Sick as a dog!

Well I kicked off my first week of training for the 10k with a 50% success rate. I made it through 3 runs (4 miles, 3.5 miles, 4 miles) with surprising ease and then got my one and only, worst ever, cold. I had a fever and am still sucking on cough drops and blowing my nose at least 35 times per day. The good news is I'm on the mend and feel confident that I can restart the running this week! Right now I'm hoping to do some yoga tomorrow to stretch out the muscles then either bike or run on Tuesday, depending on how I am feeling. Wednesday will be a fartlek workout, so it will be tough! What on earth is a fartlek? It's a 'speed game' where you change your speeds throughout your run. It helps with a lot of things, but I find it helps me the most with mental toughness.

Alfie, grabbing a drink during our run.

This week I also restarted running with Sabu and Alfie. For Sabu, I felt a happy medium where we can run part of the way on the leash and the other part off, so that worked out well. It just so happened I saw cheetah tracks that day and within a day the cheetah was collared and released for research purposes. Awesome!!

Big ole German Shepherd!

Today I also met the HUGEST German shepherd I have ever seen in my life. Also the sweetest. Very gentle creature, helping to take care of the kids of the household. When I got back from town, I dribbled some water on my fox who looked a little toasty and later that day experienced a very weird 10 minutes: wild baboons very close to the house, one baboon that was tame who came to visit, and then an orphaned animal dropped at the house by the owner of Naankuse. Everything is sorted now, but man it was weird! 

We've got some new designs today, check them out! You get 20% off until November 12th so it's a great deal. The savings don't affect how much Trot with Spot gets, in case that worried you.

It's time for me to go finish watching Indiana Jones and get ready for taking a baboon tonight. I'm moving back to the states for some new adventures in a few weeks and I want to get as much baboon time as possible. (Since my cold is on the mend it shouldn't affect the baboons.)

Tips for runners and dogs: 

• PEANUT BUTTER. Cheap, nutritious and filling.
• Positive reinforcement: Look at what you have accomplished in addition to what you still have to do. Make sure you acknowledge how much you've already done on the way to your goal!
• If you have a cold, sit out a round and let your body recover. :)

1 week until the Duathlon, fundraising for the Wild Dog Project!

Well it's been a hectic last 10 days! With a quick 4 day trip to Etosha National Park of Namibia to see some Elephants, Rhino's and Lions, it was immediately time to get in some last minute training with Sabu and Alfie. Fortunately, it's all gone to plan so far. I also got my gear embroidered here so I'll have some Trot with Spot gear for race day. After humming and hawing back and forth, I'm going for the 5km run - 12 km bike - 5km run. It will be challenging to complete the second 5km, but I'm sure it will be great fun! So far Trot with Spot has raised $74 of the $200 goal, so here's to hoping a few more orders come in to help reach the goal. While it doesn't seem like too much, $200 can buy a new tire for the research team and that is huge. They go through a lot of tough terrain and the tires take a beating out in Namibia. Having a spare tire can mean the difference between success and failure.

We've also expanded our clothing line for this month, and continue to add new ideas. If you'd like to be a part of it, please do! We'd love to showcase your work. Store link: http://trotwithspot.spreadshirt.com/

Tips from this week:

PEANUT BUTTER. It is satiating, nutritious and cheap. Don't go overboard because it is high in calories, but it is a fantastic recovery food and great for keeping hunger at bay.

ICE. If you're feeling a twinge here or there, ice can often help. Ideally you cool the area for 20 min on, 20 min off and make sure to stretch. It can really help you stay out of the red zone of injuries.

SMILE. Don't be too hard on yourself if your run or walk didn't go as planned! You're enjoying some endorphins and helping your health. It's a little counter-productive to be worried about your run, because too much worrying isn't good for you either!

Pictures from Etosha: