I recently wrote that I wanted to run like a dog. I really have tried to keep that concept in mind as I head out for my runs, to run for the joy of running. Sunday I had a 10 miler on the schedule. With Alan still on the injured list, that would have meant running by myself. I actually love running alone sometimes, but other times it is better to have company. This time the company had four legs.
It ended up like this: I headed out early with my two big dogs, Penny and Sassy. They are the “regulars,” in shape and ready to go. We ran five miles together. They even got to got into the trails near our house, which they love, but don’t often get the chance to do (because we usually run in the dark). When I arrived home with two tired, but happy dogs, I noticed that the two little dogs, Lily and Olivia, really looked like they would love to go on a run too.
So, I hooked them up and off we went. They are not quite the trained runners that Penny and Sassy are, and they are not in as good shape, so we just ran one mile. They loved it! Being little dogs, they like to bark at each person, car, and other dog in sight, so it was an interesting run for me.
When we got home, I noticed that my 10 year old, blind Heeler, Sidney, was acting like he’d love to go for a run too. So off we went. He’s not really a runner, so we just managed about a half mile, but we both enjoyed it. Of course, I couldn’t leave Goldie out of the loop, could I? She is a “challenged athlete,” with a compressed disk, so she has some balance problems and her back legs don’t always coordinate with the front, but, man, she can still run! We ran another half mile together. (If you’re lost about which dog is which, read here (Penny Sassy, Goldie, Sydney), here (Olivia), and here (Lily).
If you’ve been doing the math, you know that by now I had seven miles in the books. That meant I only had three more to do, which I managed, although lonesome, to finish alone.
Running with my dogs just reinforces my feeling about their attitude about running. It didn’t matter that Sidney was blind, or Goldie is handicapped. They just love to run.
So do I.
