My Running Partner

Research shows that having a buddy to work out with makes you less likely to wank when it's time to put on the running shoes and head out for that daily jaunt.

Now that the Master Cleanse is over (thank God for solid food, although I will be doing that again later in the year), I need to get back on the program for the upcoming 5k. So today we had pre-meditated running on the brain. Unbeknownst to my running partner (pictured here) we went into the office a tad early so we could escape while the sun was still out and hit the pavement. Cesar Milan says you should walk your dog for 45 minutes to an hour a day, every day, - so this was going to be a three bird/one stone kind of thing. Exercise for the boy; exercise for Mom; testing the "Joe" theory.

Kooper and I took off from the townhouse to a new paved path that we discovered a few days ago. With high hopes of running along Beaver Creek for miles on end, we were pretty much discouraged to find out the path ended (abruptly) at about the half mile mark and into a nature park with a big sign that said, "No Dogs." The nerve of some people. Luckily, the trail had two sides to it, so we checked out the other stretch, only to meet the same, disappointing end. Short trail to nowhere apparently. We might have to crash the track at the Nike campus if the weather holds out.

We did get some good running time in, and as the sun was setting, we headed back. There are a few major quirks to having a four-legged jogging partner:

• Abrupt stops when sudden smells catch his attention.
• Abrupt lunges when his mortal enemy (the squirrel) has been spotted in the adjacent nature park and he already has momentum on his side.
• More abrupt stops to pee on every plant, bush or shrub that might just carry the scent of another dog.
• Heaven forbid we actually pass another dog.

Then there's the unpleasantness of having to use the little baggie. There really is no dignified way to jog, holding a leash in one hand and a bag of dog poo in the other. That pretty much was the decided factor to just walk instead. Luckily, this event happened at the end of the our jaunt.

And as for the "Joe theory:"

My friend and upcoming 5k co-conspirator Joe, while usually full of it, always states that it's harder to run outside than it is running on a treadmill. He mocks my treadmill runs and states that they "don't count" since they are not outside on the pavement and in the elements. Well, I can tell you two things. 1/ He's definitely full of it, as I still sweat and burn the same calories whether I'm indoors or out and 2/ He, shockingly enough, was correct about the pavement part.

The prognosis: while the treadmill gives quite a bit, even on an incline, pavement is rather unkind to my 39 year old knees (they weren't exactly the greatest to begin with). I did like being outside and running with changing scenery and it was nice to incorporate Koop into the event, so both have their benefits. Plus, when it rains and snows, as it does in both Portland and Bend, the treadmill will continue to be my training weapon of choice.

With a little more practice running on pavement (and some sort of support), like anything, it's bound to get easier. As for my running partner? Well, he's been sacked out since we got back. Maybe there's something to this whole "walking your dog thing" afterall.