Day Six: "But I Dun WANNA Run!" -Pepper

So today is 6 days since I started training, which is to say the third day of my couch-5k program. I truly did not want to run today. Neither did Pepper. I got over it and was out running by 7am, once again dragging the dog slightly behind me, only far enough to be annoying.

I really pushed myself to walk and run faster today. I kept to the program of power walking 5 minutes, then alternating running 60 seconds and walking 90 but in the 25 minutes of the program I made it farther than I ever have before. It felt nice, but it also sucked because the faster I run the harder it is to drag the dog.

Speaking of dogs, People of Duluth, LEASH YOUR F%@#ING DOGS! At 7:30 as I was running on a narrow path by the creek (there are shrubs to one side and a steep drop in to thorns followed by rocks followed by a creek) and I saw I giant black dog --I think a lab/great dane mix, from his shape and size, so huge-- assaulting a smaller brown and white dog as black dog's owner apologized to brown and white dog's owner for his behavior. Then giant black dog sees Pepper. A little known fact about Pepper, she is PETRIFIED of big dogs and dogs with high energy levels. This was her worst nightmare. Big black dog charged at Pepper and Pepper cowered in fear and snarled at big black dog, who honestly was just a huge lommix who wanted a friend. Owner of big black dog once again apologized and I said, "that's fine. My dog is horrified of big dogs," to which she apologized and responded, "I didn't think there would be anyone here at 7am. LADY IT GETS HOT! IF PEOPLE WANT TO RUN IT IS 7AM OR HEAT STROKE! And I think the real point here is, you are in a park in the middle of a city with a population of nearly 300,000. Leash your damn dog unless you KNOW he is not a giant hyper sack of stupid. (Nothing against giant hyper sacks of stupid. They are some of the best dogs, but LEASH THEM!)

I think as I progress in the program I will stop bringing Pepper along. She really slows me down, and besides, no harm if I also have to walk her once/day. What is wrong with exercising twice?

That didn't have quite as much to do with my progress as it should have.