New running partner required, mine keeps swimming after coots. W6R1 disaster

[spoonierunning]

So today was the day the start of week 6 it could have gone better.

So yes I DID wear my new running top, but I have a confession the weather was rubbish this morning so I got to cover up with my fleece, but it's a start and I am feeling more confident. Thank you every one who took time to reassure me and comment on my last post.

So warm up - yep that was fine.

First 5 minute run - what do you mean five minutes is already up, are you sure, I'm sure it's a little bit longer.

3 minute walk - oh come on isn't 3 minutes up yet this is too long taking ages.

10 minute run - started off fine then I had to stop suddenly to tie my shoe lace and someone choose that moment to replace my thighs with lead. But off we went and carried and then splosh.

Spaniel in the water swimming after coots. Shout at said spaniel. Get ignored by spaniel. Jog on the spot waiting for naughty spaniel to return.

And carry on. Not really sure how much of the 10 minutes in the end I spent actually running.

3 minute walk - spaniel no. No. No. (His name is Ferdinand, or Ferd for short but this becomes No when we are out).

5 minute run - and we're off. Splosh. Ferdinand get out of the canal NOW. Ignored by spaniel. Shout some more while jogging on the spot. Decide to pause podcast while finding suitable spot for spaniel to get out the canal. Put spaniel on lead. Resume podcast and running. Get all in a muddle with headphone and lead combo and battle stupid iPod armband that has decided that moment to start it's descent. Hit the lock and a very short but steep incline and I can't run it, I do normally walk it if it coincides with a run section and start as soon as I'm on the flat again but I just couldn't do it and we only had 60 seconds left as well.

Warm down walk - walked for a smidge and decide to fit in that last 60 seconds of running. Did it. Resume cool down.

Got home.

And in other news:

Today is my fifth wedding anniversary and Husbands birthday. Happy day with a bit of sadness my Mum never got to see our first anniversary and it was over shadowed by her passing just before. But today also ties up rather nicely with me starting week 6 of this program as around this time 3 years ago we were calling the paramedics to lift me off the floor as my back had given way and resulted in me losing the majority of my mobility

[misswobble Graduate]

Oh Spoonie what a start to the day! Your post really made me laugh. Dogs ey. I must say yours has a very beady eye. Looking for trouble I dare say. Running with dogs is a bind unless you have a very obedient dog, which unfortunately, very few of us do. LOL They do love to run with us though don't they even, if they veer off and do their own thing a bit too often.

Any run is better than no run. You did your run so it still counts.

Happy anniversary by the way!

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to misswobble]

He is normally pretty good but every so often (normally involving coots) he becomes a pain in the bum. And to give him credit he was very good running on the lead he kept pace with me rather than trying to pull my arm out of it socket, so I am very encouraged that this maybe something we can work on.

And yep I got out and did it woohoo, I am sure R2 well be better (maybe I will leave the dog at home)

[LadyP79]

I used to run with my dogs (yup plural) but it got to be too awkward with the longer runs. I was chuckling away to myself reading your post as I have been in the same boat before, dog get out of the water, other dog stop barking at him to get out, dog get out, brilliant now I've lost my place ha ha.

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to LadyP79]

And the podcast just doesn't have stop now and pick up dog poop sections either. Mostly Ferd is pretty good (I keep telling myself that it might come true). He loves it on run days because his walk (swim) is much further which is a good thing with a spaniel. I used to have 2 dogs a few years ago and it was hard enough just walking with them both especially as it was a water mad spaniel and a water shy border collie. Couldn't imagine attempting to keep track of two dogs and running

[aliboo70]

Well at least you did get some running done in between! Sound like an eventful run, i LOVE you commentary!! my sister had a springer for 14 yrs called Angus, he was a great lolloping lump but one of the loveliest dogs, i can vividly remember him off chasing ducks along a riverside walk and totally ignoring us! and spaniels do LOVE water! brought back good memories!

Hope you can enjoy your anniversary and hubbys birthday, sure your mum is looking down on you and feeling proud of her girl overcoming her health problems, sounds like you're doing amazingly well.

I, myself should remember to be thankful for the fact that my general health is good at the moment

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to aliboo70]

Yes spaniels certainly do love water Ferdinand is a sprocker (springer x cocker) I had an English springer before him, totally gorgeous dogs I've always loved my spaniels. Glad I evoked some happy memories.

[Azores Graduate]

Love the pictures Ferdinand looks a real sweety; at least he stops your run being boring. Great that you have got so much better and are now on week 6; what a great anniversary.present.

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to Azores]

Thanks you. It is definitely not boring going out with Ferdinand. I should just be happy he didn't come out of the canal black and covered in silt and extra stinky (like normal)

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

What great post. Beautiful dog but naughty! It's sounds like you had a laugh though. At least you got out there. I'm sure your Mum would be very proud of your achievements! Happy anniversary.

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

Thank you

[kickibro Graduate]

Ferd is gorgeous! He has a look that says "I know I am trouble but admit it, you love me ... I am gonna get away with it and ain't nothing you are gonna do about it!"

Keep posting - I loved reading

You are doing well. All runs are good xxx

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to kickibro]

Thank you. Yes he knows we don't stay mad at him for long, though I am harder to crack than his Daddy.

[Hidden]

And in the meantime - naughty spaniel poses with innocent eyes and a "Who me?" expression. Boy, don't they know how to make us look daft at times. Well done on getting out on your first run of week 6. Pity you had to cover up with the fleece, I've finally convinced the marina manager that pictures of me on the company FB page wearing my skin tight lycra won't give him a nervous breakdown. Ha! Well, you may have a few days grace if the weather forecast is anything to go by - rain and chilly for a while now I believe so you can still cover up for a while. I'll be posting my pic (in skin tight lycra) tomorrow with any luck.

Anyway, sounds like the run was fun for you if a bit unpredictable. Great post, and something to celebrate your anniversary with. Sad to think that your mum didn't see the first anniversary but my guess is that she's up there somewhere watching you and being proud of you. With my very best wishes.

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to Hidden]

It's embarrassing when I say how well trained he is and we used to go to training classes and do rally and then he spots a coot (we don't know what it is about coots, ducks he can take or leave but coots and he is off). He could be worse, and I love him naughtiness and all.

Well done for convincing the marina manager. The fact I've gone out in my top albeit covered up has meant I've got over the initial hurdle I am sure it will just become second nature to wear it (after a few more sessions of it hidden, hurrah for April showers

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Is Ferdinand a Welsh Springer Spaniel?

Our canal has water voles and little grebes so it is lead only for us (but now I have a waist belt and hands free lead it's much less of a pain)

My first 5K was achieved with me running up and down on a section of a trail bellowing at the top of my voice after mine had gone after a hare. I was blowed if she was going to put the kibosh on my goal for the day!

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

He is a sprocker spaniel but is half Welsh hence the colouring. Most people don't pick up on it, do you have a welsh springer? Our canal has concrete sides where he normally goes in, last time I checked the area for sensitive species no voles were present also dogs aren't really going to disturb the voles too much but yes do have to be careful with nesting birds. We also have a family of swans that swims up and down so he's not allowed in when we spot the swans.

I've seen those waist belts but I think he'd pull me over, he does have a nice long lead so it's not too bad if my iPod cooperates (hate the arm band have my eye on a flipbelt)

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to spoonierunning]

Yes, my running companion is a WSS. 'My' canal is a nature reserve, hence the caution. I don't go there all the time - it is a relatively hard surface for my tastes, aside from the lead issue for the dog. She's more of a paddler than a swimmer.

The waist belt/lead combo is very good - the lead is elasticated so a bit gentler (and sometimes a bit of dog-assist is agreeable!)

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

The nature reserve bit is a disused canal (part of the old nottingham canal) which I don't let him in (well sometimes he manages to slip by and ignore me) but the main canal (Erewash canal) that I run along is a proper connected and used one though rarely see boats moving on my stretch.

We were told the welsh springers are calmer than English springers but haven't noticed any difference, maybe his English side is dominant. It took him a while to take to water but now we can't keep him out and he really has a thing about coots.

[folkieboater Graduate in reply to spoonierunning]

We've boated up the Erewash a few years ago. The feral youth planning to drain it behind us, and it being a dead end, convinced us we'd leave the end at 4.30am the next day, get out, and mark it as done!

It didn't have nearly the amount of drunk data 10am as the stretch into Liverpool though

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to folkieboater]

Yes I'm not too far from it's end so I guess that's why we don't see much traffic, in two years only seen one of the locks in operation once.

[folkieboater Graduate in reply to spoonierunning]

It's a shame really. In parts its a lovely canal, but the locks are really hard work, and as it's a dead end there's nothing to gain.

Also, once a canal has a reputation, it keeps it, even once the feral youth have grown up. There becomes a vicious cycle of no boats, so a boat is a novelty, so attracts trouble, so boats don't go through.

Leicester has the same reputation, but we've never had any problems there (touching lots of wood, as we're going through next month!)

And at the end of the day, from my point of view, a towpath provides miles of running opportunities right outside my front door - wherever that front door is moored for the night.

Frances

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to folkieboater]

Someone posted a good link to a consultation by the Canals and Rivers Trust (I think that's what they are calling themselves) I reckon towpaths are especially valuable to runners, particularly beginners.

'Mine' has only recently got a trip boat and it goes slower than a toddler.

Wish I'd been a runner 3 years ago when we had a holiday on the banks of the Royal Military Canal, that was beautiful - used to sit on the balcony and watch the Gurkhas running past with full kit.

[AmberC Graduate]

Such a cute photo, Ferd looks so innocent! "Who me, be naughty.....no I'm so sweet and loveable." Your posting made me laugh so much. I can so identify with a lot of your comments. I run with a golden Cocker Spaniel, who strangely for a spaniel does not like the water, however she does love all the water birds around us....I live in Australia (but still a Brit at heart) and run around some lakes where there are masses of birds, so I often find myself being dragged off to see the pelicans, ducks, spoonbills, ibis etc. and like yourself whilst being dragged off I'm trying not to get tied up by her lead and headphones (my headphones of course, the dog hasn't got any - yet). One of these days she is going to get very near to catching one of these birds and at that time she will turn around and run a mile in the other direction because she only thinks she is brave, in reality she is a big woose! Mind you all this darting around is great for increasing your pace!

Thanks for sharing your great story, big hugs to Ferd for being such a great mate to you. Hope to hear more adventures of Spoonierunner and Ferd in the future!

Good luck for your next run, I start week 6 on Tuesday.

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to AmberC]

Thank you and good luck for starting 6

[moonmar Graduate]

Wonderful post.

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to moonmar]

Thank you

[bikergirl Graduate]

Wow what a busy run...

om the rare occasion my spaniel gets to come running with me, my runs tend to go a lot like yours, funny my spaniel is also called 'no' when we go out. Or 'stop that' or 'put whatever that is down' or 'how did you get there' closely followed by 'where are you' not forgetting the classic 'arrghhh' as i trip over him.

fred looks such a cheeky wee monkey hes got that spaniel look of mischief in his eyes.