Like this:

So I took on a new running partner today — my (newly-turned) 3-year-old Golden Retriever, Hadley Jack. Named after the town in Massechusetts where we found him, he’s a complete bundle of energy at ALL times. Friendly, cheerful, and sometimes overbearing. It’s only because he wants to meet everyone in the world and he wants them all to love him. He’s the perfect example of charm and follow-up; he comes on strong, barrelling his way into people’s hearts, and then makes sure to dedicate adequate attention as maintainence to guarantee his spot. It can be construed as annoying or unnessecary, and yet he’s one of the happiest (I can’t say people, so I guess -) .. creatures I know.

 So I had this bright idea today, upon departing for my run, to take him with me. People have been suggesting that I take on a running partner, someone to hold me accountable for my new habit. If someone else is depending on my sticking with this, it’ll be harder to skip runs. I haven’t gotten to the point (after only two days, I guess it’s not saying much) that I want to skip. And I’m also not too crazy about taking on someone as a partner. I would always feel that they needed me to talk to them. Or tell them about my life. I would really like to keep running separate from the rest of my life. At least for now. So I was almost out the door.. actually I was sitting against the door putting on my shoes, when Mr. Happy-Nose here came and nuzzled in between my feet, intefering with the whole process. It struck me that he likes to be taken on long walks, or to the dog parks.. he likes to be “worn out” as it were. Get out some of that excess energy. So I invited him along on a whim. He accepted, obviously.

I put him on his extendable leash, took him out and stayed patient until this firecracker realized he couldn’t run like crazy the whole time. We walked through the park because there was a concert in the bandstand and a lot of people and dogs around. The sun was setting beautifully, and the late evening sun was a perfect shade of Hadley’s coat. Exactly like the sunset in Hadley, MA that we experienced right before finding him. Beautiful.

(He’s trying to lick my keyboard as we speak)

He’s a good running companion as soon as he realizes that he can keep up a steady trot. He recognizes the words “right” and “left”, making turning corners very easy to navigate. A little “hey!” whenever he’s about to get in my path, and we’re set to go.

We relaxed for a little sitting up against a tree, listening to the last medly in the set. It was nice to run in the blocks surrounding the park. Running to a soundtrack of band music is soothing.
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7:30 p.m. 
Hot today, not too long of a run because Hadley got overheated. A few blocks around the park, through the park a couple times.
Yesterday morning I woke up with sore rotator muscles in my hips, hopefully tomorrow will be better. I stretched out better today, I think. More of a warm-down.

Next run: Tuesday.

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