• Menu
  • Menu
Jen, Dave, and Sora snuggle in a dog-friendly Portland hotel bed for a nap.

Contact

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

7 comments

Theoretically, she should be able to hear quite well with those things, yet she always seems to miss what we're saying and do her own thing... #bigearscanthear . #sponsored by @zukespets #ZukesPack #LetsGoZukes #LiveLifeOffLeash
Look deep into my crystal doggles and see your future. . Today, Sora is offering free fortune telling! Ask her a question to hear what she has to say about your future. . #betteraskagoodone @rexspecsk9 #takemoreadventures #rescuedogsrock #liveadventurously #aussielovers #aussielove
When asked about our favorite country from our travels, it’s difficult to pick just one. Each place had its own unique draw. However, if we could pick one country to explore deeper, it would be Peru. 🇵🇪 . The food is some of the best we’ve ever had, with plenty of vegan options. We enjoyed learning of the different indigenous cultures, which are prevalent throughout the country. . Mainly though, we feel that we missed out on some serious connection with nature. Traveling by bicycle didn’t allow us to do as much hiking in Peru as we would have liked. The country is packed with unbelievable beauty and we were fortunate enough to get a snippet when we backpacked the Ausangate Trek, one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. . What many travelers don't consider are the hikes beyond the Inca Trail. There are SO many and most see very few visitors. We partnered with @runnatrip to give you a few ideas on your next visit to Peru. You know where to find the link! #sponsored #peru #discoversouthamerica america #experienceperu #dogsonadventures
When Sora was going through her surgery and her radiation therapy treatments, I got a book called The Dog Cancer Book. I was so distraught, all I could think about was her cancer. The book has a whole slew of information about cancer in dogs, and it also includes some coping techniques. . Even though Sora is healthy for the time being, she is 13.5 years old, and I continue some of these practices with her. With Laila now in the picture, it also allows for some good bonding time between Sora and me. . My favorite is the Thank You practice, where I sit down with Sora and thank her all of the things I appreciate about her. I always smile as I do this, her head usually nestled in my lap, looking up at me as I tell her all the things I love about her. There are often tears as well. I find so many things to thank her for when I do this. It reminds me of why she is such a special dog. Not that I ever forget. . I encourage you to try this with your dog and let me know how it made you feel.
Laila can't decide if she likes the water or is afraid of it. . At first sight, she'd loved it. . Then she met the ocean, and it was scary for awhile. No lakes, rivers, or waves after that. . Then she met @la.push and went absolutely insane running up and down the banks of the river and swimming merrily. . She was a bit nervous on the paddle board, but once she saw Dave, swam right over to him (or maybe she was headed to the shore...) . Today, she was terrified of the rain. 🤣
She's still a little hell child, but damn, she's the cutest hyena I know.
I think the hardest part about not finishing my race was not being able to cross the finish line with Sora. . This was the vision I forced into my head to replace the one that showed me arriving past the cut off time at an aid station. . That negative vision would creep in and I'd quickly switch my thoughts to imagine myself running down the street, crowded with restaurant patrons cheering for me, with the finish in sight. . I'd spot Dave with Sora and he'd hand her over to me, and we'd cross the finish line, side by side, perhaps the last few steps we may ever run together. I played this scene on replay during my race, using it as my determination to reach the end. . As I watched runners cross the finish, I felt genuine joy for them, despite watching as they accomplished something I was unable to do. The most painful to watch, however, were those whose kids sprinted out into the chute with pure excitment to grab their parent's hand and finish together. Those are the ones that broke me. . When I saw Sora as I stepped off the bus that brought me back to town, she greeted me with the same excitement she always does, whether I've gone to the bathroom or have been gone for hours. She didn't care that I didn't finish, or that we didn't cross the line together. She just cared that I was back. . #sponsored by @zukespets #ZukesPack #LetsGoZukes #LiveLifeOffLeash
Well, friends, unfortunately my race did not go as I had hoped. The day was perfect, with blue skies all around. My legs felt strong and rested, but it wasn't enough. . I didn't make it to the 20km cut off in time. I was devastated and frustrated. . Yes, there will be other races. Yes, I know it's more than just about the one day. Yes, I know that it's more distance than many will ever even consider in their lifetime. . And...yet a DNF still leaves a scar. . The past year of racing has been disappointing. The thought has crossed my mind that maybe trail racing isn't for me. Though I love the challenge, the training, the growth. . I've been processing this race to determine how I can improve. How I can reach the finish next year. I don't know the answer yet, but I'm not about to give up.
My training plan from @krissymoehl says for today: "Train your mental. Period." . I just finished reading The Way of the Runner by @adharanand about his time learning of the training styles of the Japanese runners. . As I fight off negative thoughts and fears surrounding my race on Saturday, I came across a passage from the book that helps tremendously with my mental training. . "[The race] is a completion of a goal, sure, but wasn't it only ever a mechanism to get us out running?...Perhaps our focus on completing the race distracts us, so we never see or understand why we run...The race is not the end we hold it up to be, the next day, we need to start all over again." . I run because it is my peace, my solitude, my happy hour(s), my therapist. The woods are my place of worship. I run because it challenges me and teaches me that I can, because it builds my confidence. I run, also because I love beer and baking (and eating) desserts. 😉 . Why do you __________?

JOIN OUR ADVENTURE

Want to learn more tips about adventuring with a dog? Our monthly newsletter contains helpful tips that make life with a dog much easier. You'll also get our blog posts delievered to your inbox. 

Thanks for joining our adventure! Stay tuned for our latest...