Running Dog?

Prada's First 8k Race

A few years ago while out on a morning run I was followed by a van.  After back tracking and some of the fastest running I have ever done I made it home okay only to be terrified of what might have happened.  So I told my husband that I needed a Running Dog, too which he agreed (it freaked him out too).  I started doing some research on what the best running dog would be and came up with the Australian Shepard.  I then found a rescue group and talked to the lady in charge, since I had a new baby an old dog and two cats I needed  dog that would fit into our already big family.  She said she had the perfect dog for us and when we met her it was love at first lick.  Prada (that was her name and we kept it) has not left my side since.

Well until our first winter in Kansas and I chickened out of running in the cold.  You see she got fat and lazy that first winter.  And I have had a hard time getting her back into running.  She keeps getting fatter and fatter and lazier and lazier while I go out and get stronger and healthier.  So this morning I decided to leash her up and make her run with me.  Since I am just starting back again I am slower and only doing two miles at a time so I thought it was the right time to get her back into it.

My question to you all is this, do I have the right to choose if she is a running dog or not?  Should I make her run if she does not want to?  Is it wrong to not take her running and let her get fatter and fatter?

Running in the Dark

Do you run in the dark?  I usually have to squeeze my runs in before my husband leaves for work so that means I am usually running in the dark at 5am.  Truthfully I usually don't mind, there is something peacefull about being the only one up and out first thing in the morning. 

Before this last injury, there were mornings when my runs were just long enough to see the sun come up and I gotta say those were my favorite runs.  There is no better way to bring in the day then out on a morning run while watching the sun rise and listening to the birds sing.

This time of year, I usually opt for the treadmill instead of a nice run ouside because it is so cold at 5am.  But today, I was blessed with a nice warm 40 degree morning so I geared up and took my run outside. And I must say I feel awesome today, you just don't get this feeling when running on the treadmill.

I know a lot of people (espically us women) are afraid of running in the dark.  So I am wondering do you run in the dark?  Are you afraid?  And what do you think, if you have to run in the dark is it safer in the morning or in the evening?

Scared to Run

Have you ever been scared to run?  There are so many reasons you could be.  The dark might make you scared, the seclusion, the fear of not being able to do it, the fear that you can do it, or maybe the fear of getting hurt.

It is funny, I have lots of fears that I don’t let rule my life.  Pretty much all of those fears listed above can describe how I have felt from time to time, but I don’t let them affect me or my running.  Well until you get to that last one, the fear of getting hurt.  I am not scared I will trip and fall (though I guess that could happen) I am afraid the stress fracture I had last year will return.

I was actually kind of lucky when I got the fracture, you see right after I found out I had it I found out I was pregnant so taking time off from running did not seem too bad.  But once that baby was born and I found some motivation I started running again.  My leg felt fine so no worries, I signed up for a half marathon to keep me motivated (after all I had some baby weight to loose).  My training was going great, but when I got home after my 10 miler the pain was back.  Yes the pain right in the same spot as my fracture.  That is when the fear gripped me, Oh no it is not healed, I can’t run, what will I do?

I went to the doctor and he assured me I did not have a stress fracture the bone was just stressed.  He also told me I could run, just to back off the mileage.  Great news right?  Well after every run my leg would hurt and my fear of not being able to run would take over till it finally consumed me to the point where I did not run.

Isn’t it funny how my fear of not running caused me to not run?  Fear is a funny thing and can make us do funny things.  It has actually been over a month now since I have run (well before this week that is) my fear was so strong.  At the same time the fear was keeping me from running, depression was taking over because I was not running.  I would see a runner out while driving and wish it were me, but then fear that if I ran my fracture would return and I would not be able to run at all.

Finally after several weeks of not running, I got to thinking about my fear and how silly I was being.  I mean here I am so scared that I might not be able to run that I am not running. I was making my worst fear happen, and I was doing it to myself.  So Monday afternoon, I did it I got on the treadmill and ran for 2 miles.  And today I did it again.  I feel great, and the best part is I have no pain in my leg. 

I plan to take it slow and keep the mileage down for now, but I learned a lesson about fear.  You can’t let fear rule you because if you do, it will make your worst fears come true!

What is your fear?  Do you let it control you?