Have a Lead Dog to Chase

Dogs Running
Dogs on leash running in front.

For whatever reason, I tend to think clearer when my lungs and legs feel as though they are going to explode. The best comparison I can give is from the Road Runner and Coyote cartoons. That point in almost every cartoon where the coyote has pushed himself with whatever contraption he has made to the edge…and then…he sees it. Clear as day he sees that this is going to end badly. At that moment he has absolute clarity!

For me, I tend to get clarity as I am running with my dogs on early brisk Colorado mornings. When it’s almost too cold to run in the shorts but you do it anyway. There is something about the cool air in my lungs in the morning.

As I run I reflect on the week past, the years past, and just try to keep moving. A few months back I had an epiphany to “Love the Hill”. It’s a mantra I tell myself each time I want to quit as my heart rate ascends to 170+ beats a minute.

Each week I reluctantly bring the dogs as running with two dogs is a bit of a moving obstacle course. Each run Saba, (the Australian Shepherd) bursts on the trail with more energy than the Hoover Dam produces at full tilt. Keeva, (the Chesapeake) is not quite so joyful but she sprints out anyway. I’m convinced she does this only not to be shamed by any onlooking dogs for getting outrun by her human.

As we begin the 400-foot vertical climb my lungs pound, legs ache, you know the drill. This week I was struck by the fact that I have resented bringing the dogs. However, I have a lot to thank them for.

Yes, each week as I run and try to shed some of my COVID-19 composition. The dogs drag me up the hill with joyful exuberance. Yes, I am tethered to them and at times they drag me. If I was not tethered to them no doubt I would have spent more time walking than running.

As my fitness has improved I now say I chase them. Without them dragging me the first several weeks, I wouldn’t have been able to push through the pain of what I thought was possible. For a couple of months now I have been improving, chasing the dogs up the mountain. It’s not as though I planned it that way. Some days are better than others but the point is I run with a pack that is faster than me. This pack pushes me beyond what my mind thinks I am capable of. As I’ve pondered this I see that it applies to much more than my runs.

Life is a journey full of mountains, valleys, deserts and natural wonders. These things are beautiful and are deadly in the right circumstances. We can sit back in comfort and do and see what we know we can do in safety and avoid the pain. That’s fine if that is how you want to live your life. If you’re willing to take some risks though, to “Love the Hill” while enduring the discomfort who knows what you can do, what you can see, or where you can go. One thing I know for sure, having a companion that has unbridled energy and enthusiasm that can drag you over the obstacles will make it easier. As you come more accustomed to the journey it becomes a “chase”, a game of enjoyment and accomplishment.

You can only see and feel this though if you venture outside your comfort zone, get on the trail and chase the lead dog. Who knows, maybe..just maybe…that lead dog will eventually be chasing you!

Greatness is Tough, Mediocrity is Easy

greatness-introSome time ago, I had the opportunity to work with my daughter’s soccer team on basic sprinting mechanics.  Her coach gave me about 30 minutes to work with the team, so we started out with some basic drills that the kids could practice at home. About 10 minutes in, I noticed I was losing the focus of team and I had to change things up a bit to refocus them.  I shared a little about the many great athletes I have had the privilege to compete and train with throughout my athletic career.  Without much thought at all, I found myself talking to the group girls about how easy it is to be mediocre and how tough it is to be great. Continue reading