Stinkin' night run!

Yesterday morning I got a call from my Lieutenant when I arrived to work at 6am, he advised me I'd be working a mandatory 16 hour shift. 16hrs. 6am- 10pm has a tendency to put a damper on the training. I looked at my workout planner and saw I had a 30-45 minutes of weights and a 1 hr run to do. All the weights routine I could do at work. So I did just that. It was a little embarrassing doing all these push ups, dips, & lunges in HU-1A E pod in front of 12 inmates whistling, hooting & hollering. But I HAVE TO do this workout, if I don't some other Clyd will, and where would that leave me? Behind him in the next race is where it would leave me!

After getting off of work @ 10pm and as I was riding my bike home I start thinking... I could still do my 1hr run. There's no reason I can't still train. Couch-potato-to-Ironman is training through a missing big toe & calcium build up in the rest of the toes on that foot. There's no reason I shouldn't workout too. Tired is a state of mind. And I don't recognize that state! As soon as I got home I put on my running gear, a head-light(a light that is held onto your forehead by a sweat-band type strap) that I use for running in the dark, and told my trusty running partner to get ready for a run. As soon as I say the word run, she's jumping up and down rearing and ready to go! Sonya has been my running partner since I started running in 2005. She's amazing. Always optimistic, she never complains, is willing to do whatever workout I want to do, whenever I want to do it. She's a great runner too! I've never once been able to out run her. But that might have to do with her having 4 legs.
She's my highly trained 8 year old Rottweiler. I've trained her to run on my right side and never leave that side while we run. She'll stay on my right hip the entire run no matter how fast or long we run. I haven't used a leash with her in many year because I never have to worry about her leaving my side under any circumstances. In over 2 years of us running she's only left my side 2 times. Both times was because dogs were chasing after us. That was pretty scary because we trail run out in the middle of nowhere and it was a whole pack of dogs. She kept herself between me and the other dogs. She was tired from running and out numbered but she was fearless and unwilling to back down because she was worried about me. I love that dog, and it's amazing to know her world revolves around me.

I chose for us to run at the corrections academy track because it's within running distance and once we get there we will have a somewhat safe place to run that is devoid of rocks, holes, etc. About 40 minutes into the run Sonya sprinted to my left side and pushes herself in between me and the edge of the track. Trouble. I just don't know if it's the 2 or 4 leg type. She started to growl, the hair on her back stood on end. Crap what the heck is going on? She lunged forward issuing a bark and that's when I saw a little black and white skunk tail pop up into the air pointed at my dog and I. I took off running and yelled for her to follow, she took off after me right on my tail, but it was too late. She got a face full of skunk spray. We still had 20 minutes left on my run and I knew there's nothing I could do for her right then and there anyway. So I decided we'd finish our run. During the run I kept praising her and telling her what a great dog she was. She was really enjoying the attention. Once we get back to the house I got her fresh water and then realized there's no way I could let her into the house with the way she smelled! It was 11:15pm at night & everywhere that sells anything to get rid of the skunk smell on dogs is closed. Plus I had to wake up at 4:30am so I could be back to work at 6am. I felt HORRIBLE! The whole reason she stunk so bad was because she was protecting me, and I was rewarding her by making her sleep outside for the first time in years! What a horrible friend I feel like! Any ideas on what will get rid of the smell?

Well that was my night. Thanks for tuning in, I'll let you know how she fares.