Scooter's Screed

Hello everyone who reads "21 Days"! My name is Scooter and I am Jess' puppy. She has been very busy lately (it feels like she's hardly ever home) teaching her classes and serving tables at the restaurant part-time (she smells delicious when she comes home), and she's so worn out that she hasn't had time to do her usual running and she hasn't had time to post her usual blog entries. So, I thought I would post an entry for her because I have a little extra time on my paws and because I suspect it is my early morning energy that contributes to her exhaustion.

Since my mom's blog is about running, I thought I might tell you people about my running (I do as much as I can). I'm not training for anything special, but I like to stay in shape. Currently, this is my running routine: I get up early, usually before six and I like to take care of business and then I come inside and have a quick, healthy breakfast (I make sure I get the right portions of fiber, protein and vitamins); good eating is key to any developing runner. After breakfast, I take it easy and sometimes take a quick nap on the couch, but after I digest, it's back to getting warmed up. I like to prime my muscles by jumping up against the shower doors while my human parents get ready in the morning, sometimes I also shred something just to get the blood flowing -- every runner knows it's dangerous to run when stiff.

After that warm up, I try to do a few laps around the house. If my mom or dad will throw a toy for me, I'm happy to make laps back and forth across the living room (which is awesome because it's being remodeled, so it's nothing but a wide open slab of cement) for as long as they will toss the toy (my new favorite is a stuffed duck some friends gave me for graduating my puppy class -- it's awesome too; it has a squeeker and is incredibly good for gnawing on). After the people get tired of throwing stuff for me, we usually go for a short walk to cool down and to get a sniff of the outdoors.

Following my time outside, I like to do some indoor sprints, some jumps onto furniture and into laps, and ultimately I try to spring onto the bed (someday I will make it up there). That's a full morning, so I usually spend my afternoons relaxing -- maybe chewing a bone or, my favorite, napping. After dinner, I like to do my second round of running and it's much like the first round, but I like to punctuate those runs with short bursts of speed work, generally around the legs of my parents. At the end of the day, I'm exhausted and I try to hit bed pretty early, but because Jess isn't home until late these days, my dad tries to keep me up to see her before I fall asleep. A good night's sleep is just as important as proper nutrition, so I like to get as much sleep in as I can, but I always keep in mind that I have to get up early for my morning workout.

As it is, I'm a puppy primed for racing and I'm in good physical health. My mom wishes she could have an established schedule like mine, and sometimes she says to me, "Scooter, when am I going to have some time to go for a run?" I just look at her soulfully; it must be hard to be human -- so many unnecessary demands on their time. As far as I'm concerned, a day should consist of napping, eating, and playing; what more could a creature need?

Goodness! I hear my mom coming; I'd better hop off the computer. She doesn't like it when I'm up here and she won't be happy that I'm playing on her computer. It was good talking to all of you blogger fans. Be patient with my mom -- she's just so busy -- she'll return to her regular running and posting as soon as she can!

See ya!
Scooter