Brock Picken

Some of us enjoy running with a training partner. Someone to keep us motivated, someone to pace with, someone who will want to run even when we don’t (because yes, even I have moments where I struggle with the ever-enticing thought of staying in my warm bed instead). Marta used to be my running partner, but due to a running injury, she has re-focused her fitness goals around cycling. So I decided to take our puppy Buf for a run. After all, when does a dog not want to run? They make the perfect running partner!

After securely tying one end of his leash around my waist we headed out the front door. I felt confident about my boy-scout skills (actually, technically it was “Beavers”) and knew that the knot would hold our little 30-pound pup.

Very quickly I realized the first issue I would have to deal with. For some reason Buf always seems to be on some important mission that I am unaware of, and is always late. I envy those people who are able to run WITH their dog. Immediately we are in a full-out sprint foot-race. It hardly seems fair since he has twice as many feet. 30 seconds into our “warm-up” I’m sucking wind and he’s picking up speed. I’ve read somewhere that dogs can actually smile. I think he had an ear-to-ear grin.

I managed to slow my pace down, and eventually so did he. Suddenly I became aware of another issue. Being part-hound, the top priority for our little guy is to sniff every square inch of new ground he comes across. As someone training for long-distance, pacing is very important. What becomes very challenging is a stop-start, pull and be-pulled style run.

After getting yanked around for a bit, a third issue arose. As traffic occasionally zipped by, our startled puppy decided the best place to take shelter was underneath my legs. My run instantly became a training session for hurdles.

Oh yes, and that very secure knot that I mentioned…well I guess I passed Beavers out of sympathy. Or perhaps it’s somewhat due to the fact Buf pulls like a freight-train. I’m not even exaggerating. Last week he broke his steel lead. Snapped it clean off. I replaced it with a lead designed for a St. Bernard. So with one hand on my “securely tied knot”, I tried to maintain some type of proper running form with my free arm. Hardly efficient. Actually my free arm was really used more for balance, and to brace myself in the event of a fall.

Towards the end of what had now become a full-out adventure run, I breathed a sigh of relief as we passed the house where I am routinely chased by a vicious little Jack Russell. And for those of you laughing at me now, I’d just like to give you a visual. Picture the dog from Jim Carrey’s “The Mask”. Remember when the dog puts on the mask and has a mouth full of a gazillion teeth? Well this dog was the stunt double in that movie.

As we approached the final hill, I discovered the enjoyment of running with a mini freight-train. I had the most effortless run up a hill that normally challenges me. Although it was quite humbling as Buf occasionally turned to look back at me, as if to say “what, are you tired?”

When we got home, I found a small element of satisfaction when Buf gulped down an entire bucket of water. That satisfaction quickly dissipated when I realized his slight fatigue was from dragging my butt up that final hill.

I shall summarize my experience with a list of things to remember when running with your dog:

10. Unless you’re a sailor, don’t bother trying to tie a knot. Put the clip through the handle, put the loop around your waist, then clip it on your dog.
9. Stay off main roads and stick to trails if you can. If your dog loves or hates cars, you’ll have issues.
8. If your dog is a puller, make sure you run with them on your “hill day”.
7. Hound dogs do not make the best running partner, unless you are in an adventure race where the goal is to catch the squirrel.
6. Running shoes are important, but cross trainers are better. Perhaps even a pair of cleats for the impromptu track-and-field style events.
5. If your dog is food-driven bring treats. If your dog is driven by a force stronger than human or machine, then pray.
4. Submissive dogs make the best running partners. Dominant dogs will challenge you, then laugh at you when you fail.
3. Try to run in areas near garbage cans. Running with the leash in one hand and a full poop-baggie in the other hand is possibly comical enough to cause a 10-car pile up.
2. It is NOT ok to relieve yourself where your dog does.
1. No matter how much you complain, vent, or need to answer life’s most challenging questions, your dog will never tell you to shut up. Even if they should.

Having said all that, one question remains: Will I do it again?

Hell Yes.

Posted by Brock at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Lets face it. We are now living in a society with advancements in technology far beyond what many of us would have even been able to comprehend 15 years ago. Take music for example. Is there anyone else out there whose first car had an AM/FM radio – and that’s it? I can remember when we first installed the internet in my house when I was in high school, and how it totally blew my mind that I could download songs. I however was not able to “burn” them to anything. It’s both pathetic, yet humbling to share with you that I actually held a mic with a cassette recorder to the speakers of my computer to record my songs, then played the cassette tape in our “new” tape deck in our car. The whole point of that was mainly to avoid listening to Celine Dion when my mom drove me to work (I apologize if you like her. Just because I’m Canadian doesn’t mean I have to.). The fact that we can now at the push of a button access satellite, or listen to 1000’s of songs from an ipod is nothing short of remarkable.
So why is it with all of this information at our fingertips that we generally are confused about what we should be eating and avoiding? Ah yes, the point of all this babbling. After all, this is my area of…I hate to call myself an expert because it sounds so snooty. I just like to share my passions with others, which include food and cooking, and exercise and being active. Lets just say these things are in my “wheelhouse” (for all you baseball fans – Go Jays!).
The topic of healthy food can be a confusing one for many people. If you’ve picked up any fitness magazines or diet (jeez I hate that D-word) books, everyone preaches something different. Low-carb, no-fat, soup diet, cabbage diet, liquid diet, no diet, eat every third day…blah blah blah. Don’t even get me started on meat vs. vegetarian or organic vs. conventional, those are other topics for other days. It goes on and on (and I have a feeling I’m doing the same). Right, get to the point.
The point is this: We know fast-food is bad. We know fruits and vegetables are good (and if you didn’t know that, now you do). Because this is such a complex topic that we can talk about for years (I plan to), lets focus on one or two main points at a time.
First and foremost – drink WATER. Please drink tons of the stuff. If you don’t like it, remember, you’re made mostly of it. Here are some quick facts about water: it helps with digestion, helps with muscle function, helps with organ and brain function, lubricates your joints, removes waste from your body, and pretty much assists every other chemical process that happens in your body.
Secondly, and lastly for today, with respect to food - VARIETY is key. We can become malnourished very easily by not consuming enough vitamins and minerals. Certain foods contain a limited number of nutrients. Therefore, the more you experiment with fruits, vegetables, and grains, the more nutrients you consume. Try to take yourself out of your comfort zone as often as you can. Buy whole, natural foods you’ve never heard of before. Marta taught me to buy a fruit/vegetable you’ve never had before everytime you are grocery shopping. Then research that food online to learn how to cook it (or email me, I’d be happy to share my ideas). As an example, I was always afraid to buy eggplant (I think the name turned me off). I bought a few and experimented, and discovered a new healthy food that I now love to eat. I’ve got a killer curry eggplant recipe. It goes really well on the BBQ as well. Anyway time to stop rambling. Once I get going on food it’s hard to stop.

Yours in Strength & Wellness,
Brock Picken

Posted by Brock at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)