Gertie's First Run

I swear this entire blog is not suddenly going to become all about my dog. (Ok, that might be a lie.) But this proud dog mommy has to share about Gertie's first run. (After all, this is still a running blog.)

Anyhow, it was hot in Kansas City -- Indian Summer-- and so we took it easy, especially since we think poor Gertster may have spent her early months of life caged up without a lot of activity. (She has some tough spots on her elbows that indicate a lot of cage time or at least time spent on a hard surface, poor baby.)

I'm pleased to report she did very well on her first time out. We ran a little further than two miles (2.16 or something like that) at aout an 11 minute mile pace. Gertie quickly learned to stay beside me, but not too close. She happily trotted along, but I noticed around 1.5 miles, she was getting tired, so we slowed down. At one point, we have to stop and cross at a crosswalk. When we arrived on the other side of the street, I looked down and realized, I was holding a leash attached to a collar that was NOT on a dog. My heart jumped a mile, but Gertie was right there next to me, panting while she waited for me to put the collar back on her head.

And, as she usually does when we return home from any outing, her tail started wagging when we walked in the door. Gertie's favorite thing is coming home, and isn't that the best part of any run?