We’ve all been there. You cross a Rhode Races finish line, eager to check out your professional race photos a few days later. You’re imagining a majestic, wind-swept shot of yourself looking like an elite marathoner.
Instead, you get… the “fighting for your life” look. Or the watch check. Or the accidental existential dread stare.
Personally, after every single race, my first move is to text my friend Natasha so we can recap the absolute worst photos of ourselves together and have a massive laugh. On the rare occasion we actually get a decent shot, we’ll text a shocked, “Wow, I actually like my race photos!”—but let’s be honest, that is way less fun!
Race photos are rarely flattering, but we think those raw, unedited, and utterly disastrous moments deserve to be celebrated. That’s why we are officially launching Rhode Races’ first “Gloriously Grim” Bad Race Photo Contest. It’s time to dust off your most hilarious race day photo fails and share them with the Rhode Races online community for a chance to win some incredible prizes.
To break the ice and prove we are good sports, a few of our own staff members have shared their own “example” bad photos below!
Marketing and Community Relations Director, Jessica Cullinan, discovers she still has 0.05 left in order for the PR to “count” at the 2023 Independence Rhode Races Half.
Caption: Susan Rancourt, co-founder and Chief Running Officer (CRO) at the 2012 Boston Marathon, where temperatures reached 80+ degrees.
The Golden Rules (Strictly Enforced)
Before you enter, we have a few major rules to keep this fun and fair for everyone:
- Self-Submissions Only: You MUST only submit a photo of yourself.
- No Sneak Attacks: Photos submitted of someone else—especially without their explicit knowledge and written permission—will be immediately disqualified and deleted. No throwing your running buddies under the bus!
- The Vibe: Keep it light, funny, and clean. We’re celebrating the grit, the pain faces, and the mid-stride malfunctions that happen to the best of us.
How to Enter
Submitting your photo is quick and easy. Just follow these steps:
- Pick Your Photo of YOU: Find that one past or present Rhode Races photo of yourself that you immediately texted to your best friend with an “OMG WHY?!” message. If it made you laugh, cringe, or question your life choices, it’s perfect.
- Submit Online: Head over to our official Google Submission Form and upload your photo.
- Give Us the Details: Tell us the name of the Rhode Races event where it happened and give us a brief (1–2 sentences) backstory of what was actually going on in that moment.
Submission Deadline: All entries must be submitted by July 26!
Voting & Prizes
There is no secret panel of judges here—your fate is in the hands of the community! Once submissions close, we will share the top finalists on our social media pages.
- Social Media Voting: From July 27–31, your fellow runners will vote on social media to decide the winners.
- The Grand Prize: The grand prize winner will receive 50% off an Ocean State Rhode Race (OSRR) entry!
- Runner-Up Prize: Our runner-up will take home a free Rhode Races run hat or visor.
We will officially crown and announce the winners on August 1.
Ready to share?
So, dig through your Rhode Races digital archives, find that beautifully tragic race photo, and get ready to submit. Let’s prove that running isn’t always pretty—but it’s always worth a laugh!
