Racing on all fours.......

This last Saturday we went out and ran the Furry 5K with our pup Penny running her first race, first of many I believe. It was a bit cold, of course, but the sun hopped out every once in awhile to remind us what it looked like.

Usually having Penny ago on a run we come across a few dogs here and there and she does pretty good at focusing on running and not being bothered by the other four legged runners. Today however was definitely going to be a test of wills and leashes.

Starting out steady and a bit slow was the game plan, then around mile one we would easy Penny into her regular run pace, around 11 minute miles per hour, give or take the time it takes to chase a few crows or squirrels of course.

We were off and the race was starting to get interesting, left and right, and right in the middle of the course dogs had no time for Honey Bucks or Porta Johns. “Let her fall where she may” was the rule of thumb, or paw??? Now I remember AK and I running the Austin half marathon before and having to “step lightly” on the overpasses because the sand didn’t completely cover the ice and frost on the roads, this was a little different kind of “stepping lightly”. However, unlike the ice and frost you could smell it before is was under foot....

The other dogs that ran in our group were great until one would try to pass Penny, then her tactic was to jump on it’s back and knock it off balance, not sure if I should use that for the next triathlon.
I always said growing up, “nothing like a hip check to make things even”. When you’re 85 pounds wet and playing against kids 100-130 pounds, it seemed fair at the time....

We hit the dreaded hill at Seward Park and all three of us climbed like champs up out away from Lake Washington to the water station at the top.

Neat cool down stations for the pups if they needed a quick cool down.
After we got back on the road Penster had to make a pit stop or was that AK? I think it was Pen it was a quick stop.

Heading into the last mile it was all systems go and the three of us were having a great run and enjoying the spring day, but still


The course was a cool run with water on one side and evergreens around and over head.

Penny was glad to see the 3 mile mark on the road side.

With the finish line insight we crossed with Penny in 35:20 and added the Furry 5k to the record books, a great first race for the Penster!!!

Afterwards to cool the legs down Penny jumped in the lake and played with some other four legged competitors.

All in all a great event and best of all, Penny’s battery got run down a little bit for all of us to catch a much needed cat nap back at the house once we arrived home. Some of us had a good head start however.....