It Has Teeth

There I was running in my favorite place, powering up one of my favorite hills when I saw him. 

 

A new dog on my route.

 

 

 

Luckily I saw someone in the yard mowing as the muscular creature trots toward me.  The owner hears fido barking at me and yells no.  To this command fido appeared deaf and continued to leave his yard to rip my leg off get a closer look at me.  I see what I think is a shock collar and ask the owner if the dog has one, aka asking if they turned the dumb thing on.  Not that the shock collar was going to stop this particular creature given it's size.  The owner replied to my question with my favorite thing owners say, "No don't worry.  He doesn't bite."

Seriously. 

 

As rover's warning beeps sounded he was in the middle of the road one quick lunge away from ending my running streak.  Being the smart ass that I am I asked the owner if her dog had teeth.  Because if he did, he could bite.  And he clearly was not obeying her or his shock collar.  The owner was not amused by my statement and continued to explain that rover would lick me to death but would not bite. 

 

 

Okay.  I figured I am not giving up my favorite route just because of one new dog.  I'm running in Heaven so nothing bad could happen, right?!  Plus fido was wearing a shock collar and the owner was right there so I would just see how friendly he was.  If he did bite me I would be rethinking that smart ass comment with my life hanging in the hands reaction time.  So as the owner continued to reassure me, I took two steps closer to the creature whose head was as big as my pelvis.  Fido took one sniff of me and began to bark vigorously.  It's not the dog's breed that gave me extra concern, it was fido's build.  He was a solid, huge headed, massively jawed biting machine.  So maybe this particular canine hasn't used the qualities he was breed to have, that doesn't mean they aren't there.

 

I had enough information to know that I will be very aware when I run by this house from now on.  Situational awareness.  That's all.  A little recon to make it safer when Biking Sherpa is with me since she has a fear of dogs and bikes seem to bring out the chase -  run down and maim -  instinct in canines.   

 

 

I doubt I made a new friend in this pit bull's owner.  Yeah fido is a pit bull.  A big one.  But his breed really doesn't have anything to do with my concern.  It's simply his teeth.   

 

What's your favorite dog owner saying?

 

How do you handle new dogs on your routes?

 

Who wants to bet Biking Sherpa is up for a long route that doesn't involve passing the new dog?

If you liked this post check out THIS one about dogs.

It sure wasn't ole yeller

Day # 142 ~ 3.5ish miles

I need more sleep!

I have two dogs.  Medium sized canines. 

Both will bark at you as you apporach my house with their tails wagging like a leaf in the breeze. 

That was the biggest difference in my dogs and my doggie encounter this morning.

A wagging tail.

The wonderfully larger dirty yellow lab-ish looking creature that I saw about a quarter mile past my first mile marker was NOT into wagging his tail.

Raising the hair on  the back of his neck.  Check.

Baring his teeth.  Check.

Pacing back and front on the front to keep me from passing.  Check.

Growling loudly.  Check.

Tail wagging.  Not so much.

Once I realized all these things were going on and I did not know this dog at all I attempted to back away from it.  It simply got closer.

And closer.

Until it had changed positions on the road with me.

Now I was closer to the nearest house and farther away from my return route.

I figured I would try to slowly back away towards the house.

The dog, growling loudly, closely followed.

Luckily a small truck came.  Yeah!  I knew the driver. 

Although I would not have given the driver the opportunity to get past us.

I asked him if he knew the dog.  (He is a local farmer)

Nope.

Into the truck we piled and he drove us back up the road a safe distance to finish our run.

And I thought it was going to be another run of the mill morning run.

How do you handle canine encounters?

100th Day ~ Double Day

come back for the giveaway...

Tuesday 08.17.2010 ~ 100th Day

a.m. run ~ 3.5 / 28:45

Wow.  I can hardly believe that the 100th day has come and gone.

I got up this morning and run my usual a.m 3.5 miles in 28:45.

Beginning my 100 days the first run was a 3.5 miler that took me 24:57, it was a speed day.

When looking over my paces there isn't a clear progression of slower paces.

Which I do credit to several things:

~ Splitting my mileage over the course of the day.

~  Listening to my body when it came to each day's pace.

~ A mental attitude that I knew I can do what ever I choose to do.

~ Using products that previously I would have not chosen to rely on.

~ Fueling my body to meet the days needs.

~ Reminding myself that I was only getting about an hour a day of exercise ~ that really is what everyone should be doing.

~ Knowing that I was showing those out there who choose to follow along, that they can do it too. 

Biking Sherpa made me this shirt!  I love it!

Thanks Biking Sherpa!  You made my day!

Amazing things happen every day.

My Facebook status today was about amazing things happening today. 

And they did. 

I showed myself I can do whatever I chose to challenge myself with.

I showed S'ghetti girl that exercise and fitness is a daily habit that is FUN.

I reminded my family that I am a person beyond my roles in their lives.

I spent time with LBM and Biking Sherpa pondering the big questions in life.

Everyone (almost) who was there for the 100th day

Speaking of my beloved Biking Sherpa, she told me today that she too was streaking. 

It was the second day in a row that she went with me!

Although she felt certain that her streak was ending with 2.

LBM tried to run away with the dogs but they were all there too.

 No matter how often she goes I am always glad for her company.  You can see we rocked our tye-dyed Tees (thanks Biking Sherpa) and Running Skirts!  We looked great.  Okay I only looked great for the first 2 minutes and then I was a sweaty mess.  But a colorful one!

The shoes that finished it out.

Nothing else but SAUCONY!

...and a new pair of insoles

Just one of the items I will be reveiwing this week. 

And you will have a chance to win some saving on your own pair of insoles or socks!

Sorry no Sauconys to win...I'll keep working on it.  After all these years of loyalty you'd think they'd come through!

A Running Coach?

Last night's run was full of adventure!

First I was happily joined by the Biking Sherpa who did not cringe when I mentioned that I might be interested in making it a little longer if LBM was sleeping after the 6.5 mile loop.  Even though I posted my "plan" for the week there is always room for a little early week padding just incase things don't go the way I have planned. 

Biking Sherpa entertained me with her young girl tales of a friend's wedding and driving to and from Pittsburgh in one evening to attend.  Oh, to be young and adventurous!  The miles clicked by and LBM snoozed on.  As we finished our loop I was already drenched with sweat and figuring that we were done but Biking Sherpa said that LBM was still asleep so we needed to just keep rolling.

Off we went!  That is when I picked up my first running client.  I had know that she wanted to get in better shape and potentially train for a 5k but I was unprepared to the determination that she already had.  I knew in her younger days she had been quite a runner but age and an injury had sidelined her.

We kept a fairly steady pace as we ran our 3.5 out and back.  Biking Sherpa attempted to record the run via 6 thousand photographs while riding her bike and nearly crashing several times.  The entertainment helped the miles fly for my new client. 

At 91 years old she really held her own and that perfect form from her youth came right back.  I was so proud of Ripley for finishing her first 5k+ in years and setting a new PR. 

I am sure she will be returning for another session.

As we neared the last half mile LBM started to wake probably from all the giggling over Biking Sherpa's extreme photography session.  I was trying to get this run over put on a push to the end because I was uncomfortably drenched ready to get back and play with the kids.

Everyone had a great time during our crazy run! 

Day #92 could not have been better. 

Who knows what we'll do in a week for the 100th day?!

When you run with a crazy Biking sherpa, a almost 2 year old

and a 91 year old dog, fueling options are not always mainstream.

Barefoot Angie Bee is hosting a Silver Maple giveaway. 

What is The Silver Maple?

Uniquely special, smile-inspiring creations made just for you in sterling silver and copper.
Who is Angie?
Angie is a ubber busy amazingly successful working barefoot running mom who seems to somehow find that elusive 25th hour in each day.  I don't know how she does it but I wouldn't be suprise if she'd written a book about it all and going on tour next month.  She is just that inspiring.
So head over and support her.  Let a few encouraging words and oh, if you must, go ahead and enter the giveaway.  It will look better when I win if there are loads of entries. 
heeheehee