Inflated or Deflated?

So when I was in Chicago, Dan hooked me up with an all access pass to any area of the marathon that I could imagine my little heart wanted to go. Runners stopping to take a pee under a bridge? Yup, I could go there. Amid an incredibly large swarm of marathoner humanity at the start line? As long as I didn't have a panic attack from the claustrophobia, I could go there too.

The Chicago Marathon is the largest marathon in north america...something like 40,000 people run it. Oh, and did I mention that it's 26 freaking MILES long? Now, the true question is, who in the HECK would want to put themselves through a grueling 26.5 mile run in 38 degree weather..but apparently, the answer would be..well, 40,000 people. I don't get it. But I guess that's why I'm the type of person to enjoy a lovely creme brulee and starbucks latte while the die-hards gut it out on the streets of Chicago.

Anyway, the "elite" runner finish up this hellish journey through the streets of pain in about 2 hrs. 10 minutes or so, so after I photograph a few other things and warm my bones in one of the security trailers, Dan and I head over to the finish line. He (being such a gentleman-thanks man!) offers to hold my bag so I can get a good spot at the finish line. I make my way in there and inch my way into a good spot and wait for the winner to make his grand finale. The Rock Star feeling kicks in again as I realize that I'm standing among some big wigs...NBC news, Sports Illustrated, Runners World...oh, and me - I'm the stay-at-home-mom/photographer from Albany Georgia. Everyone got mad at the guy from ABC sports because he kept getting right inthe way of everyone else so that he ALONE could get the best shot - everyone was yelling at him, "Get down!" "Get outta the way ABC!" They were shaking their heads in disbelief and calling him uncouth names. For a brief moment I had the urge to join the bandwagon and yell at him too, because hey, he was in the way of MY shot too - but as soon as I took a breath and opened my mouth to yell, my better senses kicked in and I chose the high road and shut my trapper up again. :)

Meanwhile....Dan (not a bad photographer hisself) is across the way from the media corral, taking pictures of me taking pictures. Which brings me to the title of my blog.

I read somewhere that everyone has either 1) an inflated view of themselves or 2) a deflated view of themselves. I am quite certain that I have the first kind because, unfortunately I seem to think that I am a much better version of myself and it takes a mere picture for me to say, "DANG! Is that what I REALLY look like to other people?" This is the true reason that there are only about 12 pictures of me in existence from the last 6 years. I like to live in a cushy delusionally mental world of denial about my true appearance. What I look like in my head is WAY better. So what're you - inflated or deflated??

Anyway...it WAS fun for me to see that my camera and lens stacked up comparably to the big timers lenses although now I AM jones'n for an extender to make my lens REALLY big....lens envy, I call it. And I don't know WHAT to call whatever was going on with my hair that day, but it was *not* a pretty sight.

When I get back I'll post the pictures that I got of the winner falling on his keister before he even crossed the finish line....That's one you don't want to miss....