The Doodle Mile!

31. July 2013 · Write a comment · Categories: labradoodle, running · Tags: , ,

Work has been busy and my commutes home have been long and I’ve been having separation anxiety from my dog. I know. Quite pathetic but true. Anyway this morning I was scheduled for my short run of the week….3 miles. I just couldn’t bear the thought of giving up those 30ish precious morning minutes with the doodle. It was actually cool, about 67 degrees so I decided I’d see if he could run with me. It was quite successful. He only stopped to pee once.

Good Dog!

Good Dog!

I realized as he was dragging behind me 10 minutes into it that one mile was as much as I could expect for today. I’ve only taken him running with me maybe 5 times tops and mostly it’s been much colder out. So we did it! I named my route “The Doodle Mile”.

doodlemile

I think I’ll see if we can do the loop twice next time. Granted the pace was 2 minutes slower than my normal pace, but with a bunch of training on tap from now until November I think it’s fine to let these Tuesday morning runs be a little slower and shorter. It’s most beneficial for my mental health and while Duncan is not overweight, he has been getting a few too many extra morsels of people food as of late.

The funniest part was after our run. He had all this mischievous energy. He shredded a paper towel (one of his favorite things to do) and then ran amuck with his Chanukah bear squeaker toy.

I think this pup experienced a runner's high today. lol.

I think this pup experienced a runner’s high today. lol.

 

Dogs need to release anxiety sweat out the small stuff in a healthy way too. I was glad I could share my mile with the doodle. I wonder what his “small stuff” is?

Question: Do you like dogs? Have you had a dog or do you have one now? 

You should read this article. It’s very interesting.

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Sunday-RUNday—well, actually Sunday-RAINday

28. July 2013 · Write a comment · Categories: running · Tags: , ,

I’m swamped with housework (boo!) but wanted to just briefly say how great my run was today. 3 miles in the pouring rain. It had just started as I was locking my satellite on my Garmin. The smell of fresh summer rain is just one of my all-time favorites. I’ve got a boatload of chores to catch up now.

So I’ll leave you with this W.O.W.: Never underestimate the power of your senses. Let each run grant you something amazing to see, hear, touch, taste or smell!

Perhaps when you log your miles, don’t just put down your distance and pace but write down one thing that your senses were amazed by. 

A few pics of some other rainy runs…

 

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starting the 2010 More Women’s Half Marathon in a downpour with Running On Butter

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Tried to “run free”. Didn’t succeed.

28. July 2013 · Write a comment · Categories: running · Tags: , , ,

Howdy readers!

So this morning in my news feed I came across this photo…

runfree

along with this quote from this facebook page…quote

Well, I thought about making today’s long run a “run free” run. First I said no watch, then I decided how about tape over the face of the watch. I’m not ready to not track my run with my Garmin but I did think about how nice it would be to not get caught up in keeping a certain pace and just run based on effort. Of course after I left the house I realized I forgot the tape. So I TRIED to not look at my watch. And for the first mile I didn’t. I knew I was probably running a slow 11:35 pace. When I looked at my watch it said 11:37! How crazy is that?! Anyway, I kept cheating and realized that I might be a failure when it comes to the whole “run free” thing. Meanwhile EVERY time I looked at my watch it was the pace I FELT I was running. So really, I DO know my pace by effort and don’t really need the watch.

splits

9 miles at just under a 12 minute mile pace. Woah! That’s SNAIL pace for me (I’m usually between 10-11 min per mile pace). I started my run at 2:30pm with hot sun beating down. It was 82 degrees. But the humidity was at 50% and my unhealthy fixation with the hourly weather showed that the humidity was going up a whole lot while the temps were only dropping a degree or two in the next few hours, so I figured i’d go with the lowest percent humidity for the day to start my run. In hindsight, I should have waited until 7pm to start. Oh well. But the 9 miles are done. And I think I want to try a “no-peek-at-my-garmin” run again.

After I came home and showered I decided this doodle deserved a little fun time….so we went to the beach.

beachbum

Question: Have you ever gone for a run without a gadget to tell you your current pace? Do you run with music or without?

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Scream out the small stuff????

26. July 2013 · Write a comment · Categories: recreational fun, running · Tags: , , , , , , ,

Happy Friday Y’all!

I had a pretty uneventful Wednesday. Yesterday however was EPIC! OK let’s start with my run.

photo

How can 3 miles be EPIC? It was only 66 degrees out for a mid July summer day. A total score! And I actually came home with a t-shirt that was mostly still dry!!!! (that’s as EPIC as it gets =)

Dry in July!

Dry in July!

The EPIC-ness continued with a long awaited trip to Six Flags Great Adventure! My Niece S.  turned 13 in May and also had a Bat Mitzvah. In addition to a standard gift card I wanted to do something special. At first we talked about skiing. But while she was at camp, I was spending time at my brother and sister-in-law’s and we were watching a tv special about rollercoasters around the country. That’s when we realized that my niece would love if I took her to an amusement park. Usually when work anxiety builds I go for a run. Yesterday was no different. But I discovered that I need to give props to the makers of the Kingda Ka (tallest roller coaster in the world and fastest in North America). I have no voice today. Yes ladies and gentlemen….I sweat screamed out the small stuff like a champ.

AHHHHHH!!!!

AHHHHHH!!!!

I also got to ride a classic that I was introduced to when I was just a teenager. Rolling Thunder…

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After 9 hours of walking, waiting, riding and stuffing our faces (cheese fries and waffle cones) we were exhausted. I thought about how many miles I had walked and of course the calorie burn. Today I googled “calories burned while walking around an amusement park” and I was amazed to see how many people thought about it too. Some people even tracked their calorie burn to 600+ based on Fitbits, Bodybuggs, Nike Fuelbands etc.

Question: Anyone use a Bodybugg, Fitbit Nike Fuelband or pedometer to track daily calorie burn?

W.O.W.: Don’t forget how easy it is to make exercise fun. Dance around your living room or walk around an amusement park all day. And don’t forget how powerful and theraputic a special girls day can be. In this case my 13 year old niece and her friend were just the therapy I needed. Now I’m thinking I need to get her to run a 5k with me. Maybe one of those fun color runs…

 

 

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