I started running when I met my husband five and a half years ago. I've never stopped. Running keeps me sane and keeps my depression at bay. Most of my running has taken place in the cities we have lived in. I am adept at dodging cars, pedestrians and distracted tourists. Running on the national mall will hone all of those skills.
Running on vacation is one of my favorite times to run. You learn the place you are visiting in a much more intimate way when you investigate the nooks and crannies of a place on foot with the no meaningful destination. I can't help but think that I discovered extra bits of Paris when I visited it with my dad and sister. It also helped that I got lost for a few extra miles. Whoops. I've also found bonus parts of Rhode Island, the Bahamas and Arizona.
Here on the farm, my husband mowed me a track around the bottom perimeter of our property. Three laps make a mile and it's great for " zoning out" running. I don't have to worry about cars or people, or my newest running nemesis: country dogs. Country dogs are nothing like city dogs. They've got very little in common with the bedbug prince and princess dogs I've got. The most important difference is that unlike city dogs they aren't on leashes and their yards are too big too be fenced. That's a little unsettling to the runner. They are dedicated to protecting their property and not afraid to chase you in the road. Others are confined to small pens, but that's unsavory to animal lover in me.
Our most recent running route has been a 5 1/2 mile loop around our neighborhood. Today I decided that a visual documentation of the country dogs and other animals was in order.
These are our new across the street neighbors. Not as friendly as their horse predecessors but interesting. They are fond of snorting and once in a while you get a hoof scratch but luckily they don't charge the fence or chase you into the street.
This photo was literally taken while running. This guy seemed pretty serious about chasing us off his property. Luckily, as the photo depicts, we got far enough away to satisfy him.
These peeps aren't dogs but they're funny looking. I felt like I was running through a Doctor Seuss book with these guys staring at us. As we rounded their corner they all came to the fence to watch us run away.
Goats and donkeys. Fun for us to look at it, but fairly apathetic to runners.
Another photo on the run. This is a red and blue heeler. They are also known as Australian cattle dogs. It's said that they are decendents of the wild Australian dingo. They are highly intelligent and energetic working dogs. The oldest dog ever in the history of the world was a heeler. He lived to be 29! They heel or herd livestock. If they're bored and unemployed as these two are, they'll heel anything that goes by their house. Their method of heeling would be nipping at our heels. Lucky for us, these two have not yet left the yard.
The neighbors of the heelers are a rowdy trio of bearded chiuahuas. These guys are hilarious and will follow you as far as you'll let them. I've spent many a day coaching them back to their house. Now, I just yell at them to go home and they kind of listen.
We finished off our run with this dude. He was also pretty serious about his lawn. Luckily Joseph was able to scare him off by stretching out his arms to appear bigger and telling him off.
And that's what you are up against on a country run. I used to carry a stick and I talked about getting some pepper spray, but a stern scolding has kept me safe thus far.
Running on vacation is one of my favorite times to run. You learn the place you are visiting in a much more intimate way when you investigate the nooks and crannies of a place on foot with the no meaningful destination. I can't help but think that I discovered extra bits of Paris when I visited it with my dad and sister. It also helped that I got lost for a few extra miles. Whoops. I've also found bonus parts of Rhode Island, the Bahamas and Arizona.
Here on the farm, my husband mowed me a track around the bottom perimeter of our property. Three laps make a mile and it's great for " zoning out" running. I don't have to worry about cars or people, or my newest running nemesis: country dogs. Country dogs are nothing like city dogs. They've got very little in common with the bedbug prince and princess dogs I've got. The most important difference is that unlike city dogs they aren't on leashes and their yards are too big too be fenced. That's a little unsettling to the runner. They are dedicated to protecting their property and not afraid to chase you in the road. Others are confined to small pens, but that's unsavory to animal lover in me.
Our most recent running route has been a 5 1/2 mile loop around our neighborhood. Today I decided that a visual documentation of the country dogs and other animals was in order.
These are our new across the street neighbors. Not as friendly as their horse predecessors but interesting. They are fond of snorting and once in a while you get a hoof scratch but luckily they don't charge the fence or chase you into the street.
This photo was literally taken while running. This guy seemed pretty serious about chasing us off his property. Luckily, as the photo depicts, we got far enough away to satisfy him.
These peeps aren't dogs but they're funny looking. I felt like I was running through a Doctor Seuss book with these guys staring at us. As we rounded their corner they all came to the fence to watch us run away.
Goats and donkeys. Fun for us to look at it, but fairly apathetic to runners.
Another photo on the run. This is a red and blue heeler. They are also known as Australian cattle dogs. It's said that they are decendents of the wild Australian dingo. They are highly intelligent and energetic working dogs. The oldest dog ever in the history of the world was a heeler. He lived to be 29! They heel or herd livestock. If they're bored and unemployed as these two are, they'll heel anything that goes by their house. Their method of heeling would be nipping at our heels. Lucky for us, these two have not yet left the yard.
The neighbors of the heelers are a rowdy trio of bearded chiuahuas. These guys are hilarious and will follow you as far as you'll let them. I've spent many a day coaching them back to their house. Now, I just yell at them to go home and they kind of listen.
We finished off our run with this dude. He was also pretty serious about his lawn. Luckily Joseph was able to scare him off by stretching out his arms to appear bigger and telling him off.
And that's what you are up against on a country run. I used to carry a stick and I talked about getting some pepper spray, but a stern scolding has kept me safe thus far.
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