Moving Boundaries

Tonight we left the house with 74 degree temps and if any, a low level of humidity to embark on the first run of the week.

Maddie went the first mile and a half without issue.  She and Dave stopped after this first loop and I went on with Mira for another mile and a quarter.  It's the first night I've taken Mira out with the temperature above 70 degrees for more than a mile and a half.  We jumped a boundary tonight by a stride I wouldn't normally take, but the climate was very mild.  She did great, tongue out and breathing reasonably hard, but no signs of laboring through the run.

We're home, they've been stretched, the human half of the team has eaten dinner and the girls are lazily hanging out on the cool tile floor chilling out. Mira has normal respiration and has already begun to doze off and on.  Maddie is hanging out on her pillow happily chilling.

I feel good about being able to take Mira out for this distance in temperatures that I wouldn't have considered acceptable for a Siberian only two years ago.  My philosophy then was that we didn't run in temps above 70 degrees and we only went for the mile.  It worked then.  Maybe it only worked because I was a heavy smoker at the time, or because the dogs I had at the time got enough exercise chasing each other and training/competing in agility that they didn't require more.  I don't know why that was reasonable to me then, but it truly made sense to me at that time and it worked for our lifestyle with five dogs and a full schedule of training and competition to keep them otherwise conditioned.

I don't know how far I can go with Mira and how high we can take the temps.  But her conditioning continues to improve and she continues to blow my mind with what she's able to do.  I'm hoping to get to 3 miles with the "spring" weather before I have to back down with Mira for summer.  Just hanging onto every run I can for as long as possible this season with her.  She'll be 8 years old by the time we get into great cool running conditions this fall, time just flies!!!!!!!!!!

And then there's Madison, wow, what a dog!  12 years old and still pulling us around the neighborhood.  I think she taught me as much about tenacity through my observation of her over the years than any of my own personal experiences could have begun to teach me (even being carjacked).

If you follow my blog and you run with your dog, or you want to start running with your dog, PLEASE understand that I have worked my dogs to the level of condition they are gradually over years.  Don't take a young dog under 18 months out for a long run, they are not structurally developed and you could do some really long term, or irreversible damage.  And whatever you do, don't take a dog that has sat on a sofa and become overweight out for a 2 mile run, no matter how inviting the climate may be.  They are your partner, but they are unable to "partner" with you in the decision making process.  You are fully in charge of making all decisions and setting boundaries.  You alone must make the decisions that keep them safe and healthy.

Happy Trails and Wagging Tails :)

Inspiration and Motivation

All runners run into motivation issues at one point or another and the "issue" differs for each person.  For one it may be getting out of a warm bed and hitting the road at 5 am.  Others find 90 degree temps with 49% humidity unbearable.  The problems are as varied as the sneakers we lace onto our feet.

My motivation is pretty deep and self involved - I'm pretty good at making this about me.  In many areas of my life folks would call that arrogance, self absorption, selfish...but it is a gift when it comes to running and triathlon training.  If I couldn't make this sport about me, I'm not sure anything would be worth what I'm putting into it.

Inspiration is another thing all together.  I'm moved by the runners who have survived cancer, limb loss, push their child in a wheelchair ahead of them and often find myself swallowed in tears when I read their stories or see their biographies.  But honestly, they don't inspire me to start - I may dig deeper when I'm exhausted because of one of their stories, but they are not the ones who get me out the door.  My inspiration is my dogs.  The dogs that I live with and the ones who have gone ahead of them and wait for the rest of us on the other side of the bridge.

Running began as a means to condition them.  When I began to run (jog/walk/gasp/walk) I was still smoking.  I'd take two dogs out for a mil and then have to sit for about 20 minutes and have a couple of cigarettes before heading out with the next two.  It was a labor of love combined with ignorance.

I sat down tonight to write about running and what it means to me.  As I laid my hands on the keyboard I couldn't help but notice an empty nagging feeling inside.  In frustration I wheeled around in my chair and glanced at all the gorgeous mementos of the years with my dogs surrounding me in my office.  For the first time, I noticed there was nothing in this office of Mira.  Maddie, Magic, Nakeeta, Kody, Max and BoBo are everywhere.  I am surrounded by their pictures and awards hanging on the walls and sitting on shelves.  Nowhere in this office was there a single shot of the one who makes me smile without even seeing her face.  I spent a few minutes searching for a couple of empty frames and I now have a shot of Mira at the beach and a shot of her RWB from Perry, GA years ago on either side of my PC.  The nagging sensation is gone.

Inspiration to find my motivation; that's my dog, my Mira.  She and Maddie inspire me to let myself go, to ignore all that I think I should be and embrace all that I really am.  They inspire me to dig deep within my soul to become all that I can be.  Find your inspiration, it doesn't have to be a hero, just give yourself permission to follow your inspiration.

Spring Shift

Spring is here, actually it feels like it has nearly slipped through our fingers unnoticed.  Two days this week we reached the low 80's and today we are pushing 80 degrees.  I finally got my routine down with the cool weather schedule and now I find myself watching and listening and feeling my dog on the end of the line with some degree of anxiety regarding temp and climate as we have gone from running between 40 and 50 degrees to 70 degrees within a short two week period.  Soon we'll be above 70 degrees and it won't be too much farther away that 70's will be our standard low temps of the day.

We debated about where to run today since we had some rain yesterday, overnight and the forecast called for more this morning.  We finallly decided to run in the neighborhood so we wouldn't feel as "rained out" if we got caught in a downpour.  The air was a little heavy, but at 64 degrees but it didn't seem too warm or muggy for the dogs so we headed out.

The loop we start on brings us back to our driveway in 1.3 miles.  As we took the final turn from Marsh onto Barrier Road (our road), Dave decided he was going to make the second loop.  It looked like Maddie was hanging in very well, so we passed the house and began the second climb up Barrier.  Maddie slowed enough that it created a jump rope effect on the lead between us.  I was gathering up the slack and Dave and I were discussing if she really ought to go another round when she turned into a neighbors yard and began to graze.  Both dogs do what we call "fly by's" when we pass a yard that has a patch of new and tasty grass in it, but they don't stop - thus the name "fly by's"; they simply stick their head out and grab some grass and munch while we go.  Maddie actually stopped.  So I checked her over as best I could, we turned around and I dropped her off at the house.

Dave passed Mira to me and we continued up the hill for the the second loop and finished with a half mile block giving us a total of 3.1 or 3.2 miles.  It was around 67 degrees by this time.  As we rounded the last block I told Dave I wanted to get in another mile so I passed Mira back to him thinking she had probably had enough.  He turned left at the corner toward the house and I turned right to head up the hill for the third time.  He and I laughed at Mira who didn't even notice I'd passed her off, or so we thought.  For whatever reason, she turned and realized I was going the other way and stopped.  She watched me go over the hill before she and Dave went on back to the house.  He said later, "she definitely is your dog..."

Once back at the house, Mira and Maddie were ready to be stretched.  I'm sure Mira could have easily finished that last mile.  She didn't indicate fatigue or heat or stress.  I am certain that bringing Maddie back to the house was the right thing to do for her.  I think at this point if we go to the river, she'll be fine for a few more weeks.  The path is softer and there are no hills.  I doubt she'll go much past 70 degrees at the river, but that will give us many weekend morning options into the warmer months.  They both hit their recovery phase and returned to normal respiration within their typical timeframes. 

As always, the routine is subject to adjustment and change as necessary.  It just felt so good to get in so much time on the road this morning.

Training Begins Now...

Actually, the 2012 Triathlon training season officially started for me at 1:30 on Friday afternoon when I stepped into the endless pool at The Sport Factory in Roswell, GA and began to work with my new swim coach, Tracy Palmer.   I left the center after my evaluation with a list of drills and a commitment to work in the pool three times a week.  We will meet to evaluate progress again in 4 weeks.  Honestly, I'm looking forward to the work, but I am mostly looking forward to seeing my video after 4 weeks and looking at what I hope to be huge strides in lengthening my reach and bringing my legs together.  I have to say I looked a little like a frog in the video taken Friday, and I had hoped for a much better view.  That being said, the gift of video is probably going to be the single best tool I pack in my bag this season; I have great visuals of how this leg of the sport ought to look and now I know for sure what I need to work on.

So the new schedule is:  M, W, F in the pool between 5:30 and 6:00 am.  Period.  That's not going to be negotiable for the next 4 weeks.  The sessions will begin with 15 to 20 minutes of drills, followed by 15 minutes of laps.  I'll then finish each session with a repeat of the 15 minutes of drills.

Monday and Wednesday evenings will be relaxed short runs in the neighborhood.  On Wednesday I can finish with some hill work or intervals afterward.  My intention is to keep these sessions pretty simple, especially on Monday after coming off a long run on Sunday; I may find myself axing the Monday night run, or walking instead.  Regardless, I won't incorporate more than three to four miles these evenings.  Since hill work and intervals would be incredibly frustrating for the dogs and demanding for me, I will most likely do a couple of miles with dogs and Dave and then wrap with the hills or intervals afterward on Wednesday's only.

Tuesday and Thursday evenings will be regularly scheduled spin classes.  At this point I think I'm getting more out of spin class than I would be to take the bike out onto the road.  I'll need to get road experience under my belt on weekends before competition begins in May; but for now the spin classes are giving me a huge bang for my time in endurance and strength.  The fast improvements Dave and I both are seeing on the runs, and that which I'm seeing in the pool have got to be related to spin work.  Many triathletes only take their bikes on the road for competition and focus their training on indoor trainers and spinning; if I had the road experience and confidence (still see those scars every time I shave my knee), I can definitely see the benefit in that.  It just takes 99.9% of the danger out of the equation if you're not actually on the road.

My only training on Friday's will be the AM pool - otherwise, that is a day off.  This is our regular "date night" and I live for that night out with Dave.

Saturday will be a run with Dave and the dogs, or a bike ride with Dave, depending on the weather.   Sunday will be reserved for a long run with Mira as long as the weather stays cool enough that she can go the distance at pace.  She's showing enough drive right now that I think I can count on her when the temps aren't much above 55 degrees.  I'll need to do no less than 5.5 miles on these days, and I need to get that bumped up to 7 before the season begins.

Because I'm working on each race leg individually, rather than bricking on a routine basis, I will need to be able to work farther/longer than that leg calls for during an event.  In example, the Sprint distance requires 13 miles (about 40 minutes of cycling) on the bike and a 5K run to finish.  So the hour of spin class puts me in good shape for the sprint distance and a 5.5 or longer run will serve me well for the last leg of a sprint. 

Well, there it is; that's the plan! 

The Pace Dog

Wednesday evening we took the dogs for our routine jog/walk/run.  Dave took Maddie back to the house after a mile and a half.  He was pretty worn out from his trip back to Atlanta from Omaha earlier that day, and she was looking a little stiff at that point, so they decided to call it finished for the evening.

I wanted to get another mile or so in, so I headed back up the hill with Mira.  We slowed our pace as we turned the corner and I decided I needed to take a walk break.  The hill proved more than I could handle the second time around.  It was the last true walk break I'd get that evening.

I measure the success of my runs by the number of mailboxes and speed humps I pass before I have to take a walk break.  I keep mental track of my fitness progression based on these visuals and have become adept as using them as my reference points for measuring improvement, or on a less than stellar outing, fatigue.  As I stepped off the first speed hump I collected the slack in the leash with my free hand and moved into a nice jog.

Things were going well, Mira was on her preferred "edge" (the very top of the curb that begins to bend toward the street).  This is her favorite spot on the road.  I don't know how she maintains this position, but she rarely lets a foot land on grass or the curb - she really walks a fine line so to speak.  I took a minute to admire her grace and realized that I was heading right up to the first stop sign.  Based on my breathy state I assumed I was in mid-range zone 3. I was really wishing I had taken the time to strap on the monitor so I could truly track what felt like great progress.

About 2 speed humps and a few mailboxes later, I became pretty short of breath, probably 2 words between breaths so I decided to back off.  I took a few quick walking steps when Mira extended, thus removing the slack from the line.  She didn't pull, but the line was taunt.  Impressed by her determination to keep at a nice trotting pace at 70+ degrees, I picked myself back up to a jog.  I figured if my Siberian Husky can trot in this temp, so could I.

After a short but steep incline, I was completely winded so I dropped to a walk.  This time it was a slower walk.  Just as the first time I began to walk, Mira took an extra pace and moved to the end of the lead taking all the slack out.  There was a gentle tug this time, never a hard pull, but definitely a noticeable communication that "somebody" wasn't moving fast enough.  Again, I brought myself back to a jog and the remainder of my outing was a nice steady jog.  Each of the times I picked up to a jog, she dropped back to hang in closer to me and gave a little slack.  I know not everyone would notice the suttle movement and feel of slight tension between the harness and hand, but I somehow always have.  I've always felt any difference in stride before I saw a limp or heard a misstep.  I think it is a gift and I'm grateful for it because I've caught some "issues" before they became problems in the past.

I cannot wait to run the next time, I look forward to this communication and partnership between us on our next outing.  Having a canine pacer is great!  A dog as pacer is so much more pleasant than having to chat with a human; when all I really want to do is watch the trees, sky and of course, my dog.  She is such a good dog - with much emphasis on good dog.

Tripping On the Trail

Maddie is one of my retired performance dogs and a very high drive hard working Siberian.  I no longer ask her to jump and climb...but she is one of our running partners, for reasons of both her health, and our choice of active lifestyle.  Technically considered a senior at the age of 12, she's continues to be a dynamite running partner on either road or trail.  She has lost some endurance, but we take her a few times a week for a mile and a half jog/run/walk, and then on most weekends get in a good three mile escapade.

I've previously posted "Maddie isn't for whimps"; if you can't take a line being pulled  for over a mile at a time, you don't need to take this dog with you.  Pulling is what most people immediately attempt to curb once they acquire a Siberian, but I attribute a good pull to "good drive and a good working Siberian" - I know this seems like crazy philosphy coming from someone who is never going to hook dogs to a sled and take off through frozen tundra, but it was my way of working my dogs.  I don't complain about the pull, ever, it was my conscious decision to endure, and even pursue it, with my dogs.  However, when it comes to running with her, even I can be frightened by her speed on a downhill, or on a rocky/rooty trail.  I wouldn't turn her loose on someone who didn't have a good sense of their footing and an ability to stay tuned to their surroundings; well except for me that is.

This past Saturday Dave and I headed out with the dogs for our regular run at the river.  We began with casual conversation, and the usual admiration of our surruoundings.  I began the trail with Maddie, Dave had Mira.  I was running the shoulder, while Dave was in the middle of the trail.  Less than a quarter mile along the path Maddie lept off the path and bounded into the brush.  She didn't particularly pull me or jolt me, but it definitely got my attention; I had to stop to get her out of the brush as the "targeted" squirrel scampered to safety.  Every hair on her body was on alert, she was obviously delighted at the possibilities of her hunt as I pulled her back onto the path.  I was laughing out loud when an oncoming runner swerved into our path to note "she really wanted that squirrel!".  We both laughed as Maddie and I began to jog again to catch back up to Dave and Mira.

The dogs, the trail, and the river or mountain just give me so much pleasure that I cannot begin to express how much I really enjoy our times out there.  And when the girls do something "doggy" it just tickles me to death.  I remember these moments and can recall them vividly in my minds eye on a whim, they simply delight me.  It is no surprise that I was caught up in the moment, still laughing, when my right foot caught a root and I flew forward onto the ground.

I never let go of the leash (all Siberian owners can attest that you don't EVER let go of the lead...), I didn't see anything other than the pea gravel fastly approaching my head when I rolled onto my back and let my head somewhat softly "bang" onto the trail.  At some point I made the unconscious decision to close my eyes, I suppose it was a defensive move most contact lens wearers would automatically make.  When I opened them, I was looking into the amber eyes of my gal Maddie.  If you know me well, you know that I began to laugh immediately.  The sound of my laughter is all she needed, and she began to clean the dust from my face and wag her tail wildly.  Her demeanor seemed to say "why are you down there again, c'mon, we are behind...let's go!". 

Tonight I sit with road rash on both knees.  The left leg and ankle are swollen and I'm missing spin class.  I look across the living room and she's stretched across the sofa happily snoozing away.  Would I go back 12 years and change my attitude toward her pulling, nope not for a minute.  Would I go back 72 hours, or so, and look down at the path ahead of me, yep you betcha!

Nutritional Balance for Trail Runs

This "winter" season has proven to be a challenge to run with a Siberian for distances over a 5k.  The climate has been damp and warm for the most part.  On days we start by 7:30 am, we've been lucky if we finish before the temps climb into the mid to upper 40's; and often we've been out near 60 degrees.  Granted we're not fast, and she's not pulling a load as a sled dog would, but still she's definitely working for and with me on the trail.  Because of the increased temperature, coupled with my need to continue to add mileage, I've worked hard to come to a reasonable solution that gives both of us a nutritional boost on the trail at mile 3 or so, and lets the finish come with less fatigue.  It's no fun to go for a run and then come home exhausted and wiped out for the rest of the day.  The next few paragraphs outline the routine we've taken up that I think has serverd us very well during these days that feel more like early fall or spring than January and February.

Me:  Pre-run, I drink plenty of water and have either a half of a protein shake (I make myself) or a half of an Organics brand protein bar (very tasty and vegan/gluten free to boot).  I pack a small bag of trail mix (from Publix; peanuts, raisins, M&M's and almonds) with some dried apricots and extra almonds for an easy boost on the trail.  And of course there's water, lots of water.  I pack a bottle to have enroute, and leave a bottle in the truck for the ride home.  I also pack two bottles on my hiking/running belt for the trail. The trail mix is simple and not opposed to cold or warm weather, I can grab a few nibbles quickly plus I get the extra benefit of a little salt, since I can and do sweat at any climate.  Post-run I finish the protein bar or shake, the remainder of my trail mix and take in lots of water on the way home.

Mira: I have learned that getting up within 45 minutes of our regular Monday thru Friday alarm time and giving her the normal cereal breakfast meal with a little extra portion of cereal works well.  By the time she's eaten, I'm packed, we're loaded, and drive to the trail; she's had a good hour and a half to two hours to settle her morning meal, so I have little fear of digestive issues.  Once we stop for a water and nutrition break, she gets water, a small handful of kibble, some dried salmon (current favorite Wellness brand), and a Zuke's power bone.  We've tested this little goodie bag of nutrition in 90 degree weather while hiking in the Asheville area as well as the trails here at home in temps ranging from 20 degrees to 60+ degrees; the food survives well and doesn't get sticky or messy in the heat (of course nothing is ever left in direct sunlight, it's alaways on my person).  Breaks don't last long with her because she doesn't care to stop moving much more than I do, so before I have the water bowl and bottle packed back into my pack, she's usually leaning into the lead toward the trail. I have taken this desire to continue the trail to be a good sign that we're on the right track with the proper nutritional support her body demands.

Post-run and after we're cooled down a bit, it's back to the truck where I check her feet, legs, shoulders and spine to be sure I don't find any signs of soreness.  Once she passes inspection, so to speak, she's into her crate for a long drink and a heavier load of her mix from the trail. I stretch her and I back at home - I will do a little stretching of my quads and hamstrings there, but I prefer to spend some good time stretching after I've chilled out.  She is always receptive to a good stretch and rub once we're back at the house too.  At the truck she is more focused on getting to the food, so if I take the time to stretch her there it just causes irritation between us as she twists and bucks and tries to get into her crate.

There were a few challenges in finding the right nutritional mix of things for both of us.  I tried several food items for me and her that didn't hold up well to the humidity or heat; most trail bars were too cumbersome to handle on the trail and then there's the wrapper that has to be packed back and thrown away later.

We don't feed kibble here as the dogs have been on a raw diet for nearly a year now.  So the challenge of obtaining kibble for this purpose only became an odd prospect when I began the season this year.  Buying a bag of food that wasn't going to be used except on weekends seemed potentially wasteful, yet I wanted to be sure that what I was providing for her on the these runs was actually nutrition; I save "treats" and "cookies" for training behaviors.  One day while checking out of a boutique that we purchase supplements for the dogs from the cashier offered me a sample bag/serving of a natural kibble they carry.  Bingo, I happily took it and two more.  They are good, natural, nutritionally sound kibble products and they come in really small amounts!  So now we keep a couple of sample bags of kibble from good nutritious products on hand.  I am able to provide her with variety in both flavor and ingredients, while knowing I've just given her something that will serve us well on our travels and recovery.

Happy trails and wagging tails :)