When I looked at the photos on my phone from this week, it was basically ALL puppy pics.
I can’t help it; Ruth is so darn cute! I’m so happy we have a second dog.
I’m not saying that this first full week with our new family member wasn’t a lot of work, it was! Getting up multiple times in the night for potty breaks definitely left me in a bit of a sleep-deprived daze!
I did manage to get in all my training for the Indianapolis Marathon, which is now 15 weeks away. (Isn’t that sort of sad to think that November is only 15 weeks away!)
Here’s how things went this week.
Monday: Easy 6 mile run before work with my friend Christie, 9:20 min/mile. Discover Strength after work.
That evening, Ruth had her first vet appointment; it worked out that Matilda was due for her yearly check-up, so we were able to take them both in together. Lots of vaccinations, but both are healthy! Matilda weighs 43 pounds and Ruth weighs 9. 🙂
Tuesday: Easy 6 miles before work. After work, my friend Vicki brought her golden retriever Breck over to meet Ruth. At first, she was pretty scared of him, but she slowly warmed up and then they played!
Wednesday: I ran the Torchlight 5k Wednesday night.
Last summer, this race was the first time I ran 3 consecutive miles without walk breaks after breaking my leg!
It’s a summer tradition for me, and this year I ran it with a corporate team that Vicki and I organized. We had over 40 people on the team!
This 5k is part of the Aquatennial Festival, which celebrates Minneapolis as the “City of Lakes!” It runs before the Torchlight Parade, so the course is lined with fans, (i.e. parade watchers.)
The race didn’t start until 7:30 pm. We headed to the start line around 6:30. I did about 2.5 miles to warm-up and then found my friend Sarah at the start.
There was only one corral, which was “Sub-7 min/miles.” I knew sub-7’s were aggressive for me, but I figured I belonged there more than the open corral and my goal would be to prove that I belonged there!
With all the skyscrapers downtown, I didn’t look at my Garmin during the first mile but just stayed closed to my friend Sarah, who said she was running a 7 min/mile.
I actually felt like I was holding back so I figured mile 1 would be around 7:15, so imagine my surprise when we hit mile 1 at 6:17- faster than the Raspberry 1 mile the Sunday before; NOT a smart way to pace a 5k! Yikes.
Mile 1: 6:17
Mile 2 6:59. Then I really fell apart.
Mile 3 was 7:34…wheels came off…in a 5k! Ugh, such poor pacing.
Final time: 22:13 or a 7:09 min/mile average.
With a 7:09 average, I didn’t quite prove that I belonged in that first corral. But other than my amateur pacing, I was still pretty happy that I as much closer to my 5k PR (21:45) than I have been since I broke my leg. I’m getting closer to where I used to be…slowly!
Thursday: Even though the Torchlight was a late evening, I was up early to meet some friends for a 7 mile run.
Friday: 4 miles easy with Matilda (our older vizsla). It was nice to run with her and give her some “special attention” since Ruth (the puppy) has been getting a lot of attention from us. Discover Strength over lunch.
Dustin had a work event (spouses included) at Brit’s Pub, so we played a bit of lawn bowling in the 90 degree heat and had a few beers with his colleagues.
Saturday: I was worried that my legs would be pretty tired after the 5k, plus not great food plus beers at Brit’s on Friday night; not the best set-up for a successful long run!
I was particularly worried because I had a workout in my long run.
I met my friend Nordica at the lock & dam on the river at 7 am. We hadn’t run together in quite some time, so it was so nice to catch up for a few hours!
My workout was 4 miles easy, then alternating between low 8’s working down to sub-8 min/miles for a mile and then 9 min/miles for a mile, for a total for 8 miles (4 miles moderate, 4 easy), then 2 miles easy as a cool-down for 13 miles total.
Workout splits: 8:20, 8:41, 8:08, 9:09, 7:47, 9:20, 7:42. Not perfect, but not terrible on a hot day.
Sunday: Dustin and I ran 7 miles together with Matilda, 8:50 min/mile average.
Summary: 49.5 miles, 2 strength classes. <– I should have just run that extra 1/2 mile, right? Strava stress!
Not a bad week! I worked hard and connected with friends through running. I’d call that a success.
In puppy news, Ruth had her first day of Puppy School at the Canine Coach on Saturday.
She fell asleep at one point- apparently school is boring!
After the class, we grabbed lunch at a food truck that was at Venn Brewing; Ruth’s first brewery visit!
Between the long run in the heat, straight to puppy class, and then a beer, we were all ready for a nap in the afternoon. Ruth sure is a cuddler!
Matilda has generally been pretty patient with Ruth, but we are really trying to make sure we still give her plenty of attention (always greeting her first, one-on-one walks and runs, lots of praise) as I want to ensure we set them up for a positive ‘bond.’ Anyone else with multiple dogs have any tips for us?
I’m linking up with Running on the Fly and Confessions of a Mother Runner as part of their Weekly Rundown. Check it out!
well I am loving all of your puppy pics! She is so adorable and you already love her. So sweet! Great mileage week for you especially in these temps! Thanks for linking up
Busy, busy, busy! Great job on all your runs, especially the long run with the workout wedged in there. I think your 5K time is amazing…way faster than I’ll ever run one LOL
What a cute lap dog Ruth is. She clearly is learning that from her older sister.
I think it’s because Matilda is so long/tall, but I was surprised at how low her weight i s – then again, I don’t really know her dogs.
I’m dreading the day I have a workout in my long run – the last two Wednesdays have taught me that I don’t math well – and this would be before coffee!
Just followed you on Strava
In real life, Tilda is pretty slim like a dear; most full grown vizslas are less than 50 pounds!
Love the puppy pics and I’ve been sharing your posts with my friend here who has viszlas, too! And 49.5 is fine, 49.6 would not have been, in my book!! Good strong work and puppy integration!
Vizsla lovers unite! Happy you’re sharing the pics with your friend!
Aw, love the puppy pics! So cute! I also love the dress you’re wearing in the first pictures. Looks crisip and classic yet comfortable too. I guess adding a new dog is like having another baby — you can’t neglect your first. 🙂
Why thank you! That dress is comfortable!
Well done on keeping the consistency in your training around the new puppy. Keep the Ruth photos coming!
Haha thanks Allison!
Ruth really is so cute! I’m also loving the Instagram account that you have for both of them 🙂
Another solid week of training for you, as always!
Thank you Kim!
Those puppy photos are so adorable! As are the photos with both dogs together 🙂 It sounds like you have a smart plan for making sure they get along. Great job on that long run!
Thank you Chaitali, I’m doing my best!
good miles this week! and that 5K, wow! I have some running club friends who have also done this – go all out and then lose it on the last mile! hey, you tried and to me you still belong in that first corral!
Ruth is ADORABLE! seriously!! makes me wish I could get a puppy. Fairly certain my diva cats would kill me in the night though.
5k’s are so hard to pace; clearly I need some work 🙂
Oh, Ruth is so precious!!! When we got Cocoa, my son broke his leg and so all the focus went to him. We didn’t socialize her and sometimes we pay for that. She’s much better than she used to be but she barks at people when they come over. It’s so obnoxious! We still love her.
Nice job getting all your training in! And congrats on your race!
Tilda barks when people come over and we still love her; I hope we train Ruth no to do the same though 🙂
Ruth is adorable! Almost 50 miles in one week is amazing!
Thanks Zenaida!
Ruth is so cute!
Thanks, we think so 🙂
OMGOSH Ruth is SO STINKING CUTE! I need to start following your doggy Insta. Nice work with all the miles and having all the fun!
Haha thanks Kim!
OMG, don’t stop with the puppy pics! That one of Ruth & you in the dress is precious. I can’t believe she fell asleep in puppy school. Obviously she’s pretty chill. Little dogs (like mine) tend to be a lot more hyper).
Good job getting in all your workouts AND that race. Phew! Night races are hard enough, but throw in the temps — I think you did great, even if the pacing wasn’t what you wanted. It’s hard!
I wouldn’t say Ruth is chill, ha! She is a handful, but all puppies are. She is either crazy or sleeping- no in between!
Hi from Minnesota too! It’s so good to see another people from MN on the link up! Wow, your training sounds amazing and love how structured it is. I am loving all the puppy pics, oh my goodness Ruth is so tiny and adorable! Sounds like you are doing all the right things as a dog mom of two. I’ve always had two dogs (this is the first time I only have one) and the biggest thing you are already doing— establishing seniority by feeding Matilda first, and stuff like that. I think for me key was also enforcing the… Read more »
Good tips, thank you for sharing!
Such a cute puppy! I have so many pics of my cat on my phone its ridiculous.
Pacing in a 5k is hard. I think you’re super fast! It’s usually hard to pace right though because for me I’m so excited to be at a race that I typically go out too hard the first mile. Something I’ll have to learn as I have plenty of 5k’s on the schedule for this fall!
I’m also actually excited that November is 15 weeks away. Floridians hate summer running haha. Can’t wait until it’s cooler outside!
Haha good point about November for Floridians 🙂 Not quote the same for Minnesotans!
Pacing 5k’s is so hard!
She is really cute! Glad you were able to still get your runs in even with needing to take care of her!
I couldn’t wait to read your puppy post and then I forgot that I hadn’t read it yet… I’ve loved all the pics on IG. Matilda and Ruth sure are cute and it sounds like you’re doing things right to keep Matilda from being jealous of the new addition.
I’m impressed with how you fit all of your workouts in with less sleep than usual. Good job!