Official Photos from the Loony Challenge (10K, 5K, 10 Mile)

I saw friends posting these all over Facebook after they came out, even though they have "do not copy" plastered all over them. As a photographer, I'm not at all offended - I've always thought it was a weird business plan to take thousands of photos of everyone just to try to make a sale to 1 out of ever 100 runners, and then get pissed when someone wants to grab a 300 pixel image to show their friends.

I found a legal loophole. According to "fair use" through US trademark law, you can reproduce images for use of "commentary, search engines, criticism, parody, news reporting, research, teaching, library archiving and scholarship." I consider most of these parodies and commentary, with a few having "teaching" intent. (It's true that I HAVE been referred to a "parody of a real, live runner!")

If you want, you can head to the race photographer's website and look for #148 in the 10K/5K and #20351 in the 10 Mile if you want to see more.

Here are 9 photos shown chronologically from that race weekend:

The coveted "1-legged pirate stance while stopping the watch" photo at the end of the 10K. Excellent.


Evan was happier about finishing in front of me than I was about finishing behind him. Obviously.


Later that day, I struggled to finish in front of Evan in the 5K,
only to learn that he started well behind me so he had a better time by 0:02.


Tip for the photographers: having all the finishers face the sun will give you decent lighting, but also closed eyes. Also, my red nose makes me look drunk. Well, "drunker" than I actually was.


This was mile 6 of the 10 Mile. Do you know who looks fast at mile 6 of a 10 Mile? No one.


I finished the 10 Mile just 0:14 after Evan, and he was there to witness the pain!


I always look graceful at the end of any race.


So gosh darn graceful.


College buddy Dena and I after the 10 Mile.
We were still in the shade, so our eyes could be open.

(You might remember Dena from the 24 Hour Relay last December. We closed out the relay for the last hour, and she averaged sub-7:00 miles over the five 1-mile intervals she ran that hour. She was HOPING to run sub-70 for the TC 10, but was just shy of her goal. Still, solid running, Dena!)

Here's some "Loony Challenge" links to previous posts if you missed them:
- My 10K and 5K race reports
- My TC 10 Mile race report
- The final Loony Challenge standings (also with finish line video screenshots to show Evan and I)