Welcome to my first blog. If you read the title of the blog, you can guess I'm a fat guy (280lbs) with 2 dogs (a Golden and a Lab). I will be using this blog to chronicle my life with my dogs and how they are helping me get back into shape (other than my current shape of round).
A few months back I started hiking with a group I volunteer with (Golden Retriever Rescue of Atlanta (http://www.grra.com/)). It opened my eyes to how bad of shape I was in. So, I started hiking more. I would hike with a friend and her dogs, and we would check out other trails for the group to hike. So far the group has hiked Chattahoochee National Park, Sweetwater State Park, Red Top Mountain State Park and Tribble Mill Park in Gwinnett County.
My friend also told me about a 1 1/2 mile trail close to my house (it's a great little trail called the Jack Abbott trail, but I always call it the Bell Bomber Loop (it's next to the Bell Bomber park over at Lockheed/Martin)). This trail is so great I started taking both of my dogs on walks there after work.
Because my Lab is old and has arthritis, this 1 1/2 mile trail is a good workout for her. I did notice that if I took her every day, she would start dragging behind on the walks, so I started taking her every other day and TrailRunning with my Golden on days she didn't go.
If I thought the hiking showed me how bad of shape I was in, TrailRunning was the real test of my fitness ( I think I got a D- on that test, and the only reason I didn't get a F was I didn't die). Equipped with my Garmin Forerunner (GPS and HR monitor) I started my TrailRunning. Before I even got 1/2 of a mile I had to stop. My heart was pounding so hard, I think it was trying to escape through my chest. I think if my HR monitor could talk, it would be saying "Danger Will Robinson" in the voice of Robbie the Robot from Lost in Space (remember I'm 40+, I use old references). I got through it by running a little and walking a little. My golden loved it, he pranced next to me as if to say, "You can do it!". His enthusiasm for the run has kept me going. I can now finish the 1 1/2 mile loop without stopping (unless I have to pick up his poop).
3 comments:
Nice Blog....so Ally and Buddy are giving you good workouts. Would you be interested then in taking my stress test for me in about a week? Did I get that right, you said NO....thought so! Hey what about Ally or Buddy, would they take the test for me? Oh nevermind.
What kind of food would it take to get my gutters cleaned? Does it have to be cooked? I can give you a squash and a green tomoato from my garden!
Oh well....keep blogging!
David b.
My sincerest apologies go out to Allie for misspelling her name on my previous comment. Hope she is not too offended. I meant no disrespect!
You say 'what about Allie's owner...don't you owe him an apology'? Hmmmmm....naw, he'll get over it!
david b
David,
You probably don't want me to do your stress test. I have just started jogging, so I am not in good shape (unless you consider round a good shape). I've been wearing a heart rate monitor when I jog, and for the most part it will jump up into the aerobic level just by looking at my running shoes. Allie won't be a good choice eather because of her age and arthritis, but Buddy would be more than happy to do it for you (and he works for food).
As far as cleaning your gutters, dont you have step-kids? Go all Cinderella on their ass.
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