By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

A few of my running buddies have asked me through the years how it is possible that I always look good in the finishing pictures of my races. Even if I don’t have a good race. I don’t “always” look good in my finishing pictures, but do I have many outstanding ones.

Is this a frivolous topic? Sure, it is. But let’s be honest: Do you rather look good in your finishing pictures? Or do you not care if you look like crap?

Yep… I thought so, too.

There is an art to this, and a story behind it, too.

As I have stated in previous writings, my dad was the first person I knew to run a marathon. He ran NYC in 1982. NYC was famous for many things; one of them was that they offered for purchase an image (meaning only one) of your finish. As my dad told me about his marathon experience, I couldn’t wait to see his finishing picture, which came weeks later.

The picture was so underwhelming. Check the image below, and you will think my dad is the runner number C328. But no, he is the guy behind him, looking down at his watch. In those days, you only had one shot per race for a picture. And he screwed it up in his first marathon. Lesson learned for me, as I was certain I would someday run one myself. I wanted to make sure my finishing picture would reflect not just a finish, but that it would be epic. That it would reflect my true emotions.

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Through my years of racing I have learned how to maximize the opportunities of a good picture, which is not always guaranteed. It is an art, not a science. Sometimes, you finish so happy and exhilarated, but when you look at the race pictures, you don’t feel that they reflect what you were feeling, or you are not even in them. But in general, I have realized that if you let your emotions out and you are aware of the situation, not only will you enhance your chance of amazing images to reminisce your races, sometimes you will even make it to the local paper. Yep, it did happen.

To improve your chances of a great picture at the finish line, I follow these easy guidelines:

1 – Be aware that even in the smallest runs, most likely there is a photographer at the finish line. Big races will have multiple.

2 – Understand that photographers don’t have time to frame you up. They shoot at everything, hoping to catch that great shot. If you help them out, there is a better chance you could be that great shot. How do you help them:

• Spot the photographer as you approach the finish line and position yourself in a prime spot.
• Find an opening in the crowd (if there is one) so you can enhance the chances of being seen.
• If you are not pushing for a PR or have already secured it, look behind and make sure no runner behind you will sprint and block you.

3 – Express your genuine emotions freely. Show your happiness, disappointment, pain, thankfulness, or whatever you are feeling openly and honestly. Don’t fake it, as it will be captured.

4 – Don’t just crash the first inch after the finishing line. Photographers shoot multiple times, and your best image may be a second or two after you are done.

As for my dad’s finishing pictures, they got better with time, but it took a few failed attempts. In the 1985 Madrid Marathon, he finished with a PR and raised his arms, but he was right behind another guy. You can only see his head and arms raised. My brother and I kept coaching him, hoping for a good one. In 1995, he ran his last marathon, and he finally got the finishing picture he deserved after a long and inspiring marathoning career. It only took 13 years and 8 marathons.

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In the meantime, I learned so much about how not to do it that I’ve accumulated many awesome finishing images. Enough that my friends ask me how I do it. And if that wasn’t enough, I get to write about it.

What is your experience with race-finishing pictures? Let me know in the comment box below.