Agility, Border Collies, Getting In Shape...the Usual

SUMMARY: Random stuff

An agility friend (Jersey and Sheila's human mom) referred me to the Pink Ladies boot camp. It's a casual, local affair, meets optionally three times a week at a local park, and costs only $5/session when you drop in. I liked the boot camp I attended a couple of years ago but it was a bit of a drive and more expensive, so I didn't keep up with it.

In heavy fog, I went to my first session Sunday morning. Good workout. We ran down and back up a flight of about 130 stairs. Fortunately there are landings every 20, and a level path between the two halves. (Here's the first 65.)

 Then we went down half of them again doing squats on each step facing left, ran up, went down doing squats on the right, ran up, went down doing a pushup on each step, and bunnyhopped up. Wait--there was one other set of down and up, too; don't recall what. We also did an assortment of stretches, pull-ups on the railings, and things like jumping jacks.

(For me, insert some quote marks: "ran up"--going up stairs is a known big weakness; my legs just give out. "bunnyhop up". I sort of lurched up; by that time, I couldn't bunnyhop even on the level. "pull-ups"--one leader came by to see my pathetic attempts and said, "C'mon, ALL the way up!" I said, "This *is* all the way up." As in, my arms barely even bent at the elbow. "Pushup", as in a slight dip from arms straight, or I'd never get back up again. Clearly I have work to do.)

I don't often sweat, but I sure did that morning.

The cool thing is that the hill is just an 8-minute drive from here. I had been over there before looking for exercise but found just closely packed houses lining narrow streets. I hadn't found the nice windy uphill road with grass on both sides and a view (well--if there was no fog--), or those amazing stairs in the park. I'll try to get over there more often on my own.

My parents gave me this very realistic Border Collie for an early birthday present. It's either getting some sheep moving or waiting for someone to throw the frisbee. Such a familiar expression. Tika, however, wasn't impressed.

With only one agility class in the last 6 weeks and no seminars, trials, or practice in 2 months, and me working overtime--dogs bored! Dogs barking annoyingly at anything or nothing. Getting into the trash. Tearing things up. Pestering me. You ever wonder why dogs with bad habits who get turned into the shelter get that way? People aren't giving them enough to do; got the wrong kind of dog for their lifestyle.

We have a one-day USDAA trial this weekend in the north bay. I'm pondering staying overnight halfway back and going for a long off-leash hike the next day in one of the east bay parks.

We all hope we'll have class tomorrow night.  Too bad the dogs can't do boot camp exercises. They'd be sore and tired like me today.

Meanwhile--back to work!