Week's end

Thank goodness. We did get all the scheduled miles in for this week - some slower than others. Cosmo had an "I don't wanna run" epiphany on Friday.
Okay, every dog is entitled to a couple :-) I sure have plenty of them so I am not going to begrudge him his.

Our weekend run scheduled was for 5.5 miles. Usually we run on Saturday morning but I pushed it back to Sunday because Bridget and I spent most of Saturday at the Grapehounds event about an hour and a half away. We went to sell cupcakes (not many sold - who the heck wants to buy cupcakes when there is plenty of booze around and it is 90 degrees?) and to support Jen who was vending her art. She did awesome - her linocuts really seemed to strike a chord with attendees.

So back to running. This morning, I wasn't expecting to take Cosmo. I wanted to give him some more rest days and it was hot and muggy. 85 degrees on my home thermometer at 8:30 am. But I spent all morning listening to this:

I love it how he whines and then looks away as if to say, "I am so disappointed I can barely stand the sight of you" So I am not proud to say I crumbled and decided to take him and see how it went.

Within the first quarter mile when I was scooping Cosmo's usual start-to-run-poop, we saw Bill coming down the path. First thing he said, as he gave me a meaningful look was, 'It is pretty hot'. But we had taken this into account and made some change in plans. The initial dogless plan was to run the out and back loop for 4 miles and then cross the bridge and run on the east trail for .75 and double back to the starting point for the complete 5.5. Instead, we ran the 4 mile loop and then doubled back on it for .75 and back for our total because it was shaded and the east trail isn't. I put a cooler of water at our start/4 mile/finish point. We walked for 2 minutes at every mile marker. I also (for the first time ever) ran carrying a water bottle which I used to douse Momo's ears, underarms, inside of his thighs and belly at every walk point. At about the two mile mark (exactly where he stopped on Friday) he stopped and just stood in the shade. I thought for sure we were going to have to walk back and call it quits. But after a water dousing and his two minute walk he was ready to go again. He seemed to hit his stride and comfort level at this point and didn't really want to take the last two walk breaks but I made him. He did his little biting/mouthing my hand to try to get me to get going again.

Considering the walk and dousing breaks, we still did a 12 m/m. It was hard though, and I was tired for the last 2 miles or so. Makes me wonder how I will be able to do 13.1 or even 6.2 if I get this tired over 5.5.

Friday run

It occurred to me today, as Cosmo, T'bo and I did our Friday morning run, that I love my dog. I adore this guy. He has been the best running partner ever - always engaged and motivated. He keeps me going. We did only our 2.5 mile route - that is far enough for T'bo. He ran at the very end of his leash, as far behind me as he could get. I just don't understand this. He isn't stressed, he just drags his ass, lollygagging. Cosmo maintains our pace, nicely slacked leash, his head aligned right with my right thigh. Running with this dog is a joy.

T'bo will be returning to his home early next week. Then it will be time for Cosmo and I to up our distance and work on a little speed.

***Edited to add: Don't bother writing me about how my dog is too skinny. He's a greyhound, for crying out loud. He is a greyhound who is active and at his proper weight. And he is a greyhound that will go out and lay down a pace over six miles. Want to try to hang with him over six miles? (That is a rhetorical question because I know some of you runners could hang with him without hardly breaking a sweat, but I am talking trash to all those non-running, fat dog owners who always look at me like I am starving my dog) He only looks skinny because by comparison, most dogs are too fat.***

My heart is breaking

He thinks he is going.

He wants to run so badly.