Sunday Runday

Yes, it's Sunday. It's the weekend. Yet Henri and I woke up at 5am to go for a run at the park. Sure, I would have preferred to sleep in, especially when we have all week to wake up early for a run, but we don't have time to go anywhere else to run during the week and I was up for a challenge/glutton for punishment.

We should have left home a little earlier. The sun was already up and warming the air, adding to the challenge of the hills. I was trying to avoid the heat. I was wearing long sleeves during our morning runs not three weeks ago. Now, we're to tanks already! The change of scenery was nice and helped with the motivation. We moved through the run fairly easily and took one more lap to cool down. We had the park almost completely to ourselves, aside from a few deer whom were not bothered by our presence. We were not bothered by theirs either.

Kick off for another full week of early AM successful. At least I can take a nap today!

[Pet Photo Challenge] Week 21: Collar

I started looking for a collar for Henri as soon as he was picked out. I knew I wanted it to be something special, something different, something that suited him. I found it on Etsy. Henri is a serious guy, has been since he was a puppy. He has his fun, but he is always on, always watching, taking in what's going on, perhaps in wait for the next bit of fun that will break out when he decides it is time. I thought this blue pinstripe collar was perfect for him. It even came with a bow tie to match. It took him a little while to grow into it, then he grew out of it. So, this is actually his second collar, which was voted to be a martingale to better control his pulling. Yeah, it doesn't really work for him, but he still looks good.

Some pets can wear clothes, but really, the collar is the best fashion accessory a pet can have. They come in all sizes and colors and types, just like our pets! What does your pet's collar say about them?

Puppy Run 2016

This weekend Henri and I participated in the virtual run, Puppy Run. This is our second year participating in this run. Sure, we run a puppy run every day, but it's not every day you get swag for running. A t-shirt for me, a bandanna for Henri and a medal for us both. Yeah, Henri doesn't really care about medals and bandannas, but he does love toys and he got one. So, everyone wins, including the animals at Valhalla Canine Rescue, an organization with the purpose of helping improve the lives of animals through rescue, foster, training and medical care and provides education, programs and community support whom is benefiting from all of the registrations.

Just like so many mornings, we headed out for our three miles at the break of dawn. This is how all of our runs have been going since we switched to early mornings. Nothing says move your body like being attached to a dog that wants his breakfast. This morning was no different. We close in on the end of the run by running towards the sun rising, flashing it's colors across the sky. If only mornings weren't so early in the morning, they really are the best. The best part is, of course, running with Henri.

Henri says, "Yeah, yeah. That's all great and fine. Look at my toy!"

Looking forward to running the Puppy Run again next year!

[Pet Photo Challenge] Week 20: Sleep

Sleep. Every living thing looks adorable when it sleeps. Your significant other, children, babies, animals, someone falls asleep, you take a picture. It's cute! They are so peaceful. Sometimes they snore a little. Sometimes they snore a lot. Especially with pets (and maybe some of those others) it's the break you have been waiting for. You have successfully worn them out. Careful. Do not make any sudden movements. Do not make a sound or it's all over.

My little Henri, curls up, usually close by. If I can stand to leave him alone, without touching his big adorable self, he'll stay there for some time. Eventually, he'll be ready to stretch out and he'll move to the floor, or he'll go upstairs to "his" room.

They say that the way that someone sleeps says a lot about them. What is the way your pet sleeping saying? Really, does it even matter? It's definitely saying, "I'm the most adorable thing ever!"

[Pet Photo Challenge] Week 19: Flower

In a field of yellow flowers

underneath the sun

Bluest eyes that spark with Lightning

Boy with shoes undone

He is so young,

so full of hope,

Reveling in tiny dreams

filling up,his arms with flowers

right for giving any queen,

running to her,beaming bright

While cradling his prize

A flickering of yellow light,

Within his mothers eyes,

She holds him to her heart,

keeping them where they'll be safe,

Clasped within her very marrow,

Dandelions in a vase,

She sees love where anyone else would see weeds.

All hope is found.

Here is everything he needs

Fathomless your endless mercy,

Weight I could not lift,

Where do I fit in this puzzle,

What good are these gifts?

Not a martyr or a saint

Scarcely can I struggle through

All that I have ever wanted,

Was to give my best to you

Lord, search my heart,

Create in me something clean.

Dandelions-

You see flowers in these weeds.

Dandelions - Five Iron Frenzy

Flowers or weeds, they're still pretty, especially on top of a puppy head. What do you think? What pet doesn't become more special with a little decoration? Or maybe the flower is what becomes more special.

Since I goofed and put "Art" twice, next week will actually be the theme of "Sleep". I don't think I have that one on there anywhere! :)

Good Morning

We woke up to a perfectly...foggy morning. I can't even say it was dry because the fog was so thick, running through it had us pretty damp. At least it wasn't raining. It wasn't hot or humid either. It was pretty perfect. This is why I switch to early morning runs in the summer. I fight it, but I love it once we make the switch.

I should get faster over the summer. Nothing slows down a dog that is ready for his breakfast. Well, except for being anchored to the human that weighs three times as much as him. Even that won't keep him from his beloved food for long.

15k

I made the mistake of trying to squeeze three three-mile runs into a twenty-four hour period. Henri and I ran Thursday night and Friday morning, then I had a 5k event in the evening, sans Henri. Boo, but it was for a good cause, so I sucked it up.

As we ran Friday morning, I was a little worried how Friday evening would go. I had a little girl counting on me. I didn't feel like I was running very well, but it turned out okay. Friday night was warm though, and I didn't know the route, so I didn't really know where we were in the run. I was pretty disappointed when I saw the one mile marker, thinking I was much closer to two miles, but I pushed on. I started to experience pain in my right foot. I pushed on longer. I finally stopped around two and a half miles because I was about to have to go uphill again and I just couldn't do it. I walked for about a quarter mile, long enough to get over the hill, and then pushed on again till I crossed the finish line. My foot was very angry with me. It woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me so.

So, what do I do today? I run after work with plans to run again in the early morning. It's been raining for days and I think that's going to be the only way to get our run in, plus it's supposed to be in the eighties tomorrow, so it's time to make the switch...at least for a day since it's supposed to rain everyday still. Who knows? We might wake up in the morning and it will be raining, but there is supposed to be a break between tonight and tomorrow afternoon, so we will take a chance!

So, can we say I ran a 15k? No? Ok. I'll keep working on it.

Runs this year: 62 

Miles run this year: 173

[Pet Photo Challenge] Week 18: Legs

Since this week included National Run With Your Dog Day and running is something we do a lot of, it only seems appropriate to feature Henri's legs, which he uses to carry himself over countless miles and sometimes to carry me as well, my good little sled dog.

Legs come in many shapes and sizes...and numbers! What activity does your pet use their legs for?

National Run With Your Dog Day 2016

Today is National Run With Your Dog Day! True, everyday is Run With Your Dog Day for us, but today we celebrate everyone that steps out and moves with their dog.

Henri didn't want to go for a run yesterday, so today he was ready, which was a good thing because I needed him. It was a really nice day. It didn't get too warm, which was my biggest concern as I continue to battle making the switch to early morning runs. It was sunny with big, fluffy clouds. It was a little windy, but that wind kept us from overheating and it didn't blow in a direction that slowed us down. It turns out my pace wasn't too bad either, considering how slow I was feeling. I'm sure Henri is proud of me.

Runs this year: 60 

Miles run this year: 167

Go, Team, Go!

We had a really good run today. It seems like they are so few and far between anymore, it feels really good when it happens. Our pace was 10:08 and that included the little bit of walking at the beginning. We had two miles that were around 9:30. We still didn't break the 9:02 that is our time to beat, but it's heading in the right direction.

It could have been the cooler temps that aided our attempt at speediness. Whatever it was, it just felt good. I was in a happy medium between a natural pace and pushing just a little. I was tempted to slow several times, but I knew we were looking good and I just wanted to see what we were doing. I guess if I got a Garmin watch or something, I'd know while we were running, but that would make it too easy!

We passed a father and his children playing in their yard. He asked, "Who is running who here?" I smiled and said, "It's a team effort," which it truly is. At the beginning, Henri has been a little hesitant to start, whether he's distracted by the traffic and the things going on at the houses we are passing, I don't really know. We get going and we tend to slingshot off of each other. He pulls ahead when I need a little help. He does a little skip-jump when I need a little motivation. Okay, I guess he does most of the work, but I provide him with the direction and the confidence when we pass by things he's unsure about (which is really quite often for this pup, poor thing), so I stand by my original statement. We are a team and when we have a successful run like this one, all I can think when we finish is, "Go, Team, go!"

Runs this year: 58

Miles run this year: 162