The Race

The 1970s witnessed a public health movement commonly referred to as the "running boom." This period marked a significant shift in attitudes towards fitness and recreational running, as millions of individuals across the United States and beyond embraced the sport.

As activity levels and physical fitness became items of discussion in national media, individuals began seeking ways to improve their overall health. Magazines such as Runner's World, which launched in 1966, played a crucial role in promoting running as a recreational activity. The activity rapidly emerged as an accessible form of exercise, requiring minimal equipment and offering a multitude of health benefits.

The running boom had significant economic implications. Sporting goods manufacturers capitalized on the rising demand for running shoes, apparel, and accessories. The industry experienced rapid growth, leading to innovations in shoe technology and athletic gear. The jogging and fitness industries continued to expand with gyms, fitness equipment, and exercise programs all tailored for runners.

The improvements in technology and training allow runners to constantly shorten their race times. One of the most popular race distances, 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), is frequently obtaining new fastest times. At the time of writing, the woman who currently holds the fastest 5k time for her category is Ejgayehu Taye from Ethiopia, with a time of 14:19. The man who currently holds the fastest 5k time for his category is Berihu Aregawi, with a time of 12:49.

The proliferation of road races and running clubs since the 1970s has provided platforms for runners to connect, compete, and celebrate their achievements. Local races, such as the Bolder Boulder in Colorado and the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco, gained popularity and fostered a sense of community. These events, and many others, became annual traditions that continue to thrive today.

About this photo.

I took this at a local 5k in Orlando. The race was held on an active airfield, so runners and planes were moving in parallel with each other on the tarmac and through the nearby hangars.

I mentioned in an earlier piece that I tend to not photograph people. That being said, I feel some vague connection to running because, before taking photos at races, I used to run in them for cross country and track in high school. The action is almost always at two places: the start and the finish. It grants a photographer plenty of time to work the scene and find out where the lighting is best and how to incorporate compelling elements. The limitations allow for experimentation.

I bring this up only to say that two interesting conundrums exist in race photography. First, “action shots” of runners don’t exist - not in the same way a football or basketball shot would, anyway. There’s usually no strategy or plays through which a photographer can tell a story. The environment in which a race is held can be interesting, but the subtext of “Point A to Point B” still undercuts how the event appears in a viewer’s mind. Why do you think the most famous photo of Usain Bolt, with all the medals and the smiling and the pointing, was from after he finished the race?

Second, and I can say this from personal experience, people don’t really want to see themselves in the middle of a race. You’re pouring sweat, there’s mud caked to your legs, and your mouth is always open in a way that suggests you have a dry socket that hasn’t fully healed. Just about any other athlete gets those great shots of making contact with the ball or diving for a catch or doing some insanely difficult pirouette. If you’ve ever shown a runner their photo from a race, they’ll most likely say they had no idea where you were on the course, and then politely ask that you don’t share it with anyone.

So, why do I like documenting races? I believe it’s because it is a safe and supportive environment in which you can be (or see) someone at war with themselves. The age-old conflict of “person vs self” plays out one stride at a time and it’s enticing (for some) to participate in it. While there’s music and refreshments and relief at the finish line, getting there is painful, tedious, and worst of all, lonely. Nevertheless, at the center of that swirl of awful things is a decision to keep going. That’s a decision we all make in one way or another; being able to photograph it helps me with mine.

Thank you for your time.

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-Sodfotog