Today's Run OR Rediscovering Joy

I'm in meetings at work this week with people I haven't seen in a while, and they are being very complimentary. They tell me I'm looking great, they are inspired ... Sweet, really.

Dancing puppy Luna girl

Of course, all the time I'm thinking about how much this week has been made of pure FAIL. I haven't done my food journal for over a week now, I've been making horrendous food choices to comfort myself, I've missed many work-outs for one reason or another. So, yeah, feeling like a fraud.

The other thing this week has been made of is meltdowns. I've been dealing with so many both at work and at home, that I thought I'd top it off by having an extremely unattractive one myself this morning.* I knew a run sometime today was mandatory.

Weird thing is that I've come to a place where I crave rather than dread running. It doesn't solve problems so much as puts me in a better headspace to see solutions. Or helps me escape them for a while. I also knew that Luna is less likely to be wandering around at night if I wear her out a little.

So with my white dog dancing and prancing, the Bollywood workout station blasting on Pandora, I rediscovered a bit of joy in the gloaming. Traffic was a pain in some areas. Some roofers spooked Luna. But I kept a decent pace for the most part. Mosquitoes are beginning to make an appearance, but so are some buds on trees. I came home singing, and the dog came home tired. I count this a good run.



Now, hopefully a good night's sleep will help set me back on track.

* Granted, I was awakened at 3AM by an opossum banging around in our attic and agitating the dog. I never really got to sleep after that.

Today's Run OR Educating Luna

artist unknown

Set the alarm early for today, as I want to make three miles the habitual run from now on. The majority of the night was spent in twilight sleep--that dozy you-don't-think-you've-actually-slept-but-time-passes-and-weird-dreams-occur kind of sleep. I do know that I had dreams about attending a poetry writing seminar, being told my poetry sucked, and writing more poetry (mostly about running). I remember thinking what I was writing was good in the dream, but when I tried to recreate it when fully conscious--um, no.

I digress.

The dogs, too, were pretty restless throughout the night (lots of toenail tapping on hardwood floors). However, I had decided before I fell asleep that I would: A) go for an actual run; and B) take just Luna with me to see how she does.

We have a long way to go yet. There was weaving (dog). There was swearing (me). And poor Luna was spooked by a bus that rushed past us. All that, plus GPS issues (damn you, clouds!), made the run less than satisfying. On the other hand, I am the good kind sore, and I can better face the enforced rest my schedule is demanding this weekend.

Luna was also much more subdued during breakfast and morning activities. I have confidence that time and consistency will make her a better running partner and a better dog overall. I wonder, though, if I'm going to have to get a walk in tonight to make sure everybody sleeps.

About the Dogs

Yes, we do allow it. I know.

My running schedule has shifted this month. It's not really the cold (which is nonexistent right now); it's about the dogs.

If I run when it's dark, I really like to have at least one dog with me. Our neighborhood is safe, but there are some places on my route that make my radar squeak. Even if I'm with a cream-puff of a canine, I figure the big dog-ness at least puts others at a distance.

Bella (my black Lab) has been my running partner from the start. She's easy going, and I can give her a lot of lead on the retractable leash to sniff around while I work on form. Luna (my white Shepherd) has potential; she is responding well to leash training, but she is more headstrong and needs to be kept in check more. So, if I want to concentrate on my running, I tend to favor taking Bella; however, the wailing Luna makes at being left behind is heart-breaking (and not ideal for my family at 5AM). If I run with Luna, I have a more difficult time concentrating on my form; of the two dogs, however, she's the one who needs the out-going more.

My temporary solution has been to run by myself during daylight as my schedule allows and walk both dogs at night during my "off" days. Good enough for now; but as it gets hotter (and it will!), early mornings are going to be the best time to get the running in.

Last night, I did some small runs with both dogs during our outing. I noticed afterward that I was so busy trying not to trip over Luna, that I had not only run a much longer stretch than I usually do, but I also managed to regulate my breathing. The back of my thighs are really feeling it this morning, however.

So I guess the solution is to keep working with Luna, and chances are she will be better able to accommodate me come May when temperatures start to soar. Plus she'll be more visible. (My dad had a belt rigged for running with two dogs; I may ask for his help with this as well.)

As a side note, we lost our cat, Diana, this week. She was old and had been sick the past week or so, but the turn was sudden and unexpected. She died peacefully in my arms, and Mister buried her with her sister, Diva, in the backyard next to our statue of St. Francis. This is the first time since I was nine that I haven't had a cat around, and the space is unfamiliar. I am sad, but I am in no rush to replace her. The two dogs (especially at their size and level of need) is enough for now.

Still, I have found I need to walk out my grief more in the past couple of days, and I am grateful for dogs and moonlight and silence.

Today's Walk OR It Really Isn't the End of the World

Since I finished Christmas cards last night, I thought a good way to get back in the saddle again was a walk to the post office this morning to send them off. I took Luna with me; she's been needing more training sessions herself, as boredom and anxiety (and youthfulness) has urged her to get into things.

Tomorrow I'm going to diiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeee ....

I did try some running. I was surprise that: 1) I could get into the mode pretty easily; and 2) Luna fell into step with me like a dream. But then the coughing fits would start again.

So, yeah, there's going to be a lot of walking tomorrow. But at least it's a little get-away with the family--hook up with some friends, sea food, (cold) beach, Christmas-type festivities. For now, I'm going to have to let the hope of a PR this month go.

Sad puppy face.