How 'Bout 21 Miles In 30 days?

Our 40 Miles In 30 Days Challenge is over. It turned out to be a 21 miles in 30 days challenge. But it was 21 miles we really enjoyed. And a great thanks to everyone who joined or supported us!

One thing I like about the challenges for myself and the girls is that at the end it gives a great chance to look back and evaluate how it went. This time I just got distracted. There are so many things I want to learn and so little time sometimes I have a hard time focusing!

I also found that with the weather getting nicer we were doing many more outside activities, and while not the physical exercise of walking, it is still good time together. Especially the training we are doing out on the yard now.

Its interesting how even the daily life lessons are different now that we are out and about more. A small thing, but very important to me, is the time spent in the garden which has led to a whole new kind of Zen, garden zen. As in, "No Maizey you and the Nellie monster can NOT have the zoomies in my newly planted garden!" Another garden lesson, "go out!" As in, "UGG! Quit rolling in the newly watered seeds and getting all muddy! In fact just GO OUT of the garden!"

Have I mentioned not all Cavaliers are princesses?

And overseeing it all is my serene Meeka, surveying her kingdom.

As for walking challenges? We will do a new one, and maybe next time the miles won't win!

Walking Challenges and Bad Attitudes

The 40 miles in 40 days walking challenge is not coming off so great this time.

The challenge itself is not the problem its the absolute lack of energy I have been having, which ironically the challenge would help. So I planned out some longer and new routes to take today thinking that would motivate me to get out there and see how it goes and yet here I am tick-typing away instead.

I have an enormous work day, company I have never met coming tomorrow, a weekend wedding event this weekend plus. . . Did I mention I am the orneriest person in the world and hate weddings? My friend that is getting married is like a little sister to me, I love her to pieces and I'm happy for her, I just hate weddings. Yeah, I'm mean. Besides why does a wedding have to be an on going event for a whole weekend? Yeah, I know, still mean.

But the walking. Its hard to walk when you're tired, that kind of tired that leaves nothing left for little reactive barking cavaliers, even though it does make me happy to see her so happy.

Okay I guess that's why I should go. They are already going to be bummed out when they figure out to day is a work day, not a mom stays home and plays with us day, I guess I should lever my laziness out of bed and at least give them a little stroll.

As for the miles? We'll just see who wins that challenge.

It might be the miles. . . this time.

Are You Sure The Tortoise Wins?

We hope its true that the swift do not always win the race because we are off to a seriously slow start on our 40 miles challenge. The stomach flu will do that to ya!

But we did get a little start today. Between trying to get the garden in, being sick and all the other run of the mill things that keep us going around here we haven't walked in. . .oh too long to admit, but a while now.

Maizey and I  did get started on our miles tonight with a quick little mile and a half. It was gorgeous out there this evening, all golden and glowing with the end of the day light. In a city that is all edges and harsh angles to me that glowing light seems to soften the edges of everything and make even a bad day seem somehow not so lasting. As if the anxieties of each day will melt and sink into darkness with the sun, leaving way for nothing but the possibility of an easier tomorrow. Ahh if it were only that easy. But it was beautiful. The mountains are particularly pretty this time of year while they are still covered in their winter time icing, and the valley in the middle distance is getting green and lush. But I wax poetic and it can be so better captured in a photo.

We had company in the form of my mom and our part-time boy Charley. He walks so sedately, as if he has learned that even if you don't zoom all over you still get just as nice a walk. He totally shows Maizey up for the frolicking baby she is. It was fun to have them. I appreciate very much having company on our walks.

Charleycharley says, 

"If I grin really big can I please have that treat?"

So tomorrow will come soon. Hopefully we can get the garden tilled and ready to plant and certainly get some walking in. Who knows maybe we will even get back in sync with our daily training which has been sorely lacking lately. You never know, tomorrow could turn out to be an easier tomorrow!

How Many Miles In How Many Days?

So far I have yet to decide if the girls are asking me or I am asking them, "How many miles in how many days?!?" But the longer I wait to commit myself to our next walking challenge I am starting to realize what I'm sure they knew all along-their crazymomlady is a procrastinator! (Gasp-a shocker I'm sure.)

So in their best interests, and I'm sure my own, I announce:

Let the 40 Miles In 30 Days Walking Challenge begin!

Yes, its true I upped the ante. I'm not sure how this is going to work out with each pup, but I suspect Maizey is going to get a lot more practice in LLW. Meeka started limping again two days ago, complete with the hardwood floor issues returning. I haven't been able to decide if this could be an episode of Degenerative Myelopathy, or if she just got stiff from not walking last week when I had the flu, or even a combination of all three. I will probably never know. What I do know is that walking every other day like we have been doing can only be good for her regardless of what the underlying cause of her mysterious symptoms are.

So reason #1 for walking challenge:Meeka needs it.

I have posted before about how much more content the dogs are when they get some exercise and that is reason #2: the girlies love it, and I love to see them have so much fun.

Reason #3 ironically does not pose near as much motivation as reasons #1,2 but it is: the exercise is very good for me too, both physically and mentally.

As before we would love to have you join our challenge. If you would like to be added to the walking challenge just post me who is walking and how many miles you have in a comment or email and I will keep it updated. If you would like to set a mile goal that is reasonable in your real life please don't feel bound to our 40 miles-join us with whatever works for you. If you would like me to post what your individual mile goal is I will add that too.

There really is only one rule I set for myself in these challenges: have fun. This is meant to be enjoyable time for me to spend with my four legged friends and any two legged ones that want to join us. If I get stressed about the details I know I will not enjoy myself. Even one walk with my pups is one walk I wouldn't have had with them, and that defines my success right there. Achieving the miles is really icing on the cake of the time I spend with them. As was recently commented, the time we have with our four legged friends is far too short to waste, we have to take advantage of what we have.

So, lets walk and have fun!

30 miles in 30 Days Makes Loose Leash Walking A Snap

Fait accompli! Okay so I think I deserve a little slack in the fancy word department as a way to say: we did it! It is an "accomplished fact, something already done and beyond alteration." The fait accompli? We successfully walked 30 miles in 30 days. Challenge complete!

So I am a little full of my self, those of you who know me realize that for someone who is a self confirmed energy hoarding sloth this really was an accomplishment.

Many four legged lessons were learned. But my favorite thing was learned by Maizey. Not too long ago we started L2 Loose Leash Walking(LLW), and since I think Maizey was as determined a puller as our 90lb Alaskan Malamute, whom we will always miss, I was admittedly not too optimistic. Especially since this is what LLW does not look like:

"Ahh crap, I'm about to go turn around and follow you walking backwards aren't I?

You do know the neighbors think your a nutcase for walking me down the street backwards all the time?

Pardon me while I roll my eyes in disgust"

But the progress was amazing. And it is so nice to walk down the street and not look like a fool of a grown woman bing dragged down the sidewalk by nine pounds of girlie hair! So this is what LLW does look like:

But first of course we have the celebratory "pretty girl shot" before we start our last miles of the challenge.

On our walk I cue, "get ready" and make sure she is 'in the game' and paying attention.

"Get Ready? I AM ready crazymomlady! Lets Go!"

So with a chipper and completely unslothful, "let's go" we start off.
 
L2 LLW is defined as,  "a loose leash [is] a leash with the snap hanging straight down from the collar. If the leash supports the snap in any way, the leash is no longer loose." So that is our criteria. At close to perfect it looks like this:

Now there are two ways described to reinforce the LLW and I strongly recommend reading the details at Sue's Training Level site, but for purposes of our picture commentary I'll just comment that I chose the option of c/t when she is in the position I want her and while we are moving forward. I feel it gives a clearer explanation of, "Yes! You are perfect right where you are." 

The theory goes that a dog can be taught to know that when on harness it's "recess", so to speak. It's play time, with a looser interpretation of the rules. Then when put on flat buckle collar they realize, "Okay, class time! Time to have a nice LLW and pay attention to crazymomlady." It works great! By now she is getting used to the position I expect her to walk in, namely her shoulder at the seam of my jeans, and often times even on her harness is walking that way.

I think we are going to make her a new section, "LHW" for loose harness walking.

Of course this is recess so it doesn't always stay loose. But its okay.

 "WHOA that's some foot ya got there crazymomlady!"

In conclusion Maizey would like to say:

  "Yeah I know I'm the princessface and not only am I pretty, now my knees work I can walk on a loose leash 30 miles in 30 days! Ya, I rock it.!"

So Pig In a Blanket IS Easier To Say. . .

We took a wonderful walk today. 3.5 miles! Yes I know it isn't impressive for everyone, but for us with gimpy knees, no matter how many of them we have, 3.5 miles in a stretch is cause for a pat on the back.

Turns out there is beauty in the city as our walk showed us. We woke up to snow and while I normally am a huge fair weather walker, that darn clock is ticking down. . .down. . .down. And turns out the 30 miles down walk them selves-I actually have to do it! But back to the beauty in the city. We rousted out between flurries and it was a beautiful time to walk.

Steam on the river walk-proof this weather just can't make up its mind, is it warm? Is it Cold? Who knows?

With the melting snow dripping from the trees it was just glowing green.

Can you see what I see?

"Lets go crazymomlady! 3.5 miles is nothin'!"

"Uuhhggg. . .3.5 miles is a long way! Are you crazy or somthin' crazymomlady?"

So sure its easier to say "pig in a blanket", but "Cavalier King Charles Spaniel In A Blanket" is so much cuter!

Maizey and Me Walk In The Rain

Yesterday it rained. I don't mean the kind of slight gray drizzle that just discourages a stroll down the block, but the kind of outright downpour we rarely see in the desert. The kind of rain that has the pups shaking out the drench before you hit the end of the driveway and the neighbors whose house backs the park, saying, "Yeah Mildred, there's some girl out there with a little dog making the dog lay down and stuff. . .Yes its dumping rain!. . .No I don't know why she's out there!" It was the kind of rain that when we put big brother  charleycharley's sweater on and let him out for our walk he made it to the end of the garage before he hit the solid sheet of rain, came to a skidding halt and rooted himself to the spot with that, "Are you totally nuts? It raining you know?" look. Big brother Charleycharley didn't go for a walk in the rain. It was the the kind of storm that when you look outside you are actually justified in saying, "Uh. . .no four legged walk today."

But there are some benefits to having a pup who throws herself into every puddle of water or snow she sees-she is a willing walking companion in the drenching rain. So we did our mile to the park and then we did recalls, sits, downs, stays, even some distance "go-rounds" with 4 perfect successes!(insert me cheering!) And it rained. And rained. Every time we started shivering we just started doing chase recalls and got warm again. It was great!

The four legged lessons learned? Maizey needs to learn to "down" on cold wet grass. And my four legged lesson? Learn how to shake the rain off like Maizeydoes you stay a lot drier!LOL

In his defense big brother charleycharley does love to go for a good run when its not raining:  

Meeka and Maizeys 30 Miles in 30 days Challenge

Why would two mellow, calm, nap loving dogs want to challenge their admittedly activity-challenged 2 legged friend to 30 miles of movement in 30 days?

Obviously they are concerned for my health! Also obviously there is no more peaceful sleep than this:

 or this:

or this:

or especially this:

And that is what the sleep of the truly tired looks like, so while I give them credit for their concern over my lack of ever wanting to exercise I know that they are just smarter than me and know how much fun it is to get out there and move a little!

Thus on April 2, 2010 we started our 30 miles in 30 days challenge. And as you've seen from past posts we are having a blast! Maizey is doing so well with her L2 LLW and we are finding new places to walk, each with their own set of distractions to help fill in the holes of the training they are solid on.

We have had so much support in people joining our challenge and cheering us on that we want to invite any who would like to join our challenge. Maizey, Meeka and I have been tracking our mileage in the sidebar and will continue to do so, along with regular updates in posts. If your 4 legged friends are dragging you out and about and would like to brag up how well your doing drop me a comment with your names and your mileage and anything else you would like and I will add you to our challenge list. If you would like to share your records with us but participate as an anonymous secret agent email me and I will add you and your sneaky 4 legged friends to the secret agent list.

Of course we have already started and there are only 24 days left in our 30 day challenge so if you want to join now its not to late! Just pro-rate your miles to what ever day you join. Cynthia at Tip Tail started with us today and already has done a mile and three-quarters! Really what ever number your four legged friends set for you is good by us, we just want everyone to have as much fun as we are!

So May 1, 2010 is our deadline folks. After we have all worked hard to get out there and get moving I will add up our cumulative total miles and post that for us all to do a victory dance over! It might look something like: