Poor Molly...

I took her out for a run last night. (Insert extreme excitement about getting some exercise HERE.) As I was writing my post for IITGI, I realized that even though I am busy, there are still times where I can work out but I don't. So after the usual night-off nap, I threw on running shoes, grabbed the leash and my ipod and trotted Molly out the door. At first she was super excited, pulling me along, and running with all the speed her little legs could handle. (Perhaps I should mention that this was not a straight out run, it was a walk/run.) She seemed a little mad at me when I slowed down to walk, and I had to be all, chill Molly. You know I'm out of shape. We will run again in a few minutes. And we did... and after about the third interval, she started not to pull me. And after about 15 minutes, she started making up excuses to take a break, like trying to show me she had to pee but nothing was coming out. But she would squat down, and try with all her might to make me just stop for a second. We ended up doing our run/walk for about a half hour, 45 minutes or so, and by the end she was walking behind me. After we got home, she drank an entire bowl of water and collapsed under the fan when I turned it on high. She pay there, panting, for an entire half hour. In her defense, it was about 80 degrees out, but since I wanted to do this when it was still light out, she didn't have a choice. And the vet said she needs to lose 5 pounds. So she is in this with me, whether she likes it or not. Tomorrow I will take pity on her and we will go earlier in the morning, before it gets too hot. And she will like it, I know she will :)

For me, this made me feel great. I am not a runner at all. In high school, I could run for an entire soccer game, but when the coach made us run a mile for practice, I was at the end of the pack dying for air. Its just not my thing. My little brother used to be a serious runner, running like a hundred miles in a week or something crazy like that. I was happy to read that interval training makes you drop weight faster than just running or walking alone, because this means I can disguise my lack of endurance with the excuse that its more effective. I hope it is. I am going to keep my gym membership for now because I want to use the stepper, elliptical, and I love yoga and spinning. (All things on the "when I can quit Target" list.) But its getting nice out, and I like being able to get Molly's energy out, and its not as much of an ordeal as going to the gym. My face last night was BRIGHT red, and I was worn out, and I am sore today, but its good. I really want this 15 pounds gone. I want my abs and my arms back. I want to look good when I go to Jay's friends wedding in June. My goal now is that on the weekends and my nights off from Target, I will get something in for exercise. For the immediate future, this means tomorrow, Sunday and Monday. Molly, get ready.