2nd of 12 #DoggieDozenRaces is done! Review on the course...

I'm stoked to share that I successfully finished my 2nd of 12 #doggiedozenraces for 2014, helping to raise awareness and funds for dogs in need. I had a great time during the race, which was very, very challenging.

Here are the details: rating 3/5 stars

Zombie Run SF - http://www.zoomrunningevents.com/sf_san_francisco_wntr.html - don't worry, there's no zombies.

They do a 10K and a half marathon, course here: http://www.zoomrunningevents.com/sf_san_francisco_wntr.html

Overall I gave this race a 3 out of 5 starts, carried mostly by the 10K course itself. You set off from Chrissy Fields a the Yacht club and head towards the warming hut, run up the stairs, under the Golden Gate bridge, along the ridge and then down to Baker's beach. This is not a run for someone who hasn't been training on hills or trails, the stairs and the 1.5 miles of hill in one straight shot will make you pay for it. Fortunately, I have been training for this so I felt pretty good. I just found out I placed 38 out of 123 overall, and 8 out of 23 for my age group. Had there been more up to date time tracking, those times might have even been better, how fun (although I'm pleased regardless)! Yay for trail running!

I also wore our Valentine's day shirt for #Puppylove.Let's not forget the Valentine's day shoutout. :)

What I didn't like so much about this race was that it was really informal. Instead of a cool start and finish line, which I would consider is standard (?), there was a cone and a flag or two. They had cool medals and shirts, but I just didn't like how informal things were. If they were to add those things in I'd definitely increase the rating. Additionally, they were a little unclear about the actual length of the race, which ended up being 6.7 miles. Lastly, no photographers were there, not one. Thanks anyway to all the race organizers and the crew!

I wasn't kidding when I said it was an informal start...

Here's some pictures of the stunning course:

Golden Gate bridge at sunrise

Making our way towards the bridge!

Stairs, lots.

Run along the ridge, ocean to the right.

On, along the ridge back to the GG bridge.

Stairs, lots more.

I finished, whew!

Get your Valentine's Day Puppy Love spirit on!

Well, it's February which means that I'm due for my 2nd #DoggieDozenRaces race, which will be the Zombie Runner from Zoom! Running events. What's the #DoggieDozenRaces? It's a mission for 2014.To help raise funds and awareness for dogs in need, I'm running a 10K/6.2 race per month for the whole of 2014. It's already off to a great start and I can't wait for the next race. I'm training 5-6 times per week, eating right, and feeling strong. I'm sure I'll have my share of challenges along the way, but I'm excited to learn what those challenges are willing to teach me along the way.

In addition to the race coming up this weekend, I wanted to remind everyone about our #PuppyLove tops which help to support dogs in need and highlight love for Valentine's Day. As always, $5 from each shirt (product) goes to do dogs in need. Click on the design you like below and it will take you straight to the shop!

 

Need a customized prize? We might be able to help.

We love supporting other worthwhile causes that help dogs! There's so many to choose from, that it may be more trouble to pick what you want than anything else. Well, if you're a program that's looking to give a prize and need some type of gift, we can help! Send us a note and we'll see what we can do. 

Everyone loves a good ole' fashioned prezzie!

Offering prizes and gifts can really help fundraising initiatives, so please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Kicking off #DoggieDozenRaces with Coyote Hills run!

We're huge supporters of dogs here at Trot with Spot, but also being healthy and having fun outdoors. This year, I'll be doing a #DoggieDozenRaces - 12 races for 2014, one per month, to help raise awareness of Trot with Spot and meet new people. Today I had a fantastic time at the Coyote Hills run which was put together by Blazen Racing. They offered a half marathon (2 loops of the 10K), a 10K and a 5K. Between 400-500 people were there and not one person looked like they weren't having a great time. It was a mix of semi-paved road and trails with views of the bay and I highly recommend it!

Somehow, I PR'd (had a personal record), so I am particularly pleased with this race. For February's #DoggieDozenRaces I'll likely be doing the Fort Point 10K. I hope you'll consider joining me!

Here's some pictures from today. Enjoy!

 

Shelter dogs are where it's at.

It's really interesting to hear people talk about their dogs. So many people have shelter dogs and sometimes they get a bad rap because there's this sense that a shelter is a bad place. I will admit, there are many that are, but many more that are absolutely wonderful places to care for animals that need a special home. If you're considering a dog, a shelter is a great place to get one from! They often have some type of obedience training and are spayed/neutered. Check out these little fur-balls that I met at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, which has an absolutely fantastic set up and I would recommend to anyone in that area for a place to adopt a dog. Enjoy the cuteness!

 

New music for your runs and a Meetup!

If you're in the Bay Area this weekend (January 19th), then come to the Marin Headlands and go for a hike with Trot with Spot! We'd love to have you. Obviously it's dog-friendly. Here's the full details through Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Trot-with-Spot-Outdoor-exercise-and-dog-lovers/events/158631222/

If you're like me and periodically need to grab some new tunes to stay inspired, then fear not, I have done the work for you! We have a music page with recommendations on fun & funky music with links to download them directly. This week we added songs from Aloe Blacc, Miracle, the Ohio Players and more. Get groovin!

Don't forget that we are currently featuring work by one of our exchange artists. She's talented and generous, so we'd love it if you bought one of her designs on one of our tops. $5 from each purchase goes to support canines in need. Here's the link to our shop: http://trotwithspot.spreadshirt.com/

Blackwolf Silverpaw: Our first artist joins Trot with Spot!

Well a happy New Year to you all! We're stoked that it's 2014 because it's a whole world of possibilities. Today is already proving that to be true as we're joined by our first artist: Blackwolf Silverpaw! She is a German artist and in her own words, "Being a DA artist for me doesn't just mean to be famous or successful, it's mainly about having fun, meeting people, getting connected, being creative and showing your artwork to the world".

We're thrilled to have her art work helping African Wild Dogs, Wolves and no-kill shelters. She's talented and we hope you think so too. Right now we have 2 designs available in our online shop: http://trotwithspot.spreadshirt.com/ - "Chibi" (left) and "Kimball" (right).

With each purchase from our online store (not just from Blackwolf Silverpaw) $5 goes to Trot with Spot, and we give it back to worthwhile causes. You really can't go wrong with buying canine-themed gear that helps you get fit, have fun, and support amazing causes. We have a quick summary of each cause on our Who We Support Page, so find out more about them there. All three of the places offer volunteer programs in case you want to get knee deep into things like animal husbandry and research in the field.

We're always looking for talented people to be a part of Trot with Spot - get in touch with us at trotwspot@gmail.com or check out our Artist Exchange page to find out more!