Today marks the official start of my 20 week half ironman training.  The program I am using is from BeginnerTriathlete.com and can be found here.  The plan calls for a 40 minute run and 40 minute swim workout.  I’m not sure about fitting in the swim today, but the plan is to go canoeing this evening and I think that will give me the arm workout I need.  This morning’s run was 2.5 miles in 40 minutes.  And it is hot, hot, hot out.  According to weather.com, it is 86 degrees with 77% humidity.  I know it’s been hotter, and this isn’t a complaint, (I complained about the cold, so I have a hard time justifying complaints about the heat too…..) just observations about this morning’s weather.  I don’t really mind so much for myself, but Wrigley begs to go with me, and who can refuse this face?

So, I let him run with me for 15 minutes.  We try to follow all the safety rules for running with your pet.  It’s not worth it if something were to happen to him.

Exercise is important for a healthy, well-behaved dog.  We love that we can take Wrigley with us when we go places and he will be a nice calm boy.  But, this didn’t just happen.  We exercise his body by running and playing and his brain by taking him to obedience and agility classes and working with him every day.  There are some guidelines to exercising with your dog that I think can’t be said enough.

• Do not participate in vigorous exercise within 45 minutes of eating.  This can lead to bloat which is a very serous and potentially deadly condition.  Some of the signs of bloat are pacing, hard or distended stomach, panting and drooling and unproductive attempts to vomit.  If you see any of these symptoms, call your vet immediately.
• Make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water to drink.
• If it’s hot, try to exercise early in the morning or late in the evening.
• Keep a close watch on them and stop if they seem to be overheated, panting excessively or are acting outside of normal.
• Never exercise with your dog if they have a injury or medical condition.

As I read back through these tips, the advice is good for 2 legged and 4 legged runners, except for maybe the bloat part.  People can choose for themselves what works best as far as eating and exercise.  If you are new to exercising, especially in the heat, be safe and don’t overdo.