On the Loose

Wow, there is nothing like a very short run feeling really, really long! Apparently, yesterday's 3-mile run + Total Gym + 5.5-mile walk with the Crewers + pool time (including a wicked game of monkey in the middle) tuckered me out! You know, that kind of tired is worth it, though!

Speaking of tuckered, I recently read (in some magazine ... sheesh, I've been looking through so many I can't keep 'em straight) weight lifting advice regarding how to determine heavy your weights should be. The advice was (in my words) that you know you've chosen the right weight when you can lift it for 8-12 reps and, even though you don't have to do 2 or 3 more reps, you could. In other words, push your muscles just about to the point of fatigue but not over.

I'm not supporting nor poo-pooing the advice as I'm such a novice and have much to learn. I am saying, though, that if I apply that theory to this morning's run given yesterday's activities, then yesterday's activities were right on the money in terms of getting the most bang for my efforts!

On the other hand, Elly, who did a walk with Aaron followed by her celebratory run with me yesterday, was pretty raring to go this morning:

Often when we start out, Elly runs by my side and looks up
at me. It's really sweet. This one is also blurry. That's either
because of our lightening speed or because I was still too sleepy
to determine if it was in focus. I'll never tell.

Pretty soon, Elly fell in step behind me. Look at her tail go!

We were both trotting along up to Mile 1 when, right then, the big annoyance of the run happened. Even Elly was put out:

The hackles are up -- she's ready to rumble on my behalf.
Good doggie, but I've got this one.

It was a case of unleashed/uncontained dogs running up to us even though their owner was in sight. While the owner called them back (sort of), well, let's face it, dogs chasing another dog don't do so well with the listening.

You know, it's always a good time when I have Elly with me and there are other dogs running loose. It's even better when the owner moseys up and tosses out some piddly excuse as to why the scene isn't the problem my face conveys that it is. My favorite statements of the past include, "Oh, she's not going to hurt anyone (even though she's nipping at the heels of your kids)," "He doesn't mean it, he just wants to say hi," (like a dog is dying to say hi to me).

Today's explaination for the inability to keep the dogs away from us: "Oh, they're only 6-months old ..." Ah, yes, that makes it all better. Grr. The scene finally cleared when I sharply turned toward the female dog then made a sudden sharp move toward the male -- a move and look that made them back off and retreat. I was like Steven King's Carrie at the prom only without the mess and the issues.

With both dogs retreated, Elly and I carried on. It was an uneventful run from there with the exception of hoping I wasn't going to fall asleep in route! I did find this, though!

Even though our BB box is full, we still pick 'em up! This is our
first pink one! That's a super-score by our standards!

With that, tomorrow's a rest from running day! I'm ready!! See you after Total Gym-ing!