Race photos 101 - How to work that silly face all the way to the finish line

Utrecht Marathon. 25 april 2011. Second marathon in two weeks time. 27 / 27 degrees Celsius (up in the 80's in Fahrenheit). Sunny sunny sunny. Late 10:30 AM start. It was hot. 3:59:55. Pr'ed by 10 minutes and 36 seconds. Came in 12th out of 46 in my Age Group (524 runners in total: not a lot of ladies out there!).

Aid stations: sucked. Badly organized. Fortunately, I have - hands down - the best mom in the world. She bike sherpa'd me to the finish line. Giving me all the water/gatorade and TLC a girl could possibly ask for.

In photos (all taken right before the finish line):


Those guys in the back. Chicked them. 500 meters before the finish line. Take that. From a girl. In a skirt.


Still checking my watch to make sure the 3:59 doesn't change to 4:00. :)


There it is. The silly face. Patent pending. :)


Nice form, missy. NOT!


And, there's the silly face again. The safari hat might look silly, but it was a true life saver in that heat and with that sun.


Crossed the finish line. Stop the Garmin! And it still says 3:59. Seconds later I was crying my eyes out on the shoulder of one of the volunteers. Embarrassing, at least...