This Is My Life

So I'm trying to become a runner. Not really a runner, but instead, somebody who is actually capable of running. As of right now, my run is much closer to a jog. I'd like to change this.

Today, in this quest, I did Week 2, Day 1 of the Couch to 5k plan. I had to slow down by half a mile an hour, the pace I set myself last week being too much for me to do this week. I'm still within the range of what I'd consider running/fast jogging, so that's okay.

But despite slowing down, I felt like I wasn't going to make it through the simple workout. By the end, my legs felt like jellyfish tentacles, limp and going in every direction but where I wanted them. I was breathing heavily, but smiling, because I had finished day one. I honestly wasn't sure I would be able to, even with the slower pace.

I stretched out, and my legs are feeling good. The only problem is that I've had a knot in my left calf muscle since yesterday when I stepped wrong in the grocery store. It feels like a tight muscle that just doesn't want to loosen. To get rid of that do I want to use ice, or heat?

I'm sticking with this plan, but might not finish it in 9 weeks like one should. For being a "From the Couch" kind of workout, these first two weeks are really kicking my ass. I might have to repeat week two, or week three. I'm not going to repeat week one, because that feels like giving up, but after that all's fair.

But maybe I won't have to repeat any weeks. Maybe I'll find my stride. I don't know. I just hope.

Yesterday we went to the SPCA and took Pooh Bear out for a stroll around the local PetSmart. Apparently, the SPCA allows a few nice dogs to go out to the SPCA every Saturday in hopes of attracting people to adopt. Since we wanted to make sure Pooh Bear got a good home (because honestly, we fell a little in love with her, being suckers for nice dogs) we thought this was a good idea. We headed over at around 10 AM, and by 10:30 we were at PetSmart.

By noon I was about ready to give up. People didn't seem interested, and Pooh Bear, having just had surgery, was overly protective of herself, growing at any man that walked by, and going crazy at just about any dog* that went in and out the entrance. I thought we had no hope.

And yet.

We arrived back at the SPCA around 1 PM, feeling slightly defeated until a voice broke through my insulating attitude, "There she is!" I looked up, and instantly recognized the couple that had talked to us for a good ten minutes about whether or not we thought Pooh Bear would be good with a cat and an 8 year old. We had to tell them we had no idea, so I counted them out, but here they were, filling out the paperwork!

Pooh Bear got adopted!

Yay!

They've never had a dog before, so she's probably going to quickly become the one in charge, but hopefully they'll take our advice and get some lessons. Pooh Bear needs to burn her physical and mental energy, and unless they learn how to take care of a dog properly (she was an impulse adoption, not a fully-informed one, but hopefully they realize that this is a big deal) Pooh Bear will have control of the house inside a week. Maybe the cat will put her in her place? Maybe.

So, on that note, allow me to introduce you to a pup named Cody:



He wasn't doing so well in a shelter, unable to keep food down and getting so skinny that he's nothing but skin and bones. The food they gave him, as well as the atmosphere around him just didn't get along with this sensitive little boy's temperament. He's a sweetie, and a cutie, and while he's a little too aggressive with our girls off-leash so far**, yesterday was only his first day, and the fact that they got along enough to allow us to let them all play off-leash is great!

We've got him for a month to fatten him up, teach him some manners, and generally get him into adopting shape. He already knows all the doggy tricks, from Sit to Roll Over, so we're good there. We just have to make this big guy healthy again!

Have I mentioned I'm a sucker for dogs? Maria is too.

*I say "just about any" because the one dog she was okay with was a Great Dane, roughly 57,384 times bigger than her. Beautiful dog, with nice owners who let me pet him. Heh.

**He, um, tried to hump them. A lot. They were going to bite his face off, but he didn't care. He IS neutered.