Meet Banner...

Isn't he cute? He's my new running partner and this is him after our run yesterday. He is very tired! (His tongue usually doesn't hang out like that)

I've always thought about taking him along for a run, but he's a beagle and beagles cannot walk or run in a straight line. Don't ask me why, they just don't. They also have that keen sense of smell so they want to stop and sniff EVERYTHING!

So yesterday, I had to get in my run after work and Greg had to work late so that meant that the little guy was stuck with me. He has to stay in his kennel during the day because he has a fondness for expensive electronics. So far, in his one year with us, he has eaten 4 cell phones, 2 remote controls, one home theater system, one DVD player, my heart rate monitor watch and numerous other things like CDs, DVDs, books, blinds, glasses, clothes and shoes. Yes, I'm serious. He really did eat all that stuff. He is getting better now that he's leaving the puppy stage, but he still hasn't gained our trust back. But I do feel bad that he's stuck in the kennel all day and I wasn't going to leave him in there even longer so I took him along for the run.

He was full of energy at first and loving it. He even got the hang of it and stopped with all the weaving back in forth in front of me. (I did almost bust a few times from tripping over him, but luckily I have cat-like reflexes.)

Two miles was just about all he had in him. I also learned that dog runners have the same type of stomach issues that people runners do. We had to stop at least 15 times. Toward the end of the run, we were going really, really slow. I was starting to feel nervous that someone was going to see us and tell me that I was an evil person for torturing my poor dog by making him run when he was very obviously beat.

I did, however, give him pep talks throughout the run to help him out and we finally made it home keeping an average pace of 12:47 per mile. Whew! I dropped him off at home where he immediately went to the kitchen and laid down on the cool floor. I gave him big bowl of water while I went out to finish my run. And you know what? When I got back, he was still all sprawled out just like he was when I left him and he didn't eat anything illegal! I may have learned the secret...

We'll do another short run today, but that's alright...runners have to build up speed and distance and he's only just started! Good Boy!