Are you a Tucker or are you a Guinness?

If I had the time, brains, and energy I would come up with an online quiz that people could take to find out what kind of runner they are. Tucker runs with a purpose and an urgency. There is a goal to be met, and the quicker it is met, the better. He is in a panic until he gets to GOGOGOGO! and only settles in once he knows for sure that he still gets to run. He is focused 90% of his run, and only gets distracted by other dogs. Tucker HAS to run and HAS to pull, running is in his blood, and nothing else in life ever measures up to running. Guinness, on the other hand, likes to run because Good Things Happen When We Go Outside. If it involves Good Things at Quicker Speeds, then even better. Guinness is a work dog (herder), and settles in once she knows she’s got a job to do and that it involves going the distance. Guinness is the one who grins the whole time she’s running, looks around and takes in everything, and occasionally checks in with me just ‘cuz, by running next to me and nudging my leg or hand with her snout. Guinness likes to play as she runs and can be quite content running slightly behind me.

I think I am a combination of the two. I am highly driven and there’s something in me that tells me I have to run, and I certainly hear GOGOGOGO! in my head from time to time. I do, however, just really like to be outside because Good Things Happen When We Go Outside. When it comes down to it, being outside is what counts the most to me. I like to stop and birdwatch and stand in the creek or the lake, or in the case of winter, romp in the snow as I’m running. I don’t mean to keep writing such doggy posts, but really, if everyone in the world had to/got to run the way I am in training for this marathon, and with these particular dogs, there would be no war. I swear. Pure joy.