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AIBU?

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Original poster

To give up on Parkrun - photo related

225 replies

Parkrunmisery · 14/10/2018 08:59

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.

OP posts:
thenightsky · 14/10/2018 09:40

I bet hardly anyone looks at your pic anyway OP. They'll be too busy scrolling through fast to find themselves to see how crap they look. I've done loads of races and runs and ended up with shite looking pics on line, but they are like newspapers - within 24 hours nobody bothers looking anymore and they are what we used to call 'tomorrow's chip paper'.

Original poster
Parkrunmisery · 14/10/2018 09:40

Cakemonger - I do accept that I will sound like a total hypocrite but please don't let the horrificparkrunphoto's put you off starting. It really is a very enjoyable thing to do.

I love that pic of your daughter soontobe60 Grin Grin Grin so much EFFORT!

OP posts:
AuntyJackiesBrothersSistersBoy · 14/10/2018 09:40

Just keep going OP. It’s so good for you!

Everyoneiswingingit · 14/10/2018 09:42

I don't know why they need to do this. Take a photo of the whole group from a distance if they must but individuals is not on unless you give permission.

Hideandgo · 14/10/2018 09:43

You’re the only one scrutinising the pictures. And even sweaty and redfaced in Lycra you are still YOU! The most important person in your life. So treat her better and stop thinking it matters much what you look like. In the nicest way possible, nobody cares a tenth as much as you. And my mum is old and wobbley and grey and is fucking perfect just like that. I’m also getting wobbley and saggy and look like a piece of bacon when I run but it’s my bloody body and it carries me where I need to go so well. I’m proud of it as it is.

megletthesecond · 14/10/2018 09:45

soon you look great.

I think parkrun put photos up so everyone can see how inclusive it is. Only a minority are speedy and built like gazelles. And even they grimace.

Everyoneiswingingit · 14/10/2018 09:45

meg that's even worse. It means you've been shown as the token fat/old person!

Hideandgo · 14/10/2018 09:45

And the photos that people shared, they look great. Just like humans look like. And I’m not just trying to make a point when I say they are much better pictures than the weird orange pouty bots you see photos of all over the place.

MeganNut · 14/10/2018 09:46

Stop describing yourself as old.

Everyoneiswingingit · 14/10/2018 09:47

Who? I'm not, I'm a young babe in my 40s Wink

WhatelsecouldIbecalled · 14/10/2018 09:49
  1. it’s awesome you do park run DO NOT GIVE UP
  2. your picture might inspire others
  3. Facebook is sh*t ignore it/unfollow Park run whatever
  4. anyone that looks glamorous web running IMO isn’t trying hard enough!
  5. did I say it...you’re awesome for doing parkrun!
YeOldeTrout · 14/10/2018 09:49

PkRn public results put me off. Last thing I want is my time published weekly & everyone to see I'm always in the slowest 10% and never improve. Eek. I could enter with fake names but I got injured+live too far away from any PRs, anyway.

guinea36 · 14/10/2018 09:50

You do in my experience look a lot fatter than usual in running pictures - not sure why!

Original poster
Parkrunmisery · 14/10/2018 09:50

Love that Hideandgo - just like humans look like. V good. I am absolutely v human looking.

OP posts:
CookPassBabtridge · 14/10/2018 09:50

You're not old! You love the running so I would just unfollow the group so you don't see the pictures and make sure they aren't tagged. Out of sight out of mind! Keep going, you have got this 💪🏼

C8H10N4O2 · 14/10/2018 09:53

There are many reasons why people don't want to be publicly identified in photographs, appearance is just one of them.

I'm quite shocked that Parkrun post identifiable pictures without consent. Is consent a forced requirement of taking part? Its a policy which would be particularly likely to deter women.

MaggieAndHopey · 14/10/2018 09:54

I used to run a fair bit (I wasn't good, just doggedly consistent) and in all the 10ks and half marathons I did, there was one, just one, photo I liked. It was the only one that was close to the 'running me' I had in my head. Strong, focused, free. The others were all dreadful - in some of them I hardly even looked as if I was running.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 14/10/2018 09:54

old, fat, red faced, baggy, flabby, grey, no make-up and hair looking shit = bad
old, fat, red faced, baggy, flabby, grey, no make-up and hair looking shit but running = good

Original poster
Parkrunmisery · 14/10/2018 09:56

Bless you whatIshouldbecalled, and all of you for being so supportive and kind to a funnylookingwhenIrun woman. I look at other people running and am so proud of them for just bloody well doing it. Good advice on not looking at the pics but it's hard not to. I will maybe unfollow the fb page. Not great for my mental health, which is ironic as running is great for mental health Grin.

OP posts:
Hideandgo · 14/10/2018 09:56

YeOlde, do you seriously think people have any interest in even going to the trouble of looking up your athletic history on PR? Its not just you but the deep seated levels of insecurity and self hatred and self sabotaging on here shocks me. It’s not healthy! Why exactly are we all doing things like PR? Please don’t let it be only about trying to look like some imaginary version of ourselves.

ImPreCis · 14/10/2018 09:56

I WAS thinking of doing my first Parkrun next week, but didn’t realise there would be photos!
You could wear a T shirt from Posie Parker that reads
Woman
Noun
Adult Human Female

And then someone would insist that the photo is to be taken down! 🤣

Peridot1 that’s how I look too!

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 14/10/2018 09:57

You see loads of joggers around my way.
I'm always seriously impressed by the overweight ones, cos I know the effort and determination it requires.
I'm average weight and just daily walking is all I can do.

Original poster
Parkrunmisery · 14/10/2018 09:57

See this is what I think I look like - clearly in my dreams hahahaha

To give up on Parkrun - photo related
OP posts:
dailyshite · 14/10/2018 09:58

Parkrun is a free event run by volunteers. It encourages people of all ages, social classes and abilities to get out there and run on a Saturday morning. One of the perks is getting photos taken for free when you usually have to pay for them in an organised race. By participating you are consenting to have them taken. Please do not ask these volunteers to spend their time sifting through the photos to remove you from them. (I do realise that you haven't suggested this yourself)

I'm one of those volunteers, I don't run it because I don't like the timing element etc for me. But I'm there, week in week out, in all weathers doing all the different jobs and I'd happily sift through photos because I get that for some people having their photo taken is not a perk (in fact totally the opposite).

Have a word with the run director if it bothers you.

itsnotarace · 14/10/2018 09:59

When I first started parkrun, I hated photos of myself. Now, I look at those photos and whilst I still think I look like a fat trainwreck, I see those photos of me as helping in some small way make parkrun feel accessible for other people. I do not look like a runner. I look like a whale. If a whale like me can parkrun, surely anyone can?

parkrun is run on a day-to-day level by volunteers. I think there are only about 23 paid employees worldwide - they deal with HQ operations. On a basic level, parkrun is run by a veritable army of volunteers - we give our time freely because we are passionate about the idea of organising free timed events for people of all background and abilities. You may feel good about yourself, you may feel shit about yourself. Doesn't matter. As Paul Sinton-Hewitt says - "parkrun is for everyone."

If your photos are really upsetting you to the point where you feel like you can't attend parkrun, tell the volunteers. Either speak to the run director on the day (the person in the blue and white hi-viz) or email in and speak to your event directors (they are the super volunteers who run the events throughout the week, not just on Saturdays).

There is actually a really strict photo policy at parkrun that all core team members will know about, and will enforce.

Some other posters have suggested asking to be removed will create more work for the volunteers - yes, it will. But our reward will come in you wanting to come back and run, walk or jog another week and make some progress in your parkrun journey. Your event team do actually care that you feel safe and included - they wouldn't volunteer if they didn't.

Please do just ask to be removed. Tell a run director/the event directors who you are, and they will sort it. Don't give up parkrunning for something like a photograph that could be deleted. Your personal health and happiness is more important than a collection of pixels.