[Pet Photo Challenge] Week 13: Egg

This weeks theme is Easter inspired, of course, and who knows eggs better than the Easter Bunny?! Maybe a chicken, which Henri is also one of, so I guess we've got this one covered!

Henri loves his stuffies! Apparently, he loves being one, too! He's so adorable, I just can't stand it! Henri loves Easter! He loves to hunt for Easter eggs. We have an Easter Egg hunt at one of the dog parks this coming weekend. It's going to be so much fun! This is the face he will be making :) No, I will not make him dress like the Easter Bunny. I don't embarrass him around his friends, only online.

Does you pet love Easter? Or do they love eggs? Or are they a big chicken like Henri? I can't believe he didn't freak out wearing this on his head!

Numbness

You know what's really weird? Running after you have had your teeth worked on and your lips and nose are still a little numb is really weird. You don't really know if your nose is running and you can't really breathe or at least know if you are breathing. Then the numbness starts to wear off...also weird.

Other than that, the run was good. We got passed by another runner, which I didn't feel so good about, but she rain a different route. She ended up being our next door neighbor. She only ran maybe a mile, so I'll tell myself that she wouldn't have passed us if she had been running the entire three miles we ran. Also, mile three was pretty good for us, mostly because Henri didn't stop to pee on anything during that mile (and maybe partly because I could feel my nose coming back). I thought he was going to stop and poop at one point, so we slowed down. I don't think she would have passed us if she had come up on us during that mile. Yeah, I'll keep telling myself that.

Sidenote, I know there are two or three dogs in that house, so where was her running partner?

Runs this year: 39

Miles run this year: 111

Pace Bunny

We had a few days off due to some busyness and some rain, but we were back at it today. Really, Henri didn't need it yesterday, he spent so much energy hunting Easter eggs, I don't think I could have gotten him to go on a run if I wanted to, which I didn't, so it was fine.

A few days off comes in handy every once in awhile. We came back today with a decent pace. I'm still trying to get back to where I was a few months ago. I don't know what happened, but I'm happy with the last few runs. Better than that, Henri is happy with the last few runs. I use him as my pace bunny, if I can! It's hard to have a dog as your pace bunny! I know if I can keep up with him, I'm running at a good pace...or he's going easy on me, but usually I can tell the difference. I know when I need to apologize for my speed...or lack there of. 

It's a Beautiful Day

Today was a beautiful day! It was in the high forties with a gentle breeze, just enough to keep you cool while you run, but light enough that you were comfortably warm from the get go. The sun was shining. The clouds were puffy. It was just a beautiful day.

The run felt good, too. I was faster today than I have been in awhile. A little electronic music playing in my ears might have had something to do with that, but I kept it up as much as I could and it felt good. Henri was by my side for much of the run instead of in front of me, so I knew I was going at a good pace. Now he's chomping on some ice cubes and panting with a huge smile on his face. I call this run a success! 

[Pet Photo Challenge] Week 12: Jump

With a little extra daylight, we are able to spend more time outside after work. We can go on a few adventures and enjoy more of the day. We ventured out to the forest preserve and practiced jumping. It's funny how easy I can get him to jump over a log, but he refuses to jump over agility jumps. He loves to jump, that's why we even tried agility, but there's something about those jumps that cause him to question what he's doing, but he's up and over a log without even thinking!

What causes your pet to spring into action? Are they jumping for joy with more light at the end of the day? Leap into action! Show me your pictures! Hop to it!

Wind-nesday

I thought that March was supposed to go out like a lamb. When does the lamb part start?

20 and 30 mph winds are no joke! It seems like no matter which way we're running, we're always running into them. Even when they're hitting us from the side, it's slowing us down. Well, it slowing me down. Henri is pretty aerodynamic. He just cuts right through it and looks back at me as if to say, 'Why aren't you moving?' I'm coming, I'm coming. I'm just a little slower than normal.

Happy Birthday, Henri!

We've been on multiple runs in the past several days, I've just been lazying it up and not blogging about it. Oopsie! Well, the most important run of late was yesterday, Henri's birthday!

Yesterday, Henri turned four! We celebrated with a run, of course! It was a beautiful day, not to hot, not to cool, perfect for a run with my buddy! We then came home and Henri got to pig out on a big bowl of beef stew. Good thing we went on that run! Beef stew and a birthday cookie! It's okay, Henri. Birthday calories don't count.

Runs this year: 34
Miles run this year: 96

[Pet Photo Challenge] Week 11: Green

It's time for Spring! I say this and there is a possibility of snow in the forecast for Saturday, but that's Saturday, the last day of Winter. Sunday is the first day of Spring! Things are starting to turn green. The birds have been confused, some never even heading south at all. The plants have attempted to bloom a few times. Hopefully, they will now get their chance. 

Henri will miss the cooler weather. Sometimes, he just wants to go outside and sit on the back stoop, sniffing the cold air. That's all he wants to do, sit outside, in the cold. He doesn't particularly like it when we close the back door while he is out there, so it's makes the whole house very cold for a period of time. Winter is definitely his favorite season. Spring will bring some warmer weather, hopefully not too warm, too soon. It's already bringing the rain and the wind, but it is March, so that's to be expected. We should be getting to the lamb portion of the month soon, maybe after this "snow".

So, Spring equals green. 

Can't wait to see how you've interpreted this weeks theme of "Green"! Okay, I know it's St. Patty's Day, so...

Warmer Weather, Longer Evenings

I am not quite ready for the warmer weather yet. It is still the middle of March and I know some cooler weather is apparently on the way (We know how accurate weather forecasters are), but skipping right to 75 degree and up...let's ease into it a little.

It was a good run despite the warmer air. We had run a few errands before running, including a nail trim for Henri, so he needed a little de-stressing. A run was just the thing. The later hours of sunlight gave us the chance to do everything we needed to do and wait for it to cool down a few degrees before we headed out. I know. I'm making it out to be SO hot and it was only 75. Most people would love for it to be 75 in March. I just want to keep it safe and enjoyable for Henri...and I'm not looking forward to the switch to early morning runs yet.

Runs this year: 29

Miles run this year: 81

[Pet Photo Challenge] Week 10: Toy

I think I've said this before, but aside from food, toys are probably his favorite thing. He doesn't let anyone come into the house without bringing them a toy. He's considerate like that. There is usually at least three different toys spread across the living room floor as he tries to find the right toy to fit the mood. There is no shortage of toys to choose from. Henri gets a BarkBox every month and all he really cares about in there are the toys. You would think that once he tears one up (which is his whole goal in life), I would throw it away, but no, I sew them back up time and time again.

His first toy was a monkey we took to the shelter to play with him before we could bring him home. He is on Monkey 2.0 now as Monkey One became unrecognizable from all my frankenstein-ing. He loves to get his Monkey back after it's been gone for awhile and I fix it back up. He's so happy to see Monkey again!

Does your pet love toys? Does it have a favorite? Does it love to tear them up over and over again so you have to sew them up over and over again? I'm not bitter. I wouldn't do it if I didn't love him so gosh darn much!

It's Not About Me

I knew I was pushing it with the rain in the forecast, but we headed out for a run anyway. You just never know anymore!

You guessed it. We got caught in the rain. We probably could have pushed on and we might have depending on where we were when it started to rain harder, but we were at a good turn off. Henri hates the rain and since the run is for him to get exercise and not for me to lose weight, we turned for home cutting our run one mile short. 

Of course, I was feeling pretty good on this one and we probably would have had a pretty good time. I'm still not back to where I was a month ago and I just don't get it, but we'll try again tomorrow...if it's not raining.

Runs this year: 26

Miles run this year: 73.5

Try, Try Again

Today was in the seventies, which was awesome. I almost don't know how to run in the heat anymore. I have to get used to it all over again. I might no have to get used to it just yet, as it is only March, but still. March has definitely come in like a lion. No rain today, but windy. So, today's challenges included warmth, wind and maybe some Steak 'n Shake sitting in my belly. I did the best I could. I wish the wind would blow in a different direction every once in awhile. It would sure make that second mile easier, not always having to run into the wind. I still tried. Henri didn't seem to mind.

Runs this year: 25

Miles run this year: 71.5

The List

That's more like it! That's why you go on a run even if you don't really feel like it. If I had let my disappointing runs get me down, I wouldn't have pushed to run today and I wouldn't have had the good run to help me bounce back (Hopefully)!

It was a rainy morning, as predicted, but it cleared up this afternoon and the sun even came out. I have to admit I was looking for reasons not to run, and the rain was a perfect excuse. With no rain or real threat of rain because the sun was shining, I had to make a real decision.

Cons                                                      Pros

It's wet out                                             60 degree weather

Getting off work later                               Forecast to rain all week

Have to grocery shop                              Henri

Running sucks (lately)                             Running doesn't really suck

                                                             Opportunity for better run

                                                             Work out return to work after vacation stress

                                                             You did see what the scale said this morning, 
                                                                  right?

                                                             MEXICAN!!! (added to the list after a text - 
                                                                  Sure, cancelling out the scale comment,                                                                                   but...mexican!)

So, in the end, we went on the run and it was good. My hope has been that running the more hilly location that has sucked so much the past week would make the run around the neighborhood easier. Today that might have been the case. It still wasn't a easy run and I've felt better running, but it did feel better than most of the runs the last few weeks. Henri also seemed pleased with the run, with smiles and panting as we collapsed in the living room, turning on the fan. I'll take it!

Runs this year: 24
Miles run this year: 69.5

Just Not That Into It

I don't feel like our runs have been going very well lately. They aren't bad, but I just want them to be so much better than they are. I will continue to blame my sickness at the moment, but things better improve because it's really taking my heart out of running, and I don't like that.

We were attacked by a dog again, this time a dog not on a leash. This one is not Henri's fault at all. He was minding his own business and we stopped running once I noticed the dog wasn't attached, so as not to increase the chances of him running after us. That didn't really help and Henri defended himself, but being on a leash and me trying to protect him, the other dog had the advantage and got a few nips in on both of us before his owner tackled him to give us a chance to get away. Yeah, it wasn't really the experience I wanted, especially as we were about to go out of town and I wanted Henri de-stressed. It was nothing serious and I got the worst of it, which was just a few minor cuts, but still. Really?

We had a decent run yesterday, despite the wind (again). It was decent, but not great. I struggled on the hills, but I had moments where it felt good. I still had to push myself mentally to get through, so those good moments definitely came in handy and kept us (me) going. It was an overcast day, so we had minimal interactions, which with Henri's last experience, was perfect. He did fine and I don't think he was too traumatized by the recent run-in. 

Today was a beautiful day, in the mid-fifties, moving up to the sixties, so of course, the park was busy. People, dogs, bikes, skateboards, you name it, we came across it. Henri did not do as well today. I think he had to go to the bathroom so he was distracted by that, then add all the other activity going on...and I was having a hard time breathing, so I called it after a mile and a half. We just couldn't do it today, which is disappointing because there is rain in the forecast every day for the next week. We'll see how it shakes out, but I might be hitting the gym for my runs this week. Then again, maybe we'll have a break in the weather and we'll have a totally inspired run. That's what I'm hoping for. Inspired!

Runs this year: 23

Miles run this year: 66.5

[Pet Photo Challenge] Week 9: Eyes

I love Henri's eyes almost as much as his nose. They are big and brown as well, but the coloring is beautiful. He gets a lot of compliments about his eyes. They were blue when he was a puppy, then they were green, then they changed to this bright amber color. They really do stand out.

Did you know that they releases a study last year that looking into a dog's eyes releases oxytocin to their brains. Oxytocin is the "love hormone". No wonder we give in when they give us those puppy dog eyes!

They say the eyes are the windows of the soul. What do your pets eyes say to you?

Weather is Coming

Today is quite a different day from yesterday. Luckily, I looked at the weather forecast when I woke up and it appeared to be pretty gloomy outside. I was going to wait several more hours before going out for a run, but when it looked like rain, I decided we should head out earlier.

It was spritzing on the windshield as we drove to the park, but the forecast wasn't calling for rain just yet, so I pushed on. Henri was a bit jumpy as the wind blew across the plain grasses and things fluttered in the distance. There weren't many people out so every time he jumped, I looked around, expecting to see deer or at least a person. He was focused on getting done and I was focused on getting done faster or at least better than yesterday. I'm still having a hard time with my breathing and this stuff in my lungs. Then the wind blew in towards the end of the run. It dropped about fifteen degrees while we were out there, though you didn't really notice it until you stopped running. It started to sleet as we drove home. We had beaten the weather and run a hilly course in faster time than yesterday. I call that a win.

Runs this year: 20

Miles run this year: 59