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Event Photography Sports

Race Vermont Half Marathon

This past Saturday, Race Vermont held their annual Spring Half Marathon. I’ve photographed a number of events for them and they’re always a good time; this one was no exception.  The weather forecast threatened rain, but we only got the lightest of sprinkles during the event. The flooding in Vermont meant that Rayne had to reroute the course a little bit and, thankfully, Shelburne Farms was willing to accommodate him.

There was a good sized crowd at the start as last-minute race details were covered (including the standard no-iPod rule) and then they were off.

After the pack takes off, I relocated to Shelburne Farms’ South Gate and waited for the runners to arrive.


This guy was taking advantage of the change of scenery and cheering on the runners as they passed.

Congratulations to everyone that ran! I hope you enjoyed your morning as much as I did. All of these photos and more are available on SkiPix.com!

Categories
Event Photography

Race Vermont Half Marathon in Shelburne

This weekend, Vermont threw all sorts of weather at us.  Saturday morning I awoke to drizzle and rain, so I packed up my car with extra rain gear and headed to Shelburne to photograph the Race Vermont Half Marathon for SkiPix.com.  Rayne, the race coordinator, assured all of the volunteers that he had put in for no rain, so we should stay dry.  Well, it didn’t pour all day, but it definitely rained hard at times and I was glad to have a good rain jacket and umbrella.

Runners didn’t seem deterred at the registration table. There was steady traffic both inside when people were picking up their packets, and outside where runners were warming up.

Spirits seemed high during the pre-race pep-talk.  Apparently there were multiple events going on in Shelburne this weekend, including Lacrosse games and school open houses, all within a half mile from the Field House in Shelburne, making for a lot of extra people in the area. As usual, Rayne stressed safety over everything else encouraging runners to run without their iPods because of all the added traffic.  I would get bored, but I can see the reasoning behind the advice.

I set up shop near at Shelburne Farms, near mile marker 9 I think, just as people were exiting the grounds.  It was raining as I set up my camera and other gear, but when the first runners came through it had stopped and it looked like we were in for a few hours without precipitation.

It was interesting that some people were running past in tights, long sleeves, and some wearing gloves/hats/jackets, while others were in the bare minimum, coping with the cold, rainy, Vermont weather quite well.

As usual, there are always a few who are willing to pose creatively for the camera or at least give a friendly smile and a wave.

And then the skies opened up again, drenching runners.  This guy was running with his wife for their anniversary.  I can’t recall how many years, but I think it’s a great way to celebrate!

His wife was lucky; Vermont decided to stop raining by the time she got to me.

There are some stretches where it must be pretty lonely in the rain.

While the runners at least stay warm, if not dry, through the race, the volunteers get pretty chilly when the temperatures drop and the rain kicks up.  Race Vermont has a lot of volunteers at every race I’ve been to; the event couldn’t happen without them.  Many of the runners make a point to thank each and every volunteer they pass, which is a nice touch I think.


Even in the cold, the volunteers are cheering on competitors and generally having a good time.

As the last runners passed me, I packed up my photo gear and headed towards the finish to see if I could catch some expressions as people completed their race and were able to get out of the rain. Some people were happy, some were relieved, and others broke down in tears as they successfully finished their first half marathon.  Congratulations!

As is evident by the photo above, I wasn’t the only photographer at the event, but I bet I took the most photos!  You can see all of the Race Vermont Half Marathon Photos at SkiPix.com.

Categories
Event Photography

Race Vermont Half Marathon, Shelburne, VT

When you agree to photograph a half marathon in November in Vermont, you never know what to expect.  The forecast last night was for overnight lows in the low 30’s, warming to the mid 50’s or 60’s for a daytime high.  I expected a cold morning and packed my puffy jacket, winter hat & gloves.  The start of the race was cool, but only in the shade.

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Once the runners were on their way, I walked down to mile 7 / mile 12 (the course crosses here twice) to get set for the 350 runners to pass. By the time I got to my destination, it was downright warm!  No need for a jacket, hat, or gloves.  It was a perfect day in Vermont.

The leaders passed close together, but obviously both running their own race.  Others passed running with a partner.

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I get a kick out of photos that make runners look like they’re hovering in one spot effortlessly.

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Even near the end of the race, it seemed like everyone was in a good mood.

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Congratulations to everyone!  The photos will be posted on SkiPix.com shortly.

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