Today I did my last training run before I attempt my first half-marathon this Sunday in Lansing. I did 4 miles and I was really surprised how difficult it was for me. I think it was mainly because of the humidity. Ick. About 1/2 mile into the run I also heard a jingle-jangle sound and I turned around to see a white German Shepherd running towards me. This is one reason why I don’t like running with an iPod. I never would have heard that dog coming if I was listening to an iPod.
Anyway, it’s never cool to have a dog run at you. Especially when the dog doesn’t bark to give a warning that he’s coming. That’s usually a good indicator that the dog means business. Luckily the dog didn’t try to bite me but he did start jumping on me and nudging me hard with his nose. He was probably trying to play but I don’t trust white shepherds with one ounce of my soul. He wasn’t backing down but I did not respond to any of his antics and just kept walking forward. Usually if you just ignore the dog they give up. Which he did eventually but not before trying to grab the Fig Newtons I was carrying (I’ve been experimenting with eating different foods while running to see how my body reacts.) At one point I contemplated throwing the Fig Newtons to make him stop bothering me but I didn’t want to reward him for his foolish behavior.
I’ve never seen this dog before and eventually he wandered back to wherever he came from but it reminded me that I need to start carrying my mace again. I would only consider macing a dog if I felt threatened and I was close to feeling threatened by this dog. I like dogs but they can be dangerous. Anyway, enough about that.
I also saw a video on Facebook yesterday that was really inspiring. It’s about a guy named Ben Davis from Arkansas who got inspired, started running and lost 120 pounds. It’s the perfect example of what a person can do when they finally make the commitment to CHANGE. Ben has a blog on Tumblr (I hope he gets a self-hosted blog soon) that you should check out: BEN DOES LIFE. If you have an account on DailyMile you should also add him to your list of friends.
Amanda is a wife, toddler mom, PMAD survivor, certified nutrition and running coach, recovering perfectionist, and minimalist-in-training. Her mission in life is to help others get off the pity potty, embrace their own brand of weirdness, and get after their dreams. Proverbs 3:5-6