*Caution* RANT AHEAD

I have a pet peeve. I guess all runners do, but this one is mine, and since this is my blog I get to vent about it, as I have before.  Yes, this has happened to me twice, now, and I'm sure it has probably happened to you, if you've run long enough.

First, let me put it out there that I LOVE DOGS.  Seriously....if you know anything about me, you should know that I love all animals, not just dogs, but I happen to own two of those (and three cats).  My dogs love to go anywhere with us, and frequently do...especially on hikes.  They are amazing trail dogs, because we have trained them to be that way.  Yes, we let them off lead occasionally because they are so well trained, but the moment we see or hear anyone approaching, they go right back on lead, and they have been taught to move off the trail and sit patiently until the other people/dogs pass.  Even though I KNOW beyond the shadow of a doubt that they would NEVER hurt anyone, I also would never assume to know someone else's mind where dogs are concerned.  And part of being a responsible pet owner in MY mind is to control your pet to the point where they are never inflicted IN ANY WAY on another person.  If that person should choose to get involved with my dogs, that is a different matter completely....but to allow my dogs to invade their space without invitation is completely unacceptable, in my opinion.

Coming off of a two week time span in which we were literally snowed in and housebound, I was extremely eager to finally get to run last night.  I don't have the luxury of a treadmill at home, and the snow was way too deep and treacherous for me to attempt any activity outside, so I pretty much spun my wheels and watched TV for the last half of January.  Yesterday, the weather was beautiful...spring-like, in fact....and all I could think of all day was getting outside and getting my run on.

Since it still gets so dark so early, I decided the best place for me to have a nice, long, easy run was at the high school track, which wouldn't require an out and back, so I could just run until it got too dark to see and jump in the car...easy peasy.


I had planned for a 3 mile run, and was about a mile in...just working all the kinks out...when this guy shows up with his dog.  Big dog...looked for all the world like my Gojo, but a bit shaggier.  And he starts running on the track, while the dog runs around loose, peeing everywhere and leaving presents God-knows-where. 


I knew it was inevitable that the dog would get in my way, and I was nervous about it because pretty much anything will make me trip and lose my balance completely...and I'm getting to the age where I really have to start thinking about breaking things. Like hips.  But I could tell that the dog was friendly, and I wasn't concerned with that in the least.


I passed the guy a couple of times.  The first time, the dog ignored me, and I had hope.  The second time, the dog made an attempt to come up to me, and I ignored him as I ran past, hoping it was just a fluke.  I did notice that the guy said nothing to the dog when that happened, and it pissed me off, but I kept on with my run.


The third time I passed the guy, the dog ran right up in front of me and stuck his nose in my crotch, forcing me to either put on the brakes or kick the dog. I stopped and threw my hands up in the air, so it would be clear to the moron behind me that his dog was aggravating me, and his attention was not welcome.  At all.


Did the guy say anything to the dog?  NO.  He said something to ME as he ran by.


"Relax, already!!  Just relax. He's ok."


Really?? Because I'm clearly NOT.  (In fact, I was furious.)


What I actually said was, "NO, I'm not going to relax. I don't appreciate this!"


He kept running, but turned around and called back over his shoulder, "He's a lot friendlier than you!"


I wanted to scream with rage. And for me, when I get that angry, I can't say a word. How, in his mind, did it become my fault, and not the dog's?  How did he justify not taking control of his dog?  How did he think it was ok not to even apologize for his dog disrupting me?? There was so much I wanted to tell this guy, about pet owner etiquette, and about my fear of falling all over his damned dog, and really injuring myself, and about the anger I had that my run (MY RUN...MY PERSONAL TIME ALONE) had been completely interrupted, and about the fact that I'm pretty sure that NONE of the parents of the students that attended that school (much less the students themselves) would be ok with the fact that their kids were being forced to play/practice in an area where animals had been allowed to relieve themselves. But I didn't say a word.  It wouldn't have made a difference if I had.

Instead, I left the track.

I got two miles in, but my night...the joy of running on a beautiful, balmy night...was ruined for me.

Maybe I shouldn't have left the track.  I know my anger got the best of me.  But I honestly could not help it. I shouldn't have let a chance encounter with an a-hole completely ruin my night.  But it did...at least where running was concerned.  I fumed all the way home, but once I got there and vented, my hubby immediately got me distracted with other things (he knows me so well), and turned my night around for the better.


But still. A whole mile off my run.  I couldn't afford that, not when I'm already two weeks behind in my training for my first 10k this year, coming up at the end of March. I need all the track time I can get right now.


Ah, well....


Thanks for listening to an old broad whine.