Back to school 5 K

This weekend's race was amazing.  I am still floating on air.  It's really cool how one good pace or tempo run can make or break you.  After this week's tempo run, my confidence was running on high.  Knew the route and had run it slow in 31 so I knew i could improve.  Stayed with BRF till the very end.  8:51, 8:52 and 9:34.  Usually my BRF is way out ahead of me and I am sort of in a state of don't go out too fast or you will bonk mode.  This time I just threw caution to the wind, literally.  I knew the course and I knew the course went a block from my house so if I couldn't finish, i could always slink off to the house:)  

I almost puked on the last half mile.  Funny yet gross story.    Around mile 2 I was having issues with i guess phelgm or snot in my throat.  Kept trying to clear my throat.  BRF finally asked me what the heck was wrong after listening to me hack over her headphones.  I told her about the "snot"  issue.  I kept trying to get it cleared out and it wouldn't go away.  When I hit about 2.5, it got so bad so I tried to do a big swallow.  I choked on it and then gagged on it and then starting dry heaving.  Luckily i got it under control but had to do a big spit right in front of everyone.  I  have no clue what caused it or why it happened.  Of course as soon as I stopped running, the issue went away.  It was very weird to say the least and I hope no one saw me almost puke.  There was a guy there, he got third overall, and he puked for about half a mile.  It was kind of gross running by it at the end. BLeh. 

The real funny part was that there were TONS of kids lining the finish line and they were all on my right side, the side that I had just spit a huge lugi on and was continuing to wipe my mouth with that hand, side.  I had to high five those little guys and gals with my left hand.  My hubby asked why the heck was I doing that.  I told him i didn't want to high five with the snotty wet hand!  What was even more funny was my hubby barely made it to the finish line to see me finish.  He said he saw the first people at 22 or so and then all the sudden, there I was!  He barely got the camera out in time to snap a pic.  When I saw the finish timer was sitting at 27, I was in shock.  I guess when I run, I can't do math in my head but I knew i would be under 30, but had no clue i would be almost 2 minutes under!  I finished in 27:51, My previous best was like 30:04.  8th overall in my very competitive age group and 18th overall female.  I am so EXCITED!  This race gave me so much more mental strength to know that i can do this and do it faster!    I have always held back in fear of bonking but even though I had to slow up thanks to the two big hills at the very end, I still made it across the finish line and in good time!  Now If i can keep this mindset for future races!  Next weekend is going to be a different ball of wax though.  Another 10k, a hotter forecast than the last two races and mile and a half hill to do at the very end that is the most elevation climb I have EVER run on.  I am going to take this one easy for sure.  I don't want to pass out on a course at all.  I just want to finish this one.  No goals other than that:)

I found this on one of the many running blogs I read now.  I am addicted, just like i am to dog agility blogs.  I really have a very addictive personality.  This really fits both dog agility and running right now.  Still trying to decide about classes.  Interest has been pretty low on the work shop idea but high for beginners.  Maybe that is what I need, one class of my favorite type of agility, beginners and foundation skills!  Then I can rent the field and work deuce.  I am still signed up for three shows and am going to try and eek out money for a fourth.  Then we shall see how it goes.  Not ready to give up yet.  Wasn't as sad about regionals this weekend as I thought i would be.  Really was enjoing all the FB posts and cheering people on instead of throwing a pity party.  Too busy to watch the live feed.  I did feel guilty more than anything that I couldn't be there to help.  I always have wanted a USDAA active club in our area and I feel like this is the only way to get this going, to be an active helper in everything they do.  There is talk of having at least 3 USDAA shows in our area next year plus the 5 or so that Oklahoma is having so that will be nice.  

regionals

I knew this would happen.  If I had entered, I would be sitting here right now stressing about how I was going to miss my baby and how I was going to dread leaving and on and on.  Instead, I am sitting here looking at the running order and wishing I had entered.  This is the daily struggle i go through now. The new normal = mommy guilt.  I feel it no matter what i do.  I thought by having my nights free and having classes on the weekend for a couple of hours that i would have less.  I did, for about a day. Then it crept up again.  Think of all the things you could be doing with andrew on a sunday afternoon! Think of all the things you will miss by not being with him!  Then the oh shit i need money for agility guilt crept up too.  I keep getting to this point where I think I have reconciled all of these feelings, the intense desire to do agility with the dog I love, my dream dog even if he is knocking bars , versus the intense feeling of I want to be a mommy and nothing else so leave me alone.  Yet they swing in and out of balance every day.  Tomorrow and the next day will be worse.  I will be watching FB all weekend and possibly the live feed like I did last year, wishing I could have been there, wishing I could have just pulled more money out of savings and said screw it.  Are these feelings and shifts of feelings ever going to end?  It's not like I an facing some big insurmountable challenge like many of my friends are facing right now.  Why can't i make a decision and feel good about it?   I have picked so many people's brains lately about what to do, quitting versus not, being a mom and having a savings account versus doing what I love and have done for the past 13 or so years.  I know people are sick of hearing me whine, hearing me question, hearing me flip flop on my decisions.  My hubby is sick of me saying, I'm not teaching, yes I am, no I'm not, I'm trying a different format, etc, etc.  My friend are sick of it too but they love me too much to say shut the hell up:)  Anyway, here I am, wishing I had entered.  Need to plan something this weekend to get me out of the house and away from the computer.   Have a race on saturday morning but other than that, nothing.  Maybe a road trip to a little kansas town to explore is in order?  That always seems to make me happier.

On another note, I was finally paired with a kid yesterday in the IRUN4 program! This is a super cool program that pairs runners with kids that have disabilities. The runners post pics and updates to their kids and I am super excited about my pairing.  His name is Brady and he is 15 years old with the mentality of an 18 month old kid.  His problems are a long list of issues but he he has an awesome mom who adopted him at the age of 4 and takes care of him.  I can't wait to dedicate my runs to him and use him as motivation when I want to quit.  Like this morning. The alarm went off at 4:45 and I all wanted to do was crawl back in bed.  Then my BRF decide to run super fast and left me running all by myself in the pitch black dark.  But instead of going to that mental whiny place,  I just ran my pace, looked at the stars and thanked the Lord that I am blessed, am mobile and can get up and run every morning when others can't.

Okay enough now.  Doing 15 minute washes which gives me way too much time to think.  Need to turn my brain off for a while and just do:)

The best tempo run EVER

This is what I sent to my running coach so Syndey, if you are reading this, it is an exact copy LOL:

I had to tell you about last night's tempo run. Our schedule is all discombobulated because of the 5 K on saturday, so we switched the tempo run to monday, the easy run to wed and then we will do our pace run on saturday and our long run on sunday (at super slow crawly speed :).  Well, I wasn't looking forward to running.  It had rained in the morning so we couldn't do our normal routine.  Running at night = no eating or very little eating and let's face it, I LOVE to eat:)  Anyway, got home, ate a couple of boiled eggs and waited. BRF had open house at work so couldn't get off till 8 or so.  Finally by 8:20 we were heading out.  The dreaded question was what pace. She is always pushing my pace and even when I say, this is what I am doing, she still pushes it but that is why I love her.  So i replied, I would like to go a little under 10 minutes, maybe around 9:50.  Set my watch and off we went and guess what?  First mile was a 9:24 and second was a 9:30 and i felt GREAT!  Had a cramp at mile 2.78 so had to walk a few steps (maybe the eggs coming back to haunt me?) but was able to finish on a 10:13.  I was SUPER stoked.  Finally, a great tempo run.  Side note, BRF was not feeling well and had to stop at mile 1.1.  I got so far ahead of her that i am not sure how her run ended.  We met back up at our starting point and stretched but she still wasn't feeling well and had to leave.  I really was floating on a high and still am.  Just had to share:)

Thinking about the race this weekend.  My  PR  for 5 K is 30:03.  The course is super hilly but thinking about pushing it.  Since it is in my hometown, if I bonk, I could sneak home LOL.  What do you think?

I would love to get a sub 30 on a 5 K.  Not sure if this is the course to try it out on.  Ran it the other day in 31 something but that was not pushing it.  The hills still haunt me.  I have this huge fear like every other runner that I will bonk and not finish.  Even when I have to do a little walking in a race, I still seem to get good pace (well good for me that is).  I just don't want to let anyone see me walk.  I once before kid or BK had a race in lawrence.  It was a afternoon race and it was super hot and super humid.  I went out way too fast and then struggled the next two miles to keep it going.  I had set my sights on passing and beating this one lady and so her and I switched back and forth.  I had to do some walking.  It was just so darn hot and I was embarrassed.  Well as I approached the final turn into the finish area, I had to run.  I thought I was going to pass out but I didn't want anyone to see me walking!  I can't remember my finish time but that was the worst race I have ever run and get this, I got a silver medal in my age group!!!!   So i guess walking isn't the end of the world but still, I would like to avoid it.  

So back to dog agility for a minute.  I am now signed up for three shows and will probably do one or two more this year.  I had a great long talk with my agility mentor/coach and we agreed that deuce's bar issue could be a timing thing due to lack of practice.  We did notice that his timing seemed off on several courses at the last USDAA trail so I think that could be a plausible cause.  He doesn't appear to having a jumping issue per se so we are going to go with that thought.  Now to figure out how to get some practicing in before our fall season starts.  We have been taking him on some of our runs to help him get into shape and playing lots of ball so I think his conditioning is getting better.  I have decided to try a new format to teaching.  I had planned on doing a six week class but on sundays versus during the week.  I didn't get great response, only three handlers total could come.  So I am trying a new format of little mini workshops versus a 6 week class schedule.  That way maybe those who couldn't commit to six weeks of sundays could at least commit to one.  This was all my mentor's idea and a fine idea it is:)   I am brainstorming on the best topics to cover.  The favorite one is usually contact and weave poles so will start on that one.  Would like to do one on international courses as well as they are SO much fun.  Now to think up four o more.  Asked the students if they had some interesting topics but haven't gotten anything back from them. Impulse control is always a fav but wondering if people could handle 2 hours of impulse control exercises.  Anyway, my hope is that I can incorporate him into the classes like I use to before I had to go straight from work to the field and maybe even get some drill work done before and after class.  I miss taking him as he is a great demo dog, usually for what you shouldn't do LOL!  

Not much to report on the kid front other than he wears me out and is highly mobile now.  His favorite thing to do right now is try and run.  He looks like a baby chimp when he runs with his hands up in the air.  He falls alot so we have had some bruises but he is so dang brave.  The dogs have been running into him more so we have to watch that as well.  I think they forget how easy it is to topple him.  This is my fav pic of him and stella right now:)

First 10 K back post baby

If you recall way back (back in 2011), I had just started training for 5 ks and 10 ks.  My very last race before I found out i was preggers and the morning sickness hit full force was a 10 K.  Ran it in 59 something or other thanks to my running buddies who finished and then came back and ran the last mile or so yelling at me to RUN. I was addicted to this distance and couldn't wait to start training for it again.  As soon as I was able and medically cleared from the c-section, I started back training for more 10 Ks.  I love that this distance is a combination of speed and distance.  

Post race recap of my first 10 K back, the Brew to Shoe.  We ran from the local brewery to the local running shoe and stuff store.  One of my running idols from wamego needed a ride so it helped alot to have her at the start line with me.  Even though she left me before the gun to get to the front, I didn't have any issues with my stomach and didn't have time to let my nerves get to me.  It was a gun start but we had to cross a very narrow timing mat for the time to officially start.  I was forced to the mid of the pack and to start out super slow, which was fine with me.  Found another lady from wamego that I knew had a similar pace and we stayed together for the first 3 or so miles.  We would high five at every mile and I kept her talking so she would breath and relax. First three splits were like 10:04, 10:15, and 10:11.  Felt good, felt like I had more in the tank to give.  I knew the hills started around mile 4 or 5 so wanted to have enough to get up them.  The first hill was straight up but I ran the whole way.  Was trying a different strategy of taking water at water stations and taking one good gulp. Humidity was a bit high and I had had issues with my calf muscles cramping.  Normally I just pass them by unless it super hot.  I hit the series of hills next and I made sure the water station before that one that i actually walked and got two good gulps of water in.  First hill made it up no problem. Second starting kicking my butt. We were at the end of mile 4 and I was hurting.  Ran half way up and then power walked to the top.  Got to the top, started running again and then had the GIANT KILLER HILL.  I made it about a third of the way up and just had to power walk the rest.  I think I had a fairly slow fourth mile maybe a 10:16 and then the fifth mile was around 10:56.  Finished strong even though I got a side stitch around mile 5.5.  Lots of cheering and spectators. Loved the man at the mid of the worst hill just cheering us on and telling us how strong we were.  Was an awesome feeling to say, yeah, I am powerful and guess what, I only have a MILE TO GO!   Actually sprinted the last quarter of a mile and crossed at 1:03:24.  My running partner was not entered but she was at the finish line and she cheered me on to GO GO GO.  Not my goal time but pretty darn close.  I think without those hills I could have been closer to an hour.  I felt really, really good and even drank the celebratory beer they were giving out (and felt like crap the rest of the day but good at the time:).  Next race in two weekends.  Have a 5 K and a 10 K the next weekend.  Hoping my legs can keep up with all of this!  That's why i get up at 5 am every morning and train right?  Just as I get my dogs massaged after a long day of agility, I am splurging and getting a massage tomorrow.  My legs are tight and they need all the help they can get.  

I am still amazed at how much mental running is and how much it is similar to dog agility.  There are little voices that tell you that you can't, that you aren't good enough and that you shouldn't be doing this or out there doing what you love.  I just tell them to shut up.  I am living a dream in both dog agility and running.  I am meeting some goals, falling short on some but training to get back up to speed.  Hoping deuce's bar issue is going to go away soon.  Proud of my running this weekend even though I didn't PR.  Can't wait to cheer everyone on at regionals.  Ready to get back out there and run/play dog agility:)  Next race in 2 weeks!!!!!  A very hilly 5 K.  Did the course today and did it in 31 minutes.  Need to push more and I think I can get it down. Next dog show end of august.  Ready to run with my baby:)

a bit behind

Okay so I am a bit behind.  Here lately i only have time to write when I am at work and work has been crazy busy lately.  That is a good thing.  That means mommy has a job and baby can stay in pampers.  I have decided to take my blog in a slightly different direction.  This use to be my training blog for deuce, somewhere where I would blog about various training sessions and issues and also shows.  Now my life is so much more and I am tired of justifying that whatever I post will be only about the dogs or shows.  I have changed the name to reflect this.  Just as i talk about my dogs, I would like to start talking about other parts of my life as well.  So here goes.

Andrew just started walking.  I had waited so long for him to walk as other babies his age had been for a while.  I kept in my mind that milestones aren't competitions, but it was hard for me to keep saying that to myself.  He didn't start crawling till much later either so I figured walking would take a while as well.  Now that he is fully mobile, I want to rewind!  Gone are the days of just putting him somewhere and getting things accomplished!  I can still put him in his exersaucer and take a shower or quickly load the dishwasher or laundry but pretty much if I am visibile, he wants to be out and about doing whatever I am doing.  He is also climbing which gives me a daily heart attack.  We have several step ups and step downs in our house so we are getting lots of falls but the climbing is what really scares me and the fact that he is so quick about it.  We do have one set of stairs that we have to get gated ASAP because those are his favorite to motor to and climb up.  He can spend all day climbing up them and me taking him back down and him climbing back up.  I am still so nervous when he does this that I follow him up the stairs every time and so I am getting quite the leg work out.  He also loves to climb the two stairs up to the whirl pool tub so I have to keep the doors to the master bed room shut.  Unfortunately they are the type of doors that fold open so you can't lock them and of course he has figured out where to put pressure on them to open them easily.  Smart kid.  I really thought walking might be a big blessing in that he would wear himself out.  I am obsessed with reading other mommy blogs and many had reported that their kids go to bed earlier at night now or wear out quicker.  Not this kid.  I think being able to walk just winds him up.  He is still going to bed around 9-9:30 sometimes later.  The other night he went to sleep at 8:30 and i was in bed and asleep by 9 pm. HEAVEN.  Never thought I would be saying that!  He is also jabbering pretty regularly now.  He says words that sound like real words but we still aren't real sure if he knows what he is saying. The other day he was walking and fell and we heard what sounded like the words OH SHIT come out of his mouth.  We really need to watch our language.  He says mama and daddy regular and stella or lala or tella.  He can say deuce pretty clearly but doesn't really call out the other dog's names much.  He also sings his ABCs but it's gibberish so no we don't have a baby genius on our hands.  It's more just the cadence and the tune.  He still loves his cartoons, Martha Speaks, Curious George, Little Einsteins and The Cat and the Hat. I know he watches more at daycare but I don't know what he watches during the day.

Running has been great.  Finally got in the groove and 5 am isn't as painful as it use to be.  Occasionally if we have to shuffle our schedule, we will get up a 4:30 on rest days and go run and then do yoga but for the most part, it is 5 am.  If andrew would go to sleep earlier, that would make it better but it is what it is.  We just completed month one of our three (my four) month journey to train for this half marathon.  My running partner is doing a half a month earlier so she gets three months to prepare so I get a bonus month.  Good to just get back out and pound the pavement.  Forgot how much of this is a mental game just like dog agility.  It's all about you, the course or run, and finishing your goals.  I love running with a partner.  She is naturally faster than me but she pushes me to get faster and i push her to slow down and enjoy the easy runs.  If you ever think of doing a big race or even a 5 K, find a BRF or best running friend to help you with your journey.  Also, just as we do in agility, find a coach to help you pick a good training plan and to help you deal with any bumps you might encounter.  They are way cheaper than dog agility trainers LOL and they help you so much.  Lastly, keep your body in good condition just like we do with our agility dogs.  Regular massage and adjustments are a MUST if you are going to complete your training.

Dog agility is meh right now. I am at this point where I have reconciled my feelings and am again going to pull back a bit more.  No regionals and probably no st. louis trips in the near future.  Still on the fence about Omaha.  Not that far of a distance than KC and great friends to hang out with and bike with.   Deuce is still knocking bars and there is no clear answer.  He is running great, which breaks my heart to pull back but all of these runs with one knocked bar as starting to add up financially.  I have no goals for any national events so just probably going to stay local and just do a show or so a month.  I still am pulling from my savings account to enter shows so I am not entering much.  I am going to try and switch my teaching to weekends.  I will miss for occasional shows but I just cant' do anything week nights now with andrew and my running.  I also gave up my workouts at night but I am much happier for it.  I have no stress at night and we have been able to train our dogs more, do more stuff as a family, and get in bed at a decent hour.  I just can't handle anymore get up at 5, work out or run, work 8 hours, set up for an hour and then teach for three and get home at 10 or later.  It was exhausting and I just can't do that to myself and train for this half.  So, I am entered in three shows so far this fall and will go from there.

Hope y'all like my new blog format.  I totally understand if you have no desire to read about kids and or running but that is what my life is now made up about now:)  Will try and keep it as well rounded as possible but it might be heavier on the kid/running at times.

Twister USDAA agility

I have been avoiding writing this blog and I am not sure why.  Blame it on the fact that I have been getting up at 4:30 am to run.  Yep, addicted, just like I am to agility.  So the weekend went like this.  Headed down to oklahoma city friday around 10ish.  Traveled with great pal, the lady I rent the agility field from.  We have similar traveling styles so we travel well.  Got checked into the hotel and went to the trial site to put down crates.  Crating was a little weird, not much just open space so you either crated on the floor of the arena or up in the seats.  The bottom half of the arena was chairs but the top half was bleacher style so we just put our crates on the floor between bleachers.  Made it back to the hotel in rush hour traffic and got dinner.  Got in bed early but couldn't sleep.  The other inhabitants of this motel 6 were having a fiesta which seemed like right outside of our room.  Made going out to potty the dogs very interesting.  Man, I really wish I knew spanish.  Anyway, got up bright and early and headed over to the show site.  The club had provided gift bags for each handler that had tons of goodies.  We had seven runs that day.  I didn't know how this would go with his bar issue.  We had been practicing our jump grid work but you add in that extra does of adrenalin and all bets are off.  Here is what my sleep addled brain remembers of each run.  Will have to add videos later.

Jumpers: Bar. Will have to review video for other details.  My sleepy brain is hurting right now.  I do remember having to collect him on the start and doing my front cross too tight which flung him over the broad jump which he may or may not have seen in time to jump properly.

Snooker:  Knocked first red.  Set up, led out and tried to collect him prior to first red.  He saw tunnel and wouldn't collect and took a jump on way to said tunnel so we got a big fat 0.  Lesson learned, need to work on collection even if a tunnel is calling your name.

Steeplechase:  One bar and missed the weave entry.  Might have qualified with just one mistake.  I pushed him really hard on this course and he and i both kept our heads so I was proud of this run.  Did not give him enough info on the weaves but I think I was worried about the bar prior to the weaves if I pushed too hard.

Standard:  Honestly can't remember what happened so will have to view the video.

Master's Gamblers: The gamble was not a skill we had in our tool bag.  It was a jump to a tunnel under the dog walk and then they had to come back towards you and go up the dog walk.  I tried standing there so as he came out, he saw me and i could direct h im.  In retrospect i think going ahead and running and saying walk it would have worked better.  He came to me and I think if I had been moving forward that he might have gone up the dog walk.  Add that to the train that shit list.

Pairs:  Very embarrassed.  I did three front crosses in a row and was cueing the a-frame.  He crossed my body and literally accelerated like a fire was lit under his ass and took a jump 50 feet away.  Not joking.  I have no clue what he saw or what he was thinking.  A-frame was right there.  Didn't get video of this run.  I am afraid my pairs partner was not so happy about having a baby brained dog as her partner.  Would have been a smoking run.

Master's Challenge Standard: God do i love these classes.  These are my all time favorites as we actually get to USE the skills we train!!!!  Loved this course.  Got through the beginning very nicely.  I can't remember what else happened so will have to view the video and revise this.

Was kind of sad but at the same time really happy.  That was the first time we got through a steeplechase course with only a small mistake at the weaves. Was not happy about snooker but something to add to the train that shit list.  Got some good skill work on the gambler's course and he didn't knock the first bar of the gamble as he has done so many times before.

Sunday's runs:

Masters Gamblers -   The gamble was doable.  Unfortunately instead of going back into a tunnel that was under the dog walk to line us up for the teeter and then the start of the gamble, he went up the dog walk and so when the buzzer sounded, we were NO where near the start of the gamble and were coming into it very wrong.  He knocked the first bar and missed the tunnel instead taking a jump near me.  I blame myself for poor handling and didn't put the bar on him at all.  However, he did release off of my hand prior to me releasing him and probably would have been able to line him up better for the gamble had he not.  I should have been tighter on the tunnel to q him back into it.  

Masters Standard - Don't remember what happened, will have to review the video

Grand Prix Qualifier - Don't remember what happened, will have to view the video.  I do remember his cue from table over a jump to the weaves which was a huge push.  I had him super collected over the jump and sent him to the weave and he nailed the entry.  The weaves were going straight into the wall and I think he looked up and saw the wall coming at him and stuttered and popped out.  It wasn't like he was coming with me, it was like his feet got hung up and he just popped out.  That was the closest I have ever seen weaves going into a wall but again, train don't complain.  

The ride home was good.  Overall I think we have made progress.  He has dropped weight, is playing ball a couple of times a day and I hope to get out to the agility field more these next couple of months.  We had a couple of runs where he went off course and that bothered me.  He had been really in tune to me last show and we had hardly any off courses.  We have a break till regionals end of august.  My teammates have decided they are not going to nationals so don't have a team so may not go or just may enter friday and pray I get that last local qualifer so I can enter saturday.  If not, it may be a quick trip to KC and back in a day.  Oh well, not doing team saves me money.  Couldn't start my next session of classes due to extreme heat and rather than fighting the heat every week, canceled classes till the fall.  Am pulling money out of savings to deal with that and will pay back when classes start.  Scares me to do that (van you'd better not break down, knock on wood) but I know I will have sessions this fall.  I think we are moving in the right direction.  Will post videos as soon as I get them and can fill out my runs better.  Overall, happy, so close on so many runs.  Will keep plugging along and keep my chin up.  My friends are really awesome and have been cheering me up so much.  He has so much potential so I have to keep that in mind.  Nationals for USDAA are out this year and next year is too far so no goals for that.  Nationals for AKC are too far away for this qualifying year so no big goals for that.  Just go out and have fun is my motto and goal and there is always next year:)

Obsession

I start each weekend with a positive attitude.  There will be NO bars this weekend.  We DON't have a problem.  Each weekend it happens.  Bars.  Again and again.  I am beginning to doubt my abilities as a trainer and handler.  Am I causing the bars?  Some people say yes.  Some people say it is a possible injury.  I get lots of opinions and I welcome them.  I am just as puzzled as everyone else. He's been checked out by a vet, a chiropractor and numerous massage ladies.  Nothing can be found wrong physically.   It's always different.  Sometimes it is on a turn.  Some times it is on the flat.  Some times it is a spread with a mix of back bar versus front bar.  Sometimes it is an absolute splat.  Luckily we only had one splat this weekend and it was a single bar jump.  I have been trying verbal corrections and while I haven't seen any net return in them, I do think it makes him aware he is messing up.  This splat was right after one and I think he was thinking about the fact that I was not happy and not the fact that he needed to be jumping the jump that was in front of him. I need to really pull him from the course but I am having a hard time doing so.  I know I have just NQ anyway so what is it worth to finish the run.  This weekend it was the toughness of the courses.  They are amazingly hard and amazingly fun.  That is what USDAA is for me.  It is like crack cocaine.  We don't get to use our super cool training tools very often but this weekend, every course I got to try something new from my handling tool box.  So i Just wanted to get to those parts and I did.  But for what?  Am I letting him think that the new normal is plow through jumps?  I did a pretty harsh verbal correction after he had knocked his third bar on the jumpers run.  By harsh I mean I used his first and last name.  Yep.  Pulled that card.  He splatted the last jump right after the correction and then proceeded to squat in the ring. I luckily pulled him off the course before explosive diarrhea happened.  Just over that one correction.  So is pulling him going to be a good thing or a bad thing?  In training if he knocks a bar, I do a down and i pick up the bar while making some unhappy sounding uh oh.  That is it.  Then he gets to get up and try that jump again and if he gets it, he gets a big party.  So i don't know how to transfer that to the ring.  Use to, when he knocked a bar, he would almost shut down.  He knew instantly that he was in the wrong.  I blogged about it before because it was almost too much recognition.  I wanted to finish the course, not have him trot around looking at me like I beat him.

 For the record, I have NEVER beat my dog, but he sure acts like it when he knows I am unhappy.  In some ways he is SUPER soft but in other ways, super tough.  He wants to be right and he knows via my body language alot of times that he has done wrong.  So what am I to do?  Starting NO BARS bootcamp that my friend Ami is developing.  Already starting on homework this week.  I welcome any and all suggestions.  Heck at this point, if someone said stand on your head three days a week and eat brie, if it would prevent bars, I would.  It is tough to have 10 runs, 7 with one bar, 2 with three bars (both jumpers) and one clean with a first place and a smoking time.  It is like having a kid that you know could make straight As yet they make Cs and you are left scratching your head to figure out what is going on in their head.  Yes, the footing was pure crap but he should be able to adjust by now.  It was dirt and it was cloddy and deep until we packed it down later in the day.  I am not concerned about that footing at all.  He should adjust no matter what it is. Part of my strategy is that  I am not showing till regionals in august.  Planned a dog show and a run on the same day and can't get my money back from the run.  Maybe, maybe might go down to OKC after the run is done and do one day of USDAA.  That is it till late august.  The goal of this summer is to figure out what is going on and how to fix it.

To end I will tell my tornado story for the weekend.  I was getting ready to get in my car when I saw someone who lives down in OK post on FB that they were predicting it to be the worst tornado day of all.  Uh, hmm, they just had a HUGE tornado down in Moore so what could be worse?  I had planned on getting gone after my PT but couldn't resist a last minute lunch with andrew at daycare.  So I didn't get going till almost 2 pm.  I thought i would be okay till sun down (around 9ish) but boy was I wrong.  As I drove further south, I could see storms brewing to the east but my gut was telling me that they were pretty far off.   Then the weather alerts started.  Unfortunately they were giving county names, not city names so I had no clue where it was going to hit.  As I was heading into a town called sycamore, they announced sycamore as being in the path of a tornado.  I could see funnel clouds but nothing touching down so I headed on south.  Again I felt they were east of me heading north west so I felt like moving south was the best thing.  Then I get to a little town called independance and the sirens were going off.  It wasn't doing anything weatherwise at the time but you could see several rotations but again all to the east.  I finally pulled off and went into a liquor store.  I asked if I needed to take shelter.  The clerk claimed the tornado was north of where i was and that if I drove south, I should be okay. SO i got back in my van and deuce and I headed south as quickly as my little van would take us.  It was pretty scaring hoping that we were doing the right thing, not really knowing for sure.  My gut was right but there were more storms on the way.  A very large tornado was on the ground in OKC and fatalities were being reported.  The hotel didn't have a basement so we were all gathering in the lobby.  Deuce was in heaven because he thought they were all there to see him.  For whatever reason, the storms headed right at us dissipated right before they hit tulsa and we were able to get some sleep.  Everyone was calling and texting me, trying to check on me so I felt much love.  Agility friends really are the best :)  It really was a crazy weekend.  I ended up saturday in my pjs, in bed at 8 pm watching Titanic (which I have seen 100 times before) drinking summer shandy and bawling like an idiot through most of the last half of the movie.  Then at the end, when Jack dies and they show the dead frozen bodies in the water and they pan to a man holding a baby dead, I just lost it.  Starting putting on clothes and vowing to drive home even though  it was 10:30 at this point.  Yeah, pregnancy has turned me into a hormonal crying idiot.  Decided i had one too many shandys and put my pjs back on and instantly went to sleep.  Yeah, thank you pregnancy for also fixing my insomnia issues I had. Anyway to wrap up since I am now rambling, it was a crazy, stress filled obsession about bars weekend but in a strange way, pretty much all of his runs were gorgeous, so I walked away obsessing about the bars but happy?  It was a strange feeling.