My favorite race picture

This weeks Photo Challenge courtesy of Maggie is to post your favorite race photo.  Its really too bad it isn't worst race photos, because i have so, so many.  I ended up being torn.  I have a funny favorite from the Cincinnati half marathon last year where i crossed the finish line while hurdling a strategically placed banana peel, mario kart style (you can view it here at Kelsey's Blog).  In the end, I chose this as my absolute all time favorite race photo.

Technically it's after the race, but it was right after the Chicago Half Marathon 2011, and i had just finished my very first half marathon, and it just seemed like the most impossible thing ever at the time.  I had trained all summer, with no background in running, and involved a lot of difficult transitions to accommodate the training (hellooooo saturday 5 am).  My mom, brother, and all of my dads family, as well as Matt and my two best friends came out to cheer me on.  I know someone who was not me ended up winning the race, but i seriously doubt they had the crowd support that i did, so i consider myself the real winner of that race.