Crap-o-Matic

Before you get too excited for this post based on the title, I should inform you that is the nickname we have given our dog, Pedro. Pedro weighs in at about 30 pounds, and craps more than any living thing I have ever seen. Last Saturday, when we went on that 5 mile hike? He crapped 7 times. SEVEN times!

So yesterday, keeping to my schedule, it was track day. 6 X 400 meters. I really liked how last week I brought Pedro along with me, and he was free to roam around off leash while I ran my laps. For the most part he ran along side me, but once in awhile would stop to sniff something, then have to sprint over to where I moved to. When I got home yesterday, Dave was cleaning the kitchen floor. Not too weird, but weird enough for me to ask if something happened. He said "dog just threw up twice." I asked when the last time he went out was. "Two hours ago." Normally the only thing that makes Pedro throw up is when he has to go to the bathroom so bad, he'll throw up. He knows that going to the bathroom in the house is a no-no, and will actually throw up if he has to go that bad (doesn't happen very often). Not sure which I prefer...

I began getting dressed for my run, it was so nice out, like 63 degrees and sunny. So much nicer than last weeks track workout day. I harnessed up Pedro, decided to bring my iPhone along for a stopwatch (my favorite exercise watch is in need of a new battery) and grabbed a plastic baggie, just in case. Dave said "he should be empty now." I knew better. I decided to jog to the field since it was so close as a nice warm up before the real workout. As I got up over the little hill, I noticed a lot of cars parked around the field. Uh-oh. I immediately knew what it was. Little league. They must have been rained out last week. I had to think fast. I couldn't do my planned workout. I had my dog with me (who is NOT a runner at all).

Since I had my phone with a stopwatch, I was able to guesstimate how long 400 meters would take me (2:15 min?) and just decided to run down the street for 2:15 minutes. Stop, repeat, and repeat again. Turn around, and repeat 3 times. That would roughly give me 6 X 400 meter legs. I completed one 2:15 minute chunk, and wow, was I out of breath! I was using this cool app on my iPhone called "Runkeeper." It uses a GPS to determine my distance and pace. I'm not sure that I trust it, since it was saying I was running my 400 meters at an 8:40 pace. That is crazy! As I was resting in between sets, my dog decides to take the BIGGEST crap I have ever seen him take. Right in front of someone's house. So, I use my baggie. I didn't want to carry the baggie while I ran, so I tied it off and stuck it in a bush to pick up on my way back. I ran two more sets, turned around, ran two more back, meanwhile my phone with the cool app died on me, so I was on my own pretty much. Apparently the GPS feature eats up the battery like no bodies business! Pedro and I ended up stopping at the same spot as the previous ginormous crap. I look over, and he's at it again! Huge crap number 2. I didn't have any more baggies, so I just covered it with some leaves and sticks. Luckily it looked like the homeowners were not home. Sorry! I did pick up the previous stashed "present" baggie and continue on my run. I just jogged it out the rest of the way home. By the time we got to my street, I was dragging poor little Pedro.

I was kinda disappointed that I didn't get to do my planned activity, but happy that I made the best of what I had to work with. I did afterall learn some things yesterday. 1) Pedro is not a running buddy, and 2) Runkeeper for the iPhone is awesome when you have a charged phone battery. I think I will be using it from now on. Oh, and I am 100% on track for my modified schedule this week, as long as I run Greenlake tonight after work. Its nice out, so that should be easy. Tomorrow is Shred Challenge, and Sunday is 5 mile run (gasp!).