So Sore..and sorry for the graphic pic

We are in full-force training mode now for our Myrtle Beach Half-Marathon and my body is feelin' it today. We ran 6 miles Saturday, did Body Pump on Sunday, ran 4 miles yesterday then I went to Spin class this morning for cross-training, and tomorrow is another 4 miles and Body Pump again, whew! Rich has been nursing some lower back pain, but he did manage to go to BP with me on Sunday. He just focused on the upper body parts and took it super easy on the back/squats. After a couple months of daily icing and many many chiro visits, he is doing much better so he has to be careful not to reinjure it like he did a month ago when he decided to go all out on the BP squat track. Our instructor on Sunday has a perfect body, like literally...perfect, no fat, nothing droopy or jiggly...so I was that much more motivated to push myself and now I'm thinking maybe I should have backed off a little. I'm trying to stay well hydrated, eat right, and get plenty of sleep as our training is only going to intensify over the next 2 months. It will all pay off though when we cross that finish line! In addition to Myrtle, we just signed up for the Napa to Sonoma half marathon on July 19, 2009. July 16 will be our 4 year anniversary, so what better way to celebrate than by running together and drinking lots of wine!

I took Emmy-lou to the vet today for her first heartworm shot. Here's how HW treatment works (there are a few varieties but this is what my vet does), go in for 1st shot, spend 4 weeks "resting" ie no running or doing anything to get the heartrate up...this is NOT easy for a 2 year old boxer to do. After the 4 weeks, go in for 2nd shot, then 24hours later go in for 3rd and final shot. These shots are no fun for the dogs, they go deep into the muscle along their spine and are extremely painful. Poor Emmy could not get comfortable when we got home, she just whined and moved from one doggie bed to the next trying to find a position that didn't hurt. She has a mild case so once the pain from the shot wears off, she should hopefully tolerate treatment well and be good as new in 8 weeks. But again, this expense (treatment runs in the $600 and up range) and pain could all be prevented had her previous owners given her hearguard or some other preventative *sigh*. Just a little visual aid......this is what a dog's heart with heartworms looks like. Pretty disgusting stuff