They sniff. They bark. They poop in inconvenient places. They play with us, snuggle with us and run with us. They are our best friends, both on-trail and on-sofa. They are our training partners, our coaches and the ones who keep us going. Their natural love of running and for life motivate us to get up, get outside and get moving.
Our dogs; also known as the greatest running partners on the
planet.
I see a woman jogging alone. I think, "Where's her dog?" I leave my mutts at home so that I can
squeeze in a little speed-work in-between preschool drop-off and the
grocery store, then feel guilty about it the whole time. Why didn’t I let them tag along? A run just isn't the same without
a 4-legged companion at your side, but there are times when we choose to leave
them behind, knowing there will be a sulking K9 waiting when we return, sweaty
and guilty, from a solo run.
Here are some of my favorite things about running with my
4-legged family members.
They
run when you run.
People. Whether they decide to go to Target, they really
need to clean their house, or they have a hang-over, human running
partners have been known to flake out. Will your dog ever ditch you to go
buy new hand-towels at Target? Nope!
Entertainment.
The first time I took my pup down to Dutch Gap,
she bounded down the dock and flew into the water, tongue out and
belly-first. Our run was put on hold; she spent the next half-hour splashing, swimming and clumsily fetching sticks from the water. I’ll never forget how
I felt that day, watching as she discovered her sea legs. That kind of
entertainment has no price.
Protection.
I read somewhere that women who run with dogs are way less
likely to be targeted by bad guys in the woods than women who run alone. I'm
not sure how many would-be lady killers they interviewed for the article, but I
gotta think it’s probably true. Along with protecting us from creepy weirdos in
the woods, our dogs are also proficient at scaring off bears, chipmunks and
beavers. Nice feature.
Camaraderie.
If you're huffing it up a big hill, they’re right there with
you. They know how you feel because they are feeling it, too. They DO have four
legs to work with (lucky mutts!), but
still, they're on your team. Suggested team name: Fatty & Fluffy. That’ll do.
They
sleep the rest of the day.
There's nothing better than the sweet silence in my house
when my kiddo is taking a nap and my very hyper mutt is sprawled out on
the floor (or sofa). Happy and tired after a morning on the trail, she is finally worn out. Time
for a cup of coffee and a good book. My job here is done.
 |
| Naptime is serious business around here. |
Accountability.
Like other humans, I'm occasionally tempted to skip my
morning run to go shopping instead. On those mornings when Target is calling my
name, I've got 2 sets of sad-puppy eyes to answer to and a decision to make.
Sometimes I fly out the door as quickly as possible in order to avoid eye
contact. Slacker! Other mornings,
their pleading works; I lace up my running shoes and leave my shopping list at
home. I've never regretted choosing the trail over the checkout line; I've got
them to thank for that.
We
love them, spoil them and teach them.
We
run.
They love
us, protect us and teach us.
Together,
we fly.
-Michelle
Baltz-
www.trailmixRVA.blogspot.com
