From Fat to Triathlete

Tag: safety

0

Let the Countdown Begin

June 27, 2010

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?

wrigley azaleas 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.

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: Running
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4

Patience is a Virtue

November 17, 2009

I heard something the other day that I really needed to hear.  It was, and I’m paraphrasing, that you need to be patient in training.  You won’t just be great overnight.  It takes time and consistent effort to get better.  This is so hard for me.  I want to see results right away.  When I look at the clock and see that my pace is only a 17 or even 18 min/mile when I desperately want it to be at 15, 14 or even 13, it is very discouraging.  And then the thoughts start.  I will never get faster.  I should just give up because at this rate I will never finish a marathon or a long distance triathlon before the cut off.  I forget that just a month ago I couldn’t even run three miles.  And I was running at a 20 min/mile pace.  So, I am improving….even if it is slower than I’d like.  And giving up sure isn’t going to make me any faster at all.  I just need to consistently work at it.  And it will happen.

On a brighter note, Wrigley and I found a new fun place to run this morning.  On Gayle’s suggestion, we headed down the dirt road at the end of our development where they have begun clearing for a brand new development.  All that is there now is a bunch of dirt roads and trails.  We had a great time exploring them.  Saw some deer tracks and some unidentified “very large feet” tracks.  Since we’ve had a few days of rain, there were some puddles to slog through.  My shoes and pants are muddy and Wrigley’s feet and nose needed a good cleaning before he could come in the house, but it was well worth it.  I think we will continue to spend some time exploring other trails down that way on future runs.  Thanks Gayle!

Sometimes it’s good to blaze a new trail and run off the beaten path.  It can give you a new appreciation for nature.  Don’t forget to tell someone where you’ve gone and make sure you have a cell phone and some form of identification.  The Road ID is a great way to carry your ID without having to figure out where to put it.  You can also go to your local Army/Navy store and get a dog tag made very inexpensively.  It’s easy to just put on and forget about.

Have a great run, walk, bike or swim today!  In the meantime, I’m still tri-in

Jenn

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: Encouragement, Training
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