Whose idea was it to have a race at 9 AM on a hot humid day? Whose idea was it to sign up for it? Oh, I guess that one was mine.
The 10K Dash and Splash in Central Park was more like the Trudge and Plunge, although I did not stay to swim. After my slowest finish ever, I went home for a nice cool shower. My swim bag came in handy, because I had flip flops to change into for the journey home. Heat-swelled feet enjoyed the liberation.
Random impressions:
Young women runners in heavy eye makeup. I understand the importance of appearance, but that seems extreme.
I’m still the only person singing along on the National Anthem.
It was so hot that the race marshals were not yelling encouragement as usual, merely pointing and smiling.
The smiles of the water volunteers helped my flagging energy.
Back to that heavy eye makeup: at least one of the heavily made up women had a very low number, meaning there was a decent chance that she would either win or run near the winner. I understand that public figures always want to look their best for the cameras. A couple of weeks ago, I saw a Famous Actress at a playground with her kids. Although she was quiet and didn’t draw attention to herself, she was dressed much more nicely than the other mothers. One of my friends commented that it must be hard having to always look good in case she was noticed.
My mother cared deeply about appearance for most of her life. She gave me my first lipstick when I turned 12. One of the first things she did every day was put on full makeup. Except for a couple of years of experimenting with makeup as a teenager, I’ve mostly worn it only when I’m performing. Other singers that I know wear it whenever they leave the house. Recently, I was told that I should wear makeup, get a better haircut, and dye my hair a brighter color of red. If I were Opera Girl, I suspect I would have been doing these things all along. As aging Classical/Early Music/Folk Woman, I’m aware that I could improve my quotidian appearance, but I’m so unused to doing it that I barely know where to start.
At my rate of improvement, I won’t be needing full eye makeup for races for a good long while.
July 10, 2010 at 8:05 pm |
full eye makeup for a race is a bit much, but since products are made now to last all day and be waterproof/sweatproof, people just get into the habit. I view makeup more as a from of art than an attractor of others.
July 10, 2010 at 9:10 pm |
Thanks for your input! Now I’m even more curious about why those girls do it.
July 11, 2010 at 7:18 am |
I think alot of girls do it not for other guys, but for other girls…it’s a competition thing, girls are taught from the beginning or their lives from pink frills to their first barbie doll to be “feminine”, while guys are trained to like g.i. joe and football. It’s natural instinct to want to fend off possible predators that will steal the person you want to mate with subconsciencely or not. It’s pushed so hard for women to look great. Men’s magazines are full of other topics or half naked airbrushed women. But I try to stay away from that thinking and do makeup just for myself, my face as the canvas. It’s not something I can do everyday to the extremes because I can’t come up with an idea and am simply not interested.