think "Cor!" when they saw me and I'm fine with that! Who cares?

Just ask them not to take photos of you! I do photos at our local one, and always delete unflattering pics.

Keep park running, though!