Hello and Happy Monday! I’m heading up to Vermont tomorrow with my friend Shamika and I couldn’t be more excited! Get ready for lots of fall foliage content and a recap of our trip on the blog later this week! I also have a bunch of SUPER exciting events coming up (like with Nordstrom… ummm no big deal… JK this is a HUGE deal for me.) What a pinch me moment! Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to share all about these awesome events on here to, just stay tuned! As for today, I’m getting a little bit personal in talking about how I’m getting back into running…with Ranger! Keep reading to find out more about my journey and running with your dog!

I’m about to drop a major “champagne problem” on you guys, but does anyone else struggle with the gym being just a little too out of the way? If it takes me more than 10-15 minutes to drive to my fitness studio then what seems like an exciting workout class turns into this major “to-do.” I know, I know, 10 minutes is nothing, but then again it kind of is. A 50 minute workout just turned into over an hour of my day and once you factor in showering you’ve got a serious chunk of your day already spoken for.

Back when I worked in NYC I had the DREAM workout routine. (I also didn’t really have a life outside work & blogging, so I had plenty of time to workout and no excuses not to.) I’d get off the train, run/walk home, change into workout clothes, and then walk 2 minutes (2 minutes!) to my Pure Barre studio (read all about why I love Pure Barre here). It was amazing, but gone are the days where I live in walking distance to a workout studio. So here we are. I feel stuck.

So I began wrestling with the idea of starting to run again. Lots of my friends are runners. My mom’s an avid runner. I used to be a great runner, but then I got injured and have never really been able to get back into it. I think the last time I got “in shape” running, I was able to get down to an 8 minute mile and that was back in college.

I decided to take up running again on my terms. No watches, no noise, no pressure. Just me.

That was three weeks ago, and I’m still running, so I’d say it’s been successful so far. I try to run every other day, but if I miss 2 days in a row I’m not getting too down on myself. Instead, I’m celebrating each run as its own little victory, and more so, a step in the right direction.

And then I found my running buddy…

I had no expectations and had no idea what would happen, but a week ago I decided to take Ranger on a run. I mean, with the amount of energy that girl has I figured she would be able to jog at least a little bit. We did a little more than 2 miles on that first run together and I was amazed with how well she did! She ran in a straight line in front of me or along side of me the entire way, and the only time she got distracted/stopped was to use the bathroom. Since then I’ve gone for a couple of runs without Ranger and they weren’t nearly as much fun, nor did I run as far or as fast.

While I don’t plan on taking her on every single run, I’m so excited to have found my own pint-sized personal trainer! The only downside to running with Ranger is having to hold the leash the entire time. I’ll have to start researching some fitness accessories for running with your dog, I bet there are a ton out there! Holding the leash though isn’t really that bothersome, and the pros of running with Ranger definitely outweighs any minor cons! I’m not kidding guys, she really does push me to do better!

Have you ever tried running with your dog before? Was it easy or stressful? I’d love to hear your stories & experiences!

Photo credit: Julia Dags