Post #1 - A Blog About Running with Your Dog??

Ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted a dog to run with. I remember thinking each time I saw an impressive jogger with loyal companion by his/her side, "wow that must be so fun, maybe one day I'll do that!" Well years later, here I am with my faithful running partner. In fact the most faithful and dependable workout partner I've ever had, Penelope.

I can hear the skeptics now, a blog about running with your dog- lame, who wants to read that? Honestly, I'm not sure who would want to read it, but I know I will want to later....

There is a scene in Marley and Me (the movie) where Owen Wilson as John chronicles the passing of time in rapid fire succession..."wake up, walk Marley, go to work, clean up after Marley, lose Marley, come home to Jen dancing with Marley, write stories about Boca, move to Boca, chase Marely 15 blocks..." and so it continues.

This scene with brief snapshots of time passing has stuck with me and is largely my favorite scene. I can't discuss the end, which I watched while clutching Penelope bawling my eyes out and telling her "Please don't die" even though I'd already read the book and knew the ending. As a relatively new dog owner (we've had Penelope since November 2009), I've come to realize how our dog punctuates our life. She is the beginning and end of most days and our constant companion.

One day while running with Penny I started thinking about the scene from Marley and Me and how (with much less "bad dog" moments) one day I will look back and see how life flew by in much the same way. Penelope was 6 months old when we adopted her and so hopefully has many years left to grow old with us. I'm blown away by all that could happen in that time... Penny came into our life as a dating couple in a newly purchased home.....fast forward 12 years (although I hope she lives forever) and think of all that could change- marriage, kids, new house, new dog (we've already added a second), new jobs, on and on, but through it all- Penelope.

One day Penny will be too old to run with me and I will think back on the hundreds and thousands of miles we logged together and what those runs have given me. I will want to remember the runs where she knocked me over chasing a squirrel or the first time we made it 5 miles or just the way that each run gives me peace and it is our little escape, a time to be cherished in the mornings.

So largely this blog is for me. But maybe, just maybe, others will find something interesting in our escapades and enjoy following our runs and the lessons learned along the way. So here goes nothing.....

Welcome to Running with Penelope- enjoy the ride!!