My parents adopted Alex (below) after his family couldn't take care of him anymore. He's a two year-old golden retriever with an excessively playful and affectionate personality. Sam (the dog all the way to the right in the picture above) and Alex are best friends and lick each other's faces. Their faces get slobbery and gross, but it's still really cute. Alex followed me around within minutes of meeting me and spent time on my bed and lounged near my shoes.
I will say that my parents usually adopt mixed breeds from shelters, but they also love goldens. Plus, this dog would have gone to a shelter if someone didn't take him.
For the first time in months, the sharp pain in my back is diminishing. I give most of the credit to the personal training sessions for teaching me about stretching, using a foam roller and a lacrosse ball on multiple muscle groups, and honing in on my form when lifting objects, doing squats and lunges, and more. I'm still avoiding the high-intensity group exercise classes, but I'm able to hit the treadmill or pavement and run a couple of miles pain-free. If I keep up with my therapy, I'm feeling confident that I'll be able to run 13.1 miles in July.
This weekend, I did four. Hell yes. Running in the suburbs was relaxing. I wasn't dodging walkers or dogs, waiting for lights to change, or enduring temporary deafness by the wailing of a passing siren. It was a much welcomed change of scenery.
Have a great week!