Ahhhhh there is nothing quite like the satisfaction that comes with completing a workout before sunset… and today it meant a lot more, considering I nearly ate half my body weight at last night’s Thanksgiving dinner. Joke. But I did stuff myself like a turkey.

Normally when I want a cardio workout, I get on a treadmill. But it was sunny with temperatures in the mid 70’s, so I grabbed the dog and we hit the Mission Bay dog park ( better known as Fiesta Island ) which loops a 15-20 mile stretch around the San Diego bay. There are multiple trails in the park, so you just pick one and turn on the jets.

I ran there yesterday, it was very therapeutic. I realized how much I love running! I forgot how good it feels once you get into that groove and you’re rocking out to your music, in the zone, releasing endorphins. LOL. By no means am I professional runner. I’m not even that fast and I’m pretty clueless on how to effectively pace myself. However I do have a resting heart rate of 42. That blows my mind because it’s similar to that of an professional athletes, and I’m far from that.  But honestly, I think I’ve been running to push myself and see what my body is capable of… I guess you can say I run for fun! When was the last time your did that?

I was pretty proud of my run today. Somehow I managed to maintain composure the entire workout, even when I powered in lunge sets during speed intervals. I like to run against the wind, it feels very euphoric. To make things more dynamic, while I run, I also fetch Jack random pieces of shrub I find on the ground into the bay because he likes to get wet. Imagine running, slowing it down to grab something off the ground, then throwing that object your furthest while maintaining a constant running speed. I feel like a quarterback throwing a Hail-Mary sometimes. Haha.

I must say, I think running with an active dog makes you faster because they are always keeping up with you. It’s very motivating and encouraging. It wasn’t until I got Jack that I actually began running outside. He definitely brought life into the sport for me and makes it fun. If you want to get faster and run longer distances, consider running with a dog. I have one you can borrow and he never quits. He’s a beast. He will run for days.

All together I ran 5 miles today in about 30 minutes. For most runners that’s not a huge log, but for me it was a great accomplishment. I took very short breaks to work on ham strings, upper legs, and core strength. It hurt so much but felt so good at the same time. At mile four I started losing serious energy. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. BUT thanks to my music, I managed to channel some mental strength and reached my finish line. In the past, I have ran several 5k’s with Jack and let me tell you, just as important as the physical energy and being hydrated is, so is the technology that keeps you running. I wouldn’t make it a mile without music. I can’t even count the number of times I have left the gym BECAUSE my music died. Inspirational and energetic music is always essential!

Question? Do any of you runners run with sunglasses on? I rock headphones and hats but have been omitting shades. They are always slipping down my face, which is very annoying. I guess I need to invest in the right training gear instead of Ray Bans. LOL!

Anyway, it was really nice spicing things up the past two days. Running has become very therapeutic in whole new way. I know Jack loves it. I hope this hype continues in helping me reach my exercise goals. I encourage you to take a jog with the dog and see how emotionally decompressing it can be. I know for me it gives me time to figure out life.

That’s all for now. Check back to see how I progress with this whole running thing. Hope you had a delicious Thanksgiving, and had some active fun with Fido too!