03/02/2026
The recent 7-Eleven Run showed more than speed and endurance, it showed character.
A running event reveals who people are when no one is watching. Some came for freebies, skipped the run, hoarded food, and lined up while real runners from 16K to 42K were already exhausted.
The same mindset showed after the race. Photographers shared free photos on their pages clearly watermarked. FREE ALREADY. Even a simple “THANK YOU” would have been enough. Instead, some chose to remove watermarks, use the images without consent, and worse, proudly post about using AI to erase them.
I’m both a runner and a photographer. I know how hard it is to finish a race, and how much work it takes to cover one. That’s why I still buy photos from fellow photographers. Effort deserves respect.
This isn’t a rant, it’s a reminder.
Events like this don’t just test endurance, they expose character.
Finish the race, but don’t lose your decency along the way.
Respect the run. Respect the work.
