Running for my life

     Since I have a tendency to fat (read, "I like to stuff food in my face,") and am in the military, and hence have to pass PT tests, I have to run. This is a problem, because . . . running is painful. Emotionally, psychologically and physically painful. Psyche destroying, knee bashing, make me want to curl up in a little ball and cry like a girl painful, at least for me.
     However, I have recently discovered that running with a partner lessens the psychological and emotional pain. I don't know that it decreases the physical pain, but I have found that I am running farther with no more pain than I had at the shorter distances. I have tried running with a partner before, but either they were too fast, or ran too far for my wimpy legs - Wolfie and Chip, Yes I am talking about you. Or else they were not quite up to my speed and endurance and I felt like I had to show off (Sorry, Red). This time it is different.
     My new running partner and I have been running together for about 3 or 4 weeks now. I find that we both seem to look forward to it. I do have to admit that he takes a lot of potty breaks, but other than that seems to make a really good running parter. Well, except when he decides to try and chase the ducks and geese at the duck pond.
     If you haven't figured it out by now, our dog Buck is my new running partner. I wasn't really motivated to run on my own, but the dog seems to need some sort of regular exercise to wear him out, so I thought I would try and see if he would run. He does. He keeps pretty much to my pace. His (and my) endurance have been slowly increasing. The first couple times we went, when he was ready to stop, he simply laid down, and wouldn't move until he was convinced I wasn't going to make him run anymore that day. Now, he keeps moving until I stop (except for the potty breaks), and then acts like he wants to keep going. We have increased our runs from less than a mile and a half to about 2 miles 3 times a week. I think Buck would go farther, but is willing to stop and walk when I'm done.
     I'm actually starting to look forward to our runs together, and it almost seems like he does too. When I head to the drawer to get his leash, he gets all excited and starts bouncing around. It's nice to have a running partner that doesn't challenge me too much, but is willing to run with me, and who I don't feel like I have to try to impress. If he keeps this up, I might actually keep running regularly. Now if I could just teach him to spot me on the bench press!