Another Half Marathon Ahead

Looks like another weekend road trip is on - I'm now registered for the Mercedes Half Marathon in Birmingham on February 10th. I feel more ready and relaxed for this one than I felt for the Mississippi Blues event a few weeks ago. I've continued my training plan and made a few more long runs. Which leads me to this rant about dogs....

All you runners and cyclists will relate to this problem. I planned my recent 8-mile run as an out and back with a water stop and turnaround point at a nearby public park and boat launch here the Ross Barnett Reservoir. While running in the park a car passed me and stopped up ahead in a parking lot. I noticed it was a man and a huge black and white Harlequin Great Dane. I ran past them before they got out and proceeded to my water stop at the bottom of the hill by the boat launch. On my way back by, I see the man is bent over the back seat as if he's cleaning the carpet, and the huge dog is trotting around the park loose. I'm now thinking surely this dog is nice and friendly or he wouldn't be running free. Do I keep running past him and bet the skin of my arm or leg that he'll leave me alone? Just then a guy on a bicycle comes by and the dog pays little attention. Good. The dog must be well-trained. So here I go, walking, not running, past the dog and his master still buried in the back seat of his car. Now the dog thinks he's spotted something interesting - me - and I can barely hear a low growl. The guy gets out of his car and shouts at the dog "Rommel!". Rommel takes a few steps closer to me and growls again, so master yells at him and grabs him by the collar. I move on down the road, wishing the park patrol would come by so I could report this guy.

There is no reason anyone should have to feel intimidated by a dog of any size while using a public park or street. I am a dog owner and animal lover by nature but I am not so fond of people who allow their pets to run free. Everyone thinks their own dog won't bite anyone, but that view frequently changes to "he never attacked anyone before". A roommate and I once had a well behaved German Shepherd who welcomed everyone with a wagging tail and lick on the hand. Then one day he decided he didn't like a certain visitor and the lick became a bite. Not a serious bite, but enough to make us keep him restrained from then on.

I dislike people who let dogs run loose almost as much as those post-teen pre-adults with loud exhaust pipes. End of rant.