1000 Mile Year!

New Hope Dog Rescue Walkathon!!!!!

2010-05-04T20:03:00.002-06:00

We are slowly building up miles. Jack and I have run another 32 miles and walked another 2.5 miles (Jack 255.5, Caroline 275.5) for the New Hope Dog Rescue walkathon. As you can see by the pictures above, the New Hope Dogs are beautiful and so are their owners. Skender raised $300.00 for the walkathon but unfortunately could not walk with Jack and I because he had the stomach flu. Jack had a wonderful time reuniting with his friend Manix and of course his wonderful foster parents Kim and Todd. I enjoyed meeting more members of the New Hope Dog Rescue family, such amazing people who open their homes to dogs in need. I don't know how much money was raised at the walkathon but I think the group raised around $3,000.00. The money raised will cover the costs for dogs who come into NHDR and require health care (shots, neutering, operations etc.), dog food, toys, treats, etc. The timing of the walkathon was perfect because NHDR has rescued a number of dogs recently that require medical attention before being adopted. Added to the fun we had on Sunday, was knews today from my good friends Kathy and Diane at SaskEnergy who donated from their April Jean Fund (people are allowed to wear Jeans to work on Fridays if they donate $10.00 a month to a fund dedicated to local charities) $330.00 to Jack's 1000 mile year, New Hope Dog Rescue. This brings Jack's total to $630.00. Friends who donated to us: Brent H. (our biggest donation!!!), Amanda N. and Chris G., Rhonda and Dom N., Wes and Gwen N., Shirley T., Darren T. and Adil B. along with a bunch of Amanda and Chris' friends who we met at A. and C.'s engagement party. We are still hoping for more donations to meet our $1,000.00 goal. As for the miles we are slowly moving along and while we may not make the full 1000 miles by the end of the year, we'll eventually get there :) !!!!

Courier au Montréal and Running at Home

2010-04-20T21:30:00.003-06:00

Logging our miles tonight for the past three weeks (Jack 221, Caroline 241). Jack and I are running regularly these days, usually 3-5 miles. Jack has been a bit distracted by all the wonderful spring smells, birds, gophers and all the people, dog and bike traffic along the trail. I have put in a few more miles than Jack with trips to Ottawa and Montreal. Above are pictures of very good friends in Montreal, Greg and Jackson (Skender's godfather) and also some pictures of Sken when he was biking while Jack and I were running.

The weather has been absolutely fantastic. Last year it was cold and snowy, while this year is the exact opposite. I have been running in shorts the last few days, even in early evening. I road out to Dakota Dunes this weekend (70K) with a friend of mine on our road bikes. It was a perfect day for a long ride, not much wind and not too hot. I even ended up with a bit of a suntan...its April!!!! I love it!

Back running in Ottawa!

2010-03-29T20:45:00.000-06:00

Complements all round for Jack!

2010-03-21T23:35:00.001-06:00

Jack and I ran 12 miles over the weekend (Jack 144.5, Caroline 155.5). Today we were asked by several people about Jack's pedigree with everyone commenting on what a handsome guy our Jumping Jack Flash is. Jack of course is always his charming self, not a peep just a big (and I mean big) wagging tail and a half smile.

Making our way slowly

2010-03-18T22:37:00.000-06:00

Jack and I ran 3.5 miles tonight (Jack 122.5, Caroline 133.5). It was colder but actually a nice night for running. Jack enjoyed every minute of our run because he had been home alone the entire day. He came home and rested on the couch with Skender watching his favorite show, Sponge Bob.

A few more miles

2010-03-17T20:12:00.029-06:00

Jack and I have been enjoying this wonderful weather. We have completed another 23 miles (Caroline 130 miles, Jack 119 miles). In the past couple weeks we have been to Prince Albert (work) and North Battleford (fun). Jack particularly enjoyed going to the farm in North Battleford where he played with Buddy, Skender and Ethan on the pond. Our running has been going slow but we are moving along toward our goal. The running path is drying up and there are a larger number of runners, walkers, bikers and dogs on the trail. Poor Jack has had a couple bad encounters with other dogs, one bit his nose and another got away from his owner and took after Jack. Jack is a big guy but very gentle so I've learnt that all of the new dogs on the trail may not all be dogs that we want to visit with. Despite the few problems we have had, Jack is enjoyed being on the trail. He is improving on the leash however once in awhile he still stops dead, sometimes with me not realizing until I'm flying backwards :)

And you thought we weren't running!

2010-03-04T05:01:00.001-06:00

I'm back blogging! Life can only be described as moving at the speed of sound. Jack and I have been running, not as much as I had hoped, over the past two weeks to add another 26 miles (Caroline 107 miles, Jack 96 miles). Jack receives 2 extra miles for his runs in the dog park when I was walking rather than running, which means he is just short of his first 100 miles (98 miles). We are behind in mileage compared to where I was at this time last year, which was well over 200 miles by March 1st. I'm not worried as we now have extra sunlight and warmer temperatures to support our running.

Winter Running

2010-02-15T08:28:00.001-06:00

Jack and I have run another 12 miles (Jack 70 miles, Caroline 81 miles) over the past few days. He love to run in this weather, particularly bounding through the snow. I am enjoying our winter running more than I expected. The biggest problem is getting out there when I feel either cold or tired, or both. However, so far I have never felt cold running. Once I get out there the problem is most often being over dressed and feeling too warm. The wind can also be a problem particularly in some of the off leash dog park where it is more open. Jack and I run trails to get to the park which are treed and keep the wind out. The great pleasure of winter running is to enjoy how beautiful it is in the winter along the river! I have decided that Jack and I need to try and pick up the pace now that we have more daylight to run in. Next week we'll try to reach our hundred mile mark, a big milestone in freezing temperatures.

Back running

2010-02-08T07:08:00.001-06:00

Jack and I have not been running much the past couple weeks. I have had a severe muscle problem in my back and arm. It has improved significantly over the weekend. As you can see by the photos above when Jack isn't running he watches the runners go by our house. He was very unhappy that we were not running and I swear he was smiling when we finally went back on the trail Saturday. Jack and I ran 8 miles this weekend and Jack has put on another 3 miles on days that I walked the dog park (Jack 58, Caroline 69). We are now back on the trails and as the days become longer we have more time to get out for our runs.

Jack goes to school!!!

2010-01-26T21:20:00.002-06:00

Jack and I skipped our run today because it is colder and the wind has picked up. OK, to be honest, I decided to skip the run, Jack was ready to go as always!!!! He is definitely a winter guy.

Jack went to school today to give a "show and tell" presentation with Skender. They are quite a team with Jack being the "show" guy performing tricks, "sit", "shake a paw", "lay down" and giving wet doggy nose "hello" to all the kids, while in French Sken told the class all about Jack, including their mutual love of curling up on the couch and watching Sponge Bob.

Charlie and Ralph!

2010-01-25T22:03:00.003-06:00

Jack and I are making slow progress these days. We ran 6 miles in the past four days (Jack 47 miles, Caroline 61 miles) because it was impossible to run over the weekend with the snow storm. Jack was happy to get out today and meet his buddies at the dog park. In the past two runs we have met a couple very cool dogs, Charlie (at the top) and Ralph (black dog above). Charlie is also a rescue dog, coming from British Columbia. He is absolutely cute and recently arrived with his owners from Vancouver. Jack and Charlie had great fun playing and we were sad to say goodbye and hope to see Charlie and his owner again on our runs. The second dog Ralph, we met today. He is 11 years old but doesn't look it. He plays like a puppy! Jack and Ralph tumbled around in the deep snow until I finally had to grab Jack so Ralph and his owner could carry on with their walk. After a few days of relaxing, Jack was ready today for some winter fun. Tonight he is laid out on the carpet snoozing, no doubt having doggy dreams about playing with his buddies Charlie and Ralph!

Graduation day for Jack!

2010-01-19T22:45:00.016-06:00

Jack and I ran 3 miles late this afternoon (Jack 41 miles, Caroline 54 miles). Once again the weather was wonderful. I hope it lasts at least a little while longer to ease the pain of winter. Much to my surprise I enjoy winter running almost as much as warm weather running and actually prefer a day like today to a hot July day. The difficulty with this time of year is getting a run in after work before it gets dark. The days are slowly starting to lengthen but it is still dark by 6:00. The city has done an excellent job of clearing the running path without going all the way to the pavement. By doing this the path maintains a nice cushion of snow that for reasons I don't understand, never becomes slippery. I have not had any injuries (slipping or muscle/joint) running on the winter paths and the surface is easier on Jack's paws than icy pavement.

Jack graduated last night from his first obedience class. It was very fun and Jack and Skender successfully completed the final course made up of all the lessons we learnt. The pictures above are of our last class and the last two include Rigby, a little friend of Jack's from obedience class and his wonderful owners. Rigby is the most amazing little guy and watching him play with Jack is so funny. The size difference is a bit unnerving at times, especially when Jack takes a swat at Rigby. Rigby doesn't seem to mind but instead jumps up at Jack to get him to play more. The photos also include Jillian and Karen our course instructors. They run "No Bad Dog" obedience classes and in our case, I have to admit it was equally challenging for them to teach the dog AND the owners!

Is Jack a Munsterlander?

2010-01-17T20:50:00.005-06:00

Jack and I ran 8 miles over the weekend, 3 on Friday and 5 (Jack 37, Caroline 51) today. I was too tired Saturday to run so I did a walk around the dog park while Jack played with his friends (Jack gets an extra mile) (Jack 38). As usual we met a number of wonderful people including some really cool kids who found Jack quite amusing, especially when he stole the little girl's stick.

We visited our vet, Sharon Bruce on Friday and Jack had a check up and I received advice about keeping him healthy as we run. I learnt about keeping his paws healthy, hydration, and watching Jack's body language so that he doesn't over do it. I also bought vitamins to keep his muscles and joints healthy. The very cool thing that came out of our discussion with the vet was an answer to the question everyone asks, "what breed is he?" Sharon said he looks likes a Munsterlander. A what lander???? If you google "Munsterlander" you will see a number of pictures that look exactly like Jack. I'm unsure what Jack "is", but a cross between Springer Spaniel, Lab and possibly some Munsterlander is likely Jack's pedigree given his size and temperament.

January 17, 2010

January 16, 2010

January 15, 2010

Jack, Mr. Sociable

2010-01-13T20:25:00.001-06:00

Jack and I ran 3 miles late this afternoon (Jack 29 miles, Caroline 43). It was a gorgeous day, perfect for running. The temperature was around freezing, a wonderful change from the first week in January. We met two very nice men who initially ran by us when Jack was stopped sniffing something. After they passed, Jack decided that we needed to catch up with them to say hello; always the sociable guy! We had a very nice conversation with them during which Jack came close to wiping one of them out when he stopped dead in his tracks to sniff something. Thank goodness our new friend was agile enough to jump over Jack in time. Yup, there are a few things Jack and I need to work on :) We also had the pleasure of meeting Mary Jo and her dog (from yesterday's run) on the bridge, and they were kind enough to help encourage Jack to walk across the bridge. It took us 10 minutes to get across because Jack was very unsure about the build up of ice on the bridge and was afraid to walk on it!
Later we had the pleasure of meeting two former acquaintances (April 11, 2009) at the dog park. Jack had fun playing with this big beautiful white guy, who made Jack look like just a little guy. We left the park with them but soon said goodbye because Jack decided he needed extra time (ughhh) to get across the bridge.

Back on the trail with Jack!

2010-01-12T23:51:00.002-06:00

Jack and I resumed our running today after I picked him up at the kennel. He was sooooooo happy to see me and I was equally excited to bring him home. We hit the trail over the lunch hour and did a short four/three mile run (Jack 26 miles, Caroline 40 miles). Jack gets an extra mile today because I walked the loop at the dog park and he ran and ran and ran with his dog buddies. It was a gorgeous sunny warm day and we had the pleasure of meeting some very nice people and their dogs. When I explained our 1000 mile goal to raise money for New Hope Dog Rescue I found out that they also had connections to this wonderful organization. The beautiful brown Husky X above with his owner (and Jack) is a New Hope Dog Rescue dog just like Jack. With the other big Husky the two of them played and played until all three dogs laid down in the snow from exhaustion. Jack and I also met another dog/human running team on our way home and stopped and had a little visit with them (pic above). Let's just say it was a sociable run today; we took our time, enjoyed the hot weather and the great people we met along the way!

A "must place" to visit!

2010-01-10T22:06:00.011-06:00

January 9, 2010

I ran a little over six miles (37 miles) late afternoon. I think the pictures speak for themselves :)

January 9, 2010
I ran 5 miles (31 miles) tonight on the beach. It was sooooooooo beautiful. I could get use to this!!!

Running on the beach

2010-01-08T20:46:00.018-06:00

I had a short 4 miles run (26 miles) along the beach tonight. I'm in California for work and made my way down to the beach after our session to clear my head with a run. It was incredibly beautiful but unfortunately I arrived just after the sun had set. I ran along the beach soaking up the scenery until it got dark. I love California and running today made me think of the two years I lived in Berkley (93-95) as a graduate student. It feels like a life time ago but reminded me that I need to get back here more often.

I have fallen in love with the little town we are in (Carpinteria) which is just south of Santa Barbara. We had a nice drive up from L.A. yesterday, keeping to the coastline and the spectacular views. This was Deb's first time seeing the ocean which was also very cool!

(picture below).

Yummpy running shoes!

2010-01-07T10:46:00.033-06:00

So I thought Jack and I were in this together, but Jack maybe looking for an advantage by chewing my running shoes! Take a close look at that "innocent" face, I think he's grinning at me. Why Jack would want to chew this particular pair of shoes is a mystery because they are the oldest, stinkiest pair that I have. I ran most of my 1000 miles wearing them and they now serve as my winter/spring runners that will be thrown in the garbage by the end of April (if they are not destroyed by Jack sooner). We skipped our run today because it was really really cold and I was running around trying to get ready to leave for Santa Barbara. Jack lounged on the couch as I came and went throughout the day.

I had a nice surprise around 7PM. My door bell rang and I opened the door to a group of runners who said one of their group had injured her ankle. The group continued running and the injured woman stayed at my house and I drove her home. We had a great conversation about running and our research (she is a graduate student at the UofS in agriculture). We decided I should have a sign in my window, "Injured river runners welcome!"

What am I reading these days? I finished Joseph Boyden's "Three Day Road" over the holidays. It is amazing and as with "Through Black Spruce", Boyden has created a passionate and deeply moving narrative. I preferred this earlier novel to Through Black Spruce which won the 2008 Scotia Bank Giller Prize for Canadian literature. In fact I liked Three Day Road so much that I have included it in the course I am teaching this semester, "Theorizing Change in Aboriginal Societies." This is one of the best novels that I read in 2009 and I highly recommend it to everyone, especially those who enjoy Indigenous literature :)

Jack the Dog is all business

2010-01-06T09:29:00.001-06:00

Jack and I ran 1.5 miles yesterday and 4.5 miles today (22 miles). We are beginning to rack up our 1000 miles and Jack is all business. I see a change in him in the past few days as he takes on his running job. Our trips through the off-leash dog park have changed as Jack focuses more on our running than the other dogs and people. When we are walking I'm simply not that interesting but let me add some speed and he is right by my side and the rest of the world doesn't matter (well maybe that's not entirely true but we're headed in that direction). Jack in on his game and we are now ready to begin our fundraising!
At the end of our run last evening we spotted the trickster Coyote on the river. It was getting dark and difficult to see him. He was walking on the ice and began to walk towards the bridge when he saw Jack. I tried to photograph him with no luck, he was too far away and it was too dark. I like to think he showed up to wish us a little luck :)

Jack's fear of bridges

2010-01-03T23:12:00.083-06:00

   We ran 6 miles today (16 miles). The weather was great, lots of sunshine and no wind. I think the temperature was around -17C. We ran a trail at the beginning and then went to the off leash dog park. Jack has developed a fear of bridges that began about three weeks ago. We ran the bridges several times in November but since the bridges became covered in snow Jack has been afraid to cross them. He is especially afraid of the train bridge which is the bridge where his fear began.
   During a December run I started across the train bridge when suddenly the bridge let out a big creak that stopped Jack in his tracks. That was it! He was not going further. I tried to reassure him that everything was OK but nothing worked, not even treats???? Jack would barely take a step before laying down in fear. Because we were on the opposite side of the river from our house I had to either run to another bridge (another couple miles added to my run and hope he would go across that one) or get Jack across the train bridge. In six different tries I slowly carried Jack across the bridge. He eventually started walking as we approached the other shore. Jack went easily down the stairs to the street with all his fear gone.
   At the time I thought Jack's fear was limited to the train bridge (which is quite different from the others) however his fear extends to all bridges, even to some of the walkways along the river with railing. Jack was timid entering the University bridge when we first got him but would still run across it. Now he walks with great trepidation and when I begin to run, he stops dead in his tracks. One guy even said he thought Jack was an older dog (we meet a lot of people on the bridges now) because of the way he was walking.
   I have no idea whether Jack will get over this and more importantly what I can do to help him get past his fears. There are sometimes I wish he could talk so I could better understand what his fears are. My big guy might need a canine running buddy to help build his courage and overcome his fear :)
   Had a fun time at the World Junior Hockey semi-finals tonight. A few pictures from the game. Canada-U.S. final Tuesday night! Go Canada!!!!

A New Year and 1000 Miles to Run

2010-01-02T19:01:00.008-06:00

We're off!!!! A new year and 1000 miles to run. Jack and I are both running a 1000 miles this year. We began on January 1st with a cold day (-25C) which made the run along the river trail beautiful albeit a bit frosty. We ran to the dog park, ran the loop and came home (4 miles). Today we ran 6 miles (10 miles). A much nicer day (-15C) than yesterday but because there was little wind we did not feel cold at anytime on either day. I can tell Jack is happy to be running again. They say to give your puppy a job and Jack's job is to run. Six miles in this weather is nothing for him. He eats snow when he gets thirsty and we stop whenever he feels he needs to sniff something and of course take a pee. I'm enjoying running again after a bit of a break but can't wait to shed winter clothes for spring gear. A few weeks to go until that pleasure!

end of the year!

2009-12-31T23:44:00.003-06:00

Today was our last run of the year (2 miles). I finished the year a little over 1000 miles. I decided to take a break once I hit my goal and before beginning to run in the new year. I also wanted my knee to heal completely and knew it needed at least a couple weeks without running. I know Jack is missing our runs and so am I! Above are pictures of mom and Sken playing Beetles Rock Band on New Years eve.

Running out the year

2009-12-17T21:40:00.008-06:00

Las Vegas Rock n' Roll Half Marathon! The end of my 1000 miles

2009-12-12T09:17:00.028-06:00

I'm done!!!! 1000 miles! I finished my 1000 mile year December 6th with 27,000 runners in the Las Vegas Rock n' Roll marathon (6AM start time ughhh!). It was a great race, very festive, rock n' roll bands and the run was virtually flat (I was told there were some hills in the second half of the marathon). I ran the half in 1:57 minutes, making in under the 2 hour mark as I had hoped. Sue and Daryl both had good runs, with Daryl qualifying for the Boston marathon (unlike the L.V. run, you have to have a qualifying time for the famous Boston marathon before being allowed to enter). I also met some very nice people waiting in "corral no. 9" for the race to begin (picture above). I was very under dressed compared to them, thinking it would be warmer than it was. However, once I began running I warmed up to a comfortable temperature and then did my best to make my time. I had a few problems with my right knee at mile 9 and at one point thought I would have to stop. However a bit of stretching fixed the problem and I was able to finish the race. I also ran with my camera and took a few pictures along the way. The pictures in no way capture the fun and festive atmosphere of running by crowds of people on the Las Vegas strip cheering us on while rock n' roll bands played music at different points along the course. And of course there were many many Elvises. I snapped a picture of two who were in my corral before the race started. They look amazing. "Thank you, thank you very much."

We had a fun time in Las Vegas however it was colder than I thought it would be. Nothing however like the cold weather we returned to Saturday evening with the temperature down to minus 45 with the windchill. We picked up Jack Sunday and are now settling into winter "for real". Jack and I ran 2 miles last night in the dark -25 degree weather (1002 miles, Jack 72 miles). He was bouncing around like a kid...or a puppy :) obviously the cold weather isn't a problem for our guy. What next? I think I"ll just keep running.....:)

Ready for Las Vegas!!!!

2009-12-04T22:26:00.010-06:00

I ran 6 miles (987 miles) today in -14 C weather! Jack is already at Kim's place for the week that Skender and I will be in Las Vegas. I missed him on my run today. It was cold but once I began running warmed up and it was actually quite pleasant. This is my last run before Las Vegas. I feel good and ready for the run and to finish my 1000 miles!

A Crisp and Cool Vangroovy!

2009-12-03T23:25:00.014-06:00

I ran 5 miles (981 miles) this morning before my meetings. It was wonderful to watch the sun come up and the colours were spectacular. It was cold but still nice for running. I ran along the waterfront and took a set of pictures of the changing sky as the sun rose. I was tired from the meeting yesterday but the run helped to give me some extra energy. I had the pleasure of meeting this wonderful man, Ron who volunteered to take a picture of me. The last photograph was taken at the airport with Sisley and Gaye two good friends of mine. Gaye and I were in the same meeting the last couple days and Sisley was so kind to come and meet me at the airport for a drink. It was wonderful to see her again and to catch up on each other's life.

Sisley and I became friends in Montreal years ago and we have remained close friends over the years. Sis is an amazing chef and when we lived in the same apartment building on Park Ave in Mile End, Montreal she'd send me to the grocery store to choose whatever veggies, herbs, spices, meat etc. that I wanted and she'd create a fabulous meal from my choices. How fun!!!

Running on Granville Island!

2009-12-01T12:07:00.003-06:00

I ran 4 miles (976 miles) after my meeting today. It was dark and cool but as always Vancouver was beautiful!

972 miles! 15 miles to Las Vegas

2009-11-30T22:41:00.007-06:00

Jack and I ran 4 miles late afternoon (972 miles, Jack 74 miles). I am able to do more cross country running because of Jack. It feels safer running through the bush when I have him with me. Saskatoon is very safe but I still feel uncomfortable running trails on my own. Jack is great company and added security (that is if he doesn't hide behind me :). He also loves the trails better than the paved paths. I share his preference and plan to spend more time next year running trails. We ended up at the dog park where we ran the loop around the park, meeting a few more new friends. Jack particularly liked Tipper (picture above). When it was time to go and the leash was back on, Jack began to run and didn't bother to fight the leash much before we were out of the park and on our way home.

Jack had his first obedience class tonight and did very well. Skender also did well and taught Jack to lay down when the instructor and I couldn't. We dropped Jack off at Kim's place after the class (the foster home he was living at when we adopted him). Kim and her wonderful family will look after Jack while I'm in Vancouver and Las Vegas. Their generosity to help, gives us such peace of mind. Jack was very excited when we arrived at Kim's place and was happy to see his old friends and he even met a new dog, Manix who is being fostered by Kim's family. Manix is absolutely beautiful and you can see him on-line under Petfinder. Skender and I found it difficult to leave, knowing that we won't see Jack for almost two weeks. However we know Jack is going to have his own fun vacation while we're gone on ours! Sitting home alone tonight before my Vancouver trip, the house feels very empty without my two favorite guys!

13 men!!! What a very unlucky number

2009-11-29T22:44:00.015-06:00

Jack and I had a short run today. We were going to run 5 miles but decided to limit our run to 3 miles and stop at the dog park (968 miles, Jack 70 miles). Rider pride was definitely the theme of the day with a number of dogs wearing Rough Rider shirts. Unfortunately our team lost by one point on a crazy play. Skender was so upset as he tried to make sense of how the Riders could lose the way they did. But isn't a nail biting finish (even one where we lose) the exact reason we watch, what draws us in and keeps us cheering. I explained to Skender that games like this year's Grey Cup are games that people talk about for years after. The question now is, what will happen next year to the Riders? My guess is they will have an even better team and the same amazing fans that support them no matter what happens!

Skender finished his level 10 swimming today. Quite an accomplishment for a nine year old. He loves the pool and worked really hard to get his level 10 badge. After his swimming lessons we took another trip to the dog park with Skender's friends John and Liz, their mom Bobbi and their very cool dog Baxter (the little beagle). On our walk we met the biggest St. Bernard. Just imagine how much he must eat!!!! A cow or two a day perhaps?

I am one week from Las Vegas. I feel really good, no injuries and in pretty good shape. There are a few people from Saskatoon heading to the run, most doing the marathon. I should have run the marathon but I really enjoy the distance of the half marathon and I think I'll tackle a marathon next year. The New York marathon is the one that I would most like to run and since I've never been to New York it would be even more special. I would also like to run the Boston marathon (who wouldn't) and a run in San Francisco, both cities that I have lived in and love. For now, however I'm focused on Las Vegas and finishing my 1000 mile year. I'd also like to break the 2 hour time for the half but maybe distracted by rock bands, Elvis and of course a wedding or two along the course :)

Hanging with Jack's buddies at the dog park

2009-11-28T17:25:00.007-06:00

Jack and I ran 3.5 miles (965 miles, Jack 67 miles) today. I am running shorter runs as Las Vegas gets closer so I am feeling my best for the run. We met two really nice women as we were crossing the Circle Drive Bridge so I snapped Jack's picture with them :) Weather remains great for running and playing at the dog park. As you can see Jack is making new friends every time we stop to talk or to play! There are so many beautiful dogs at the dog park and Jack absolutely loves to hang out with his new buddies.

A guy and his dog!

2009-11-26T23:05:00.012-06:00

Quick 2.5 mile run this afternoon with Jack (961.5 miles, Jack 63.5 miles) . It was the first time in ages that I forgot my camera at home. I did manage to take a few pictures later when Skender and I went to the off leash dog park with Jack. Don't they look cute together!

Training for Las Vegas!

2009-11-25T19:19:00.004-06:00

Another 4 miles (959 miles, Jack 61 miles) and a wee bit closer to my goal. We are still having nice weather and Jack and I had a quick four mile run tonight. We have been running sprints to get ready for Las Vegas and I feel pretty good. Before our run I took Jack up to Skender's school so he could have Jack meet some of his friends. It was fun watching Skender and Jack play with the daycare children. Jack loved all the attention and was a very good dog throughout the experience. He is such a gentle, gentle soul.

955 miles!

2009-11-24T21:14:00.005-06:00

Jack and I ran 5 miles tonight (955 miles, Jack 57 miles). We enjoyed the most beautiful sunset and we had a great run. Jack is improving every day and hardly pulls on the leash now. I have been giving him treats as we run and he now runs right beside me and is less interested in people and other dogs. Watching Jack run, I can see he is having the time of his life. Running with Jack has also been a great training regime. I believe I am running faster and now that he is running without pulling and stopping we are covering our distance quicker. The past couple nights we have been running sprints instead of taking a longer run. I feel really good for Las Vegas and have my goal set to complete the half marathon under two hours. It is going to be fun crossing the 1000 mile finish line surrounded by versions of Elvis and maybe even some marathon newly weds :)

Hot Wheels, Hot Paws!

2009-11-23T21:40:00.005-06:00

Look at the great wheels my niece Tia is driving! I love trucks like this and if I didn't have my trusty Matrix, I'd probably invest in a truck just like this. She picked me up this evening and we drove over to pick up Skender at Persephone. Of course Skender loved Tia's new truck and what a cool jazzy colour!!!

Jack and I ran 3 miles today (950 miles, Jack 52 miles). It was another nice sunny day, about zero degrees outside and no wind. I managed to take Jack for a late afternoon run and a trip to the off leash dog park. We are still working on Jack coming back to me when I call. He is doing pretty well and I have a couple new strategies after attending our first obedience class tonight that I hope will help. Skender and I went to the orientation obedience class tonight and Jack will come with us next week. When we arrived home I tried some of the suggestions that they gave us and they worked really well. Jack is a quick learner and he likes to please. I do believe that if there was a dog that came with the book "Dogs for Dummies", Jack would be the prototype dog. Skender and I have no clue what we are doing and Jack makes becoming a new dog owner very easy. He is so gentle and calm and fits in perfectly with our lifestyle. I know may people are probably thinking I'm the last person who needs another responsibility. Surprisingly Jack has brought significant improvement not only to Skender's life (who adores Jack) but to mine also. Our home feels more like a family home and I am enjoying taking Jack for morning and evening walks. I don't need added exercise but walking as opposed to always running is very enjoyable. Slows me down to enjoy life in yet another way. I also think I must have a mind similar to a dog. I do much better when I get out in the fresh air and take in the beauty and wonder of the natural environment. I know I will probably not enjoy the cold winter walks ahead of me but so far my walks (and runs) with Jack are a great addition to my quality of life. And you're wondering about Skender and walking Jack? Well, Sken is the inside play guy. He is constantly playing with Jack when I'm busy doing other things. I don't mind that he doesn't want to walk Jack all the time, I'm happy that he is crazy in love with Jack and that they have developed their own way of hanging out and having fun.

A great November Sunday!

2009-11-22T15:42:00.009-06:00

Jack and I ran 6.5 miles today (947 miles, Jack 49 miles) and then took a quick detour to the off leash dog park before coming home. It was another beautiful November day and I feel so lucky to be running my final 100 miles in this gorgeous weather. Just as we were entering the Circle Drive bridge we met a really nice man (Sam) and his beautiful female bull dog (Lola). They were obviously ready for the Rider game, which I am happy to say the Riders won placing them in the Grey Cup next Sunday.

After Skender's swimming lessons we returned to the off leash dog park so Skender could see what it is like. He loved it! I was a bit worried that he wouldn't like all the dogs running around free but he was really comfortable. Skender and Jack explored the river for almost two hours. When we were leaving the dog park we met a sweet little dog that was a much smaller version of Jack. She was beautiful and within seconds had rolled on her tummy for belly scratches. If we had any questions about whether Jack is an English Springer Spaniel, meeting this little dog confirms that he is definitely a Spaniel. Their markings and faces were identical.

Take a close look at the first picture of Skender throwing the rock. Kind of a cool picture, the rock had just left his hand. Also the close up pictures of Jack are to show his very cool Mohawk. Yes, Jack has his own look and style. We came home at 3:30 to watch the Rider game and Jack curled up, only waking up to eat. He is completely wiped out and wouldn't even play with us this evening because he is so tired. Curiously, Jack likes to sleep on his back (ya, that is what he is doing in the picture above:). It is not uncommon to find Jack sprawled out on his back snoring and flinching from what I only imagine are puppy dreams of the dog park.

Exploring the river's edge

2009-11-21T18:16:00.013-06:00

Jack and I ran 7 miles today (940.5 miles, Jack 42 miles). The weather is absolutely wonderful. It was around 4 or 5 degrees and no wind. Jack ran really well today. I took him to the off leash dog park afterwards and down to the river. It was beautiful and even though he didn't go in he loved it. I expect when the weather is warmer next spring he will want to go in for a dip. Jack met a few more dogs and we met the wonderful family above and their two dogs who Jack had fun playing with.

I can't believe I only have 60 miles to make my 1000 mile year. It feels like I just began, the year has gone by so quickly. If I continue to put on a few miles each day I will finish my 1000 miles in Las Vegas, December 6th. I should be in much better condition for this half marathon than I was for Saskatoon (May) and Vancouver (June). I'm hoping to finish in under 2 hours in Vegas but it will depend on the course. In Vancouver I had the benefit of the long down hill stretch in the early part of the run which helped to improve my time. I have heard that the Las Vegas course is flat most of the way with little incline or decline. I've also heard the Rock n' Roll Marathon is very festive with performers along the course. I find the atmosphere of a large run helps me to run better and from what I read I'll be running with the odd Elvis look alike in the pack :)

Back home running with Jack!

2009-11-20T19:15:00.011-06:00

Jack and I ran 9 miles today (933.5 miles, Jack 35 miles) and then we went for our first visit at the off leash dog park. Jack was happy to see me arrive home last night but he had lots and lots of pent up energy. Our first walk this AM was a nightmare. He was pulling like crazy on the leash or he refused to walk. I knew after our walk that he needed a long run to get rid of all his energy. We had a pretty good run and I thought Jack was probably tired enough that I could risk taking him for his first visit to the off leash dog park. We loved it!!!! Jack met Daisy a very gentle lab that he played with. We walked around for about a half hour before finishing off our run. I avoided the river because I wasn't sure what Jack would do and whether it was a good idea to let him go for a swim because of the current. However, a few people I have met let their dogs swim in the river and I know Jack would love it.

We met some very nice people today. I am meeting a whole group of people because we have Jack. The picture above is of Kelly and his beautiful dog. We met them just before we went to the dog park. Kelly gave me some great advice (I'm asking everyone questions), including trying a dog harness for Jack that will help with the pulling. I hate pulling on his neck and the dog harness with take the pressure off his neck and allow me to have better control over him.

Running has changed a bit now that I have Jack. I think I am running faster because Jack sets a pretty brisk pace. I am still adjusting to the added dynamic of Jack pulling at time and crossing behind me etc. I almost wiped out a couple times last week but I now watch closely where he is and keep the leash shorter. Another change is running with a bag of dog poop! Ya, a delicate little job that requires double bagging and finding the nearest garbage can. Luckily it doesn't happen every run : ) After our long run and playing with his new friends at the dog park, Jack was his quiet, mellow self again. He is such a great dog and we live in a perfect part of Saskatoon to have a dog. Too bad winter is about to come upon us. I wonder how Jack is going to like the snow?

Running on the Hill!

2009-11-18T18:53:00.015-06:00

I am back in Ottawa! I love this city. I arrived around noon and couldn't check into my hotel so I walked around and took some photographs "on the hill". I had a late afternoon meeting and then ran 5 miles (924.5 miles) along the canal. Towards the end of my run I decided to run by the Parliament buildings to take a few more photographs. I wanted a photograph of myself on Parliament hill and asked a man walking by if he would take my photo. Much to my surprise I had stopped Member of Parliament Yvon Godin (NDP Whip). Mr. Godin is a MP from New Brunswick and we had a fun conversation as we snapped pictures. As I continued my run I thought what a nice experience it was to meet Mr. Godin. Often Ottawa and what happens in Ottawa feels like another world that we only have access to through the media. Unfortunately in recent decades Canadians have increasingly become disillusioned with politicians, many people perceive politicians as being out of touch with everyday Canadians and voter turn out is at an all time low. Meeting Mr. Godin this evening reinforced what I already knew, our politicians are not only everyday people, but they are people who care deeply for our country and dedicate their lives in service of it. Sure we can be critical, as a matter of fact it is our job as "the Canadian public" to hold our politicians accountable but in doing so we should never forget that our politicians care greatly for our country and little people just like me. So the fact that this very busy man took the time to stop and take my picture, introduce himself and spend time talking to a visitor to his city was a very human thing to do, a quality we want and need in the people responsible for running the government of our country.

Running into an old friend!

2009-11-17T21:48:00.006-06:00

Jack and I went for a late afternoon run to celebrate my "35th" :) birthday. We ran 5 miles (919.5 miles/Jack 26 miles-with a bit of walking). I don't remember my birthday ever being this warm. It was 15 degrees and gorgeous out. Just as we started our run we ran into Sean Van der Wal, a good friend of mine that I haven't seen in a year or so. Sean is an amazing runner so we took him along with our run. It was such a cool surprise running into him. We ran, walked, talked and caught up on each other's life. Jack preferred the running and was tugging on the leash most of the time we walked but in the end Jack and I sprinted home and he is now flaked out sleeping. Sean and I had a chance to catch up and hopefully will run again soon along the river. After running Tia came over and we went to the Spadina Freehouse to meet Kathy and Brent for dinner and a wee celebration.

How is Jack settling into his new digs?

2009-11-16T22:13:00.008-06:00

Some of you might be wondering how Jack is settling in after being with our little family for five days? A picture speaks a 1000 words...yes, those are my beautiful African pillows and leather sofa. It is is a dog's life and the dog knows where to find the most comfy spot when no one is looking : )

We ran 5 miles today (914.5 miles/Jack 21 miles). Our run was not the greatest. Jack was distracted by everything and was pulling on the leash, crossing in front and behind me. We did have some good stretches but it was not a great run. The weather however, was fantastic. November is turning out to be nice a month and everyday without cold weather and snow is one more day closer to spring without added pain. Jack met a new friend on our run. A wonderful older dog who was very patient with his puppy dog interest. At the end of our run Jack was happy to see Skender and play a game with his squeaky toy. He does love his boy.

Big Day For Jack

2009-11-15T21:35:00.011-06:00

Jack and I ran 6 miles today (909.5 miles/Jack 16 miles). We had a great run. Jack met a few dogs along the way including this wonderful guy above just as we began our run. He too is a shelter/rescue dog. We latter ran into Wayne Wiens who took a picture of us. At first I didn't recognize Wayne. What a great surprise! Wayne and I worked together years ago at SaskPower (in the days before the split of SaskPower and SaskEnergy).

In the afternoon Skender, Jack and I drove to MacDowall for a baby shower for Jonathan and Rhonda. Jack didn't want to get into the car but once in did really well with the trip. Jack loved being off leash for the first time with us. He ran around the yard playing frisbee with Skender and others. I forgot my camera and so no pics :( We arrived home around 7:00pm and Jack quickly found his cushy pillow and was out for the evening!

900 Miles!

2009-11-14T21:32:00.003-06:00

Jack and I ran 5 miles (903.5 miles) this afternoon and part way through I ran my 900th miles (and Jack ran his 7th)! The couple above were very kind to take our picture to mark the occasion. The first 2.5 miles of our run was great and Jack ran really well for his second time out however, there were so many people and dogs in the last half of our run that it was difficult for Jack to stay focused : ). Jack still did pretty well and tonight is flaked out on the floor snoozing. His biggest fear is the bridge, especially the traffic. I don't blame him, it is noisy and I imagine a bit intimidating for a young guy.

It is hard to believe that I only have 100 miles to go before reaching my goal. It is wonderful to run in the kind of weather we had today, no wind, around 2 degrees and sunny. Perfect day to run and I hope Jack and I will have a few more days like this before the snow flies. I have 85 mile to run before Las Vegas if I want to finish my 1000 miles when I run the rock n' roll half marathon.

Jack the Dog!

2009-11-12T22:12:00.012-06:00

This was our first day with Jack the Dog. He is such a wonderful big guy and both Skender and I are completely in love! Jack took his first run with me today and ran 5 miles (898.5)! He did pretty good on the leash but wanted "pats" and attention from everyone coming and going so we had a few moments where he was tugging on his leash. As for other canine we met on the path, big or small, Jack was pretty timid. In once instance he even hid behind me and peeked between my legs as a pack of dogs went by with their owners. They were all smaller than Jack (a terrier, bulldog, american eskimo, and poodle) but he was taking no chances...as if I could protect him :)

Today is my dad's birthday. When he was alive I don't ever remember his birthday not being snowy, so I'm sure he would have enjoyed today's warmth. If I remember right, dad would have turned 77 today. Some days it feels like he was just here with us and other days if feels like he has been gone for so long. Dad, (like my mom is) would have been thrilled with all his granddaughters and of course the two guys, Skender and Jonathan. I feel very sad when I think that he never had the chance to know some of the children in our family. He would have been very proud of his new great grandson and the pack of grandchildren, mom's softball team!

Training for Las Vegas!

2009-11-11T21:33:00.009-06:00

I ran 8 miles this afternoon (893.5 miles). It was another nice day for a run and because it was a holiday I was able to run earlier in the day. I want to take a few longer runs in the next week and a half before starting to scale down my distance before Las Vegas. It is coming up so quickly, only a few weeks away. I need to run a little over 4 miles every day to be ready to finish my 1000 miles in Las Vegas. It sounds easy but I will need to take the odd day off and with only 23 running days available, missing a day adds a bigger challenge for making the distance up on other days. However with Jack arriving tomorrow, I have daily pre-scheduled running dates for the next dozen or more years!

A Warm November Day

2009-11-10T22:38:00.015-06:00

I ran 6.5 miles (885 miles) this afternoon. It was a warm day, sunny, and just a little wind. The sunsets have been beautiful the last few nights. The geese filled the sky again today which may mean they are getting ready to leave, a sign that colder weather is coming. I had a terrible run tonight for the first couple miles, my legs were sore and I felt like I had lead in my shoes. About halfway through my run I began to feel better and the last few miles were much easier.

The picture of the cat, you ask? This is Jack's new bed and fuzzy blanket with a big cat and German Sheppard dog on it! Skender picked the blanket out for Jack's bed and has been snuggling up in it on the couch for a few days making it perfect for Jack to sleep on when Sken stays with his dad :) I found out today that we can pick Jack up on Thursday at 3:00. I don't know whether to tell Skender beforehand (he is with his dad this week) because if I do, I suspect there will be no way he'll be able to concentrate at school on Thursday!

Trail Dogs!

2009-11-09T20:37:00.014-06:00

I ran 5 miles (878.5 miles) late this afternoon. It was a beautiful day for running and as I ran across the train bridge groups of Canadian geese were taking off from the river. As they flew over it felt like they were so close that I could reach up and touch them. I snapped a bunch of pictures; what a beautiful wondrous sight. In a couple weeks the geese will have all left for warmer southern weather. We have had hundreds of geese on the river the past few weeks. I don't remember noticing them last year because I wasn't running outside very much in November. It has been wonderful seeing them everyday and today's view of them flying over was spectacular.

The first pictures above are of a cute little puppy and his proud owners. I came around a corner and ran right into this cute little puppy's face. What a beautiful dog! I couldn't resist asking his owners if I could take a picture for my son; Skender is going to love the pictures of this sweet little guy.

With us making the decision to get our own dog I have been watching people along the running path with their dogs. I ran by one guy yesterday who had two dogs running with him, both off leash and both looked like they were smiling from ear to ear. The dogs paid little attention to others on the path, well except to flash a smile and maybe a wink to let everyone know how much fun they were having. The runner and his two dogs looked like a determined team, each pushing the others to run faster and to zig zag around anyone coming their way. I split them in half with the black and white border collie going to my right and the man and the little white dog veering to the left to get around me. I started laughing as they zoomed by; obviously they were having loads of fun enjoying the freedom and joy that comes with taking a long run with good friends.

One step closer to adopting Jack

2009-11-08T21:24:00.012-06:00

I ran 5 miles today (873.5). It was a perfect day for running but I may have over dressed. It also felt like I had lead in my running shoes. Some days are just like that while other days I feel light as a feather. The river was very calm today and I took some great shots of the University Bridge and the beautiful reflection. I also ran into Terrance, a guy I had met earlier in the summer, right before I ran the half marathon in Vancouver. He was out for a walk and I recognized the funky snakeskin walking stick that he has.

Skender and I had the home inspection today from the dog rescue agency that we are adopting Jack from. Christine was so nice and she loved the house and location. I think it is really great that they check out the homes and owners before handing over a dog that has already needed to be rescued once in its life.

We are almost ready for Jack to come live with us. I have blocked off the backyard so he won't be able to get out, Skender bought him a cushy bed, a bunch of cool toys, a leash and collar with his name on it and our phone number in case he gets lost. I have a few more things to do to get ready, feels like getting ready for a new baby. I think we will have Jack by the middle of next week. He is being neutered tomorrow and will need a few days to start feeling better.

So what have I been reading? I haven't had much time to read anything but work related articles and books, however I did finish my first novel by Canadian author, Nino Ricci. The novel, "In A Glass House" is a good read and was a wonderful escape from my busy life. I am now reading "Three Day Road" by Joseph Boyden. It is about a First Nations soldier who has returned home from World War II. I'm just at the beginning but once again find myself loving Boyden's writing.

A perfect discovery!

2009-11-07T21:24:00.012-06:00

I ran 3.5 miles this afternoon (368.5 miles). Skender and I had a busy day so I squeezed in a quick run before his basketball game. When I arrived at the east side of the Circle Drive bridge I decided to turn left rather than right. I usually run towards the Train Bridge but decided to check out the path going up the left side of the bridge. Much to my surprise I came across an "off leash" dog park. It is wonderful and what I thought was a quiet unoccupied area of the river bank turned out to be full of dogs and dog owners out for walks without the restriction of a leash. It will be a perfect place to take Jack. I had the pleasure of meeting a couple who were enjoying their coffee while walking with their two dogs. They told me that there is a lot of room available to explore. What a great discovery! Jack and Skender will love it!

I took a picture this afternoon of a large group of Canadian Geese on the river. What is interesting is how close they can come to the weir and yet are still able to prevent themselves from being pulled by the strong current into the weir. I've never seen them so close to the weir and as I watched them, they appeared to be exerting no effort to maintain their place on the river.

Skender had a great basketball game today. He is getting better and better and so are his teammates. They played a very good game and the whole team has improved significantly since last year. After the game, Sken summarized every shot on the drive home and then declared, "I love basketball mom!" While soccer may not be his thing, basketball and swimming are two loves of his sports life.

Beautiful November Day

2009-11-06T22:20:00.013-06:00

I ran 6 miles tonight (865 miles). I am so happy the weather has warmed up again. It was a beautiful day today, 15C and sunny. The river bank is quickly changing from Autumn reds and yellows to November browns and oranges. It is still beautiful and I probably have taken more pictures of the train bridge than any one runner needs. I love photographing the bridges and I try to get new angles or reflections each time I run.

Meeting Jack

2009-11-04T22:02:00.003-06:00

I ran three miles tonight (859 miles). It was quite a nice evening for running but I only had a half hour to squeeze my run in. Skender and I looked at a dog early in the afternoon. I am warming up to the idea that it is time to expand our little family to include a buddy for Skender. Jack is a beautiful dog. A mix of spaniel, labrador and maybe something else. He is very sweet and Skender fell head over heals in love with him. I have to admit I did too. He will be a great dog to run with and he appears to have a perfect temperament for our laid back household. Now for the difficult decision.