How To Run With Your Dog

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Before adopting our rescue dog, Leia, this year, I've never run with a dog before.

It might sound hard to imagine for dog lovers out there, but I didn't grow up being very athletic.  More on that HERE.  Our last dog was a corgi and even though those stubbies could move she didn't particularly enjoy it and as she got older it didn't take much for her arthritis to kick up.  When that happened she'd be immobilized for days.  

But Leia is different - she's a boxer mix which is a high energy breed even though you wouldn't know it by looking at her.  Most days you can find her on the couch and she really isn't motivated by much to leave it.  

Which makes it all the more important that she and I get out and move.  19 weeks into this pregnancy and I'm not motivated by much either especially after coming home from a busy 9 hour day to more cooking, cleaning and taking care of a child.  

As a boxer mix, Leia needs exercise and that's enough motivation for me to get her out there on the weekends - it is still too dark before and after work to run with her.

Now that I finally have a dog to run with, I've been trying to figure out how to do it.  Our first run was kind of a mess with her wanting to sniff, turn around or cut me off so I've had to do some research on how to make these outings easier on both of us.

• Check with your vet to make sure your dog is up for the challenge.

• Start out slow.  Try to run with your dog for 10 minutes at a time and them gradually add another 5-10 minutes over time until eventually your dog is keeping your pace.  

• During the summer months run in the shade and before to bring water for the both of you if it is a long run.

• In the winter, you might consider getting your dog a coat and putting protective gear on the feet to protect them from ice and rock salt.  Dogs will lick off the rock salt which can cause tummy troubles.  

•  Don't assume every dog is a runner!  For some breeds, running is just too much exertion.  Older dogs may suffer from arthritis and shouldn't run.  Dogs with shorter legs might have a hard time keeping up.  When in doubt, check with your vet before starting a running program with your dog.

• Hit the trails!  Trail running is easier on your legs and feet as well as your canine companions.

• If you are going trail running, be sure your dog has flea and tick medicine and that you have bug spray.  Dogs should be up to date on heart worm medication as this is a mosquito born illness.

• Have a plan for rewarding your dog for a job well done.  Treats should be given once he's calmed down so as not to risk vomiting.

Ready to try it?  I'd love to hear about your running adventures with your dog!

5 Reasons Why Runners Should Practice Yoga

This post originally appeared as a guest post on the blog Nymph in the Woods.  

Having worked for almost a decade for the YMCA, I've dabbled in my fair share of yoga classes. I would even incorporate age appropriate yoga poses into my preschool curriculum, but I never truly appreciated the benefits of it until I started running. 

When I started training for my first half marathon, I would practice yoga on the days I didn't run. It was more than just stretching for me - it taught me to appreciate my body and, most importantly, to listen to it - something that as runners we don't always do.

So, without further ado, here are 5 reasons why I think all runners should practice yoga.

Improves Flexibility

This one seems like a no-brainer to me.  Isn’t this the whole point of yoga?  As a beginner, you can barely hold any of the poses but over time you are all pretzeled up like a true yogi, right?  Why do runners need to be flexible?  To begin with increased flexibility reduces the risk of injury.  It also helps improve posture and increases blood flow to your muscles. 

Protection from Injury

According to Ashlee Willaman, a certified running coach and yoga teacher, “"Yoga does a great job of pointing out imbalances that can indicate injury is not far away." Yoga can help a runner identify issues such as muscle imbalance.  Overuse of one muscle, and subsequently underuse of a complimentary muscle, can lead to overcompensation which opens the door for injury.  Yoga addresses all muscle groups which allows a runner to tune-in to their body to see what changes need to be made.  While a runner may complain of knee pain at the start of a yoga class, by the end she had learned the pain actually stems from the hip.  Certain poses can then be done before a run to open up the hips and reduce the risk of injury.  Learn how to identify pain and then work to fix and reduce it.  Don’t push yourself through it! 

Improves Balance

The practice of yoga increases proprioception (the ability to feel what your body is doing and where it is in space) and improves balance.  For runners, better balance means fewer falls (oh, it does happen).  It also means less knee and back pain. 

Boosts Your Immune System

Contracting and stretching muscles drains your lymphs (a colorless fluid containing white blood cells, that bathes the tissues and drains through the lymphatic system into the bloodstream). Regularly doing this helps the lymphatic system fight infection and destroy cancer cells.  Who doesn’t want to do that to their body?  And if you are a runner training for a big race, you can’t afford to get sick! 

Relieves Stress 

This one is near and dear to my anxiety-ridden heart.  The breathing techniques taught in yoga teaches your body to slow down and relax.  It lowers your breathing and heart rate and lowers your blood pressure too.  It also lowers your cortisol levels which helps anyone suffering from adrenal fatigue (the reason why I wake up at 2 AM wide awake and ready to party).  Your body releases cortisol when it senses an acute crisis.  When cortisol levels remain high, it can compromise your immune system and over time lead to brain damage.  Stress is dangerous - do yoga. 

There you have it – my top 5 reasons for why runners should practice yoga.  What do you think?  Are you ready to try?  Remember, you don’t have to go crazy when first starting off.  As a busy working out of the home mom, I rely on DVD’s for my yoga practice.  If you are not ready to commit to that then just incorporating a few poses such as “Pigeon Pose” (see picture) after a run will help your body. 

Further Reading:

http://www.active.com/running/articles/why-runners-should-do-yoga

http://www.yogajournal.com/category/poses/yoga-by-benefit/flexibility/

http://www.yogajournal.com/article/health/count-yoga-38-ways-yoga-keeps-fit/

Lesson for the Day: Fixing Your Mistakes

Yesterday at the Little Pumpkins Dash, Scarlett received a medal for her efforts. She was thrilled! 

On the way back to the car after the race I told her how lucky she was to get a medal,  that even I didn't get one. She replied very sincerely, "It's OK, Mommy. I'm sorry you didn't get a medal. Maybe next time?  You can have mine if you want."  An older couple walking by her heard what she said and chuckled to themselves. It was very sweet.

Then we got home and couldn't find the medal.

We frantically checked the car and emptied out the bag that we were sure it had been placed in. Then it dawned on me - in my haste to find my bib at the start of the race I had dumped most of the bag's contents on the ground. The medal most likely was left in the grass. Ugh.

Since it was my fault that the medal was left behind,  I quickly shot off an email to the race organizer and hoped that in the meantime, Scarlett didn't notice it was missing.

Luckily, he got back to me that there were 10 medals left and I could have one if I could make it in to pick it up. I thanked him and quickly made my way down to get it.

Success is mine!  I have the replacement medal! 

Now, if my daughter had lost her medal I wouldn't have jumped through as many hoops as I did to get another one, but since it was my mistake I had to make an effort to fix it.

And I'll be sure to let her know what I did so she can learn how to be responsible for her mistakes too.

What lessons has life taught you lately? 

Every Runner Must Do These Foam Rolling Moves

When I trained for my first half marathon, it became apparent about halfway through that I HAD to invest in a foam roller.  Upon the recommendation of the coaches in my Train Like a Mother 13.1 Club, I purchased a TriggerPoint Grid Foam Roller X-Tra Firm and then I watched the video below.

GAME CHANGER.

This video is no joke and you might need to take breaks because once you start releasing those muscles it is intense.  But it hurts so good!  You will feel so much better in a short amount of time.  Plus, your arms get a good strength training work out too.

Enjoy!  Trust me, this is good for you.



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