10k Fail

Every year I run the Monument Avenue 10k here in Richmond. I've noticed in the last couple years, and in 2011 especially, the design on the t-shirts they give to all the runners has been incredibly bad. So, when I saw a postcard advertising a contest to design the 2012 version I figured it was time to put my own skills to the test.

 Right away I decided to focus on Richmond's historic Monument Avenue itself as part of the design...not the monuments themselves, as that idea has been kind of played out, but on the beautiful old rowhouses and mansions that line the brick streets. The beautiful scenery is really one of the most enjoyable aspects of the run. I sketched out a rough, then scanned it in and drew it in Illustrator, figuring that format would give me the most leeway to move the buildings and runners around. The deadline was November 1, and falling as close to Halloween as it did, I ended up having to rush the artwork a bit as things around the house got really busy. Still, I finally ended up with a nice balance and a composition I could live with, so I sent it in late Halloween night, already spending the $1,000 in prize money in my head.

 Unfortunately, I received an email last week telling me that my design hadn't been selected. I haven't seen the winning layout yet, but I'm extremely anxious to harshly judge it. Guess I'll have to wait 'til March!