I realise this is a niche thing to get annoyed about, but for some reason I always find myself clenching whenever I scroll through race pics and see someone in mid-air with their legs in a sideways scissor kick.<\/p>\n
I explained this to some of my friends on a recent training run and the general consensus was that I was just jealous of the range of movement that the people who leap about must have, because apparently when I run I \u2018look like a bad tempered lamp post\u2019. However, it isn\u2019t this.<\/p>\n
What I think is at the root of my irritation is that when it comes to race photos I\u2019m a bit old school, in that I generally pretend the race photographer isn\u2019t there.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> As a result all the photos of me emerging from the swim look like I\u2019ve just been woken by a fire alarm; my bike photos suggest I\u2019ve replaced my saddle with a pine cone; and on\u00a0the run I hold an expression which suggests I\u2019ve just rubbed gravel\u00a0into my gums.<\/p>\n Over the years I\u2019ve tried different strategies when spotting a roadside photographer. In my early tri career I of course tried to look all sporty and serious to kid people that I was good, and to mask the fact that I was dribbling death sweat.<\/p>\n But a quick look at my results would reveal this was just bull***t, so I gave that up in favour of smiling and trying to look cheerful, which just made me look creepy.<\/p>\n I remember during my first Ironman trying to look athletic and magnificent on the photos of what was going to be my race of a lifetime, but by the half way point of the marathon I\u2019d long stopped caring what I looked like and was fully prepared to accept whatever agonised, snot-covered image I was portraying just as long as I finished.<\/p>\n So these days the absolute most you\u2019ll get from me is a very occasional and reluctant thumbs-up if I\u2019m going well. For the most part though, I just appear in my natural state \u2013 red and sweaty with flappy hands, a shuffling gait and a face like I\u2019ve just swallowed a gel made of cardboard pulp and asbestos.<\/p>\n The only exception was a couple of years ago when I emerged from a swim leg in first place ahead of several serious-faced elites. I was notable for the massive smirk on my face.<\/p>\n I think when it comes down to it, I just dislike mugging for the camera, because if you\u2019ve got time and energy to leap about you aren\u2019t trying hard enough.<\/p>\n Say what you like about my races \u2013 and people do \u2013 but I give them everything I\u2019ve got, and there\u2019s no time for titting about doing catwalk poses.<\/p>\n Perhaps unwisely I took to Twitter to express this opinion, and was surprised at how strong the feelings were on both sides of the debate.<\/p>\n On the one hand I had several people, mostly in America seemingly, telling me I should be ashamed and should let people celebrate how they want, all of whom were clearly overestimating my influence in the sport if they think I could get this kind of thing stopped.<\/p>\n I also had several people sending me photos of themselves mid-leap and saying things like \u2018zero ****s given\u2019 \u2013 although this just suggests to me that lots of ****s are given.<\/p>\n On the other hand, I received considerable support, particularly from triathletes in Australia I noticed, where not only is leaping evidently frowned upon, but from where I received a whole list of other things that people hate bitterly on race photos.<\/p>\n It included people who make heart shapes with their hands, people who dab or do the Usain Bolt pose, people who over-celebrate at the finish when they haven\u2019t won, and particularly people who make finish-line marriage proposals.<\/p>\n Despite the feedback, I continue\u00a0to find the wasted seconds and\u00a0effort involved in leaping side-kicks mildly annoying, but each to their own I suppose. Anyway, I\u2019m off\u00a0to Australia.<\/p>\n![\""Triathlete\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2021\/12\/triathlete-racing-to-finish-line-806977a.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"Triathlete\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> The absolute most you\u2019ll get from me is a very reluctant thumbs-up <\/blockquote> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\""Ben\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2022\/01\/ben-kanute-wins-fourth-escape-from-alcatraz-01e6295.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C414"\" "\\"\"escape0816\"\\"\/")
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