Reason 117 for why it's great to run with a dog

Last week the Monster Cold caught me and knocked me flat on my derriere.  I ran through it, but they were measly runs at best.  During the course of that same week, Boulder's weather improved considerably and I simply could no longer restrain myself. By Friday, cabin fever and bright sunshine threw me out the door with Taz pup at my side.  Westward ho we went climbing hills, wending our way through neighborhoods and trails until my energy was pretty well sapped from my body. 

At that point, I thought it best to head home via the most direct route - which happened to take me through NIST's property, which happened to include crossing an irrigation ditch, which happened to have lost its bridge in September's flood, and which happened to not have yet been replaced.  Oops.  It's a fairly narrow ditch, about four feet deep, with sides of loose dirt and rocks.  I looked at it, I considered how much further it would be to retrace my steps and go around, and down into the ditch I went with now wobbly legs.  Of course, once in the bottom of the ditch, 'tis best to climb back out again.  Easier said than done... That energy that was sapped, had not yet reappeared.  Those legs that were wobbly, still wobbly.  I just wasn't getting enough purchase on the ditch bank and sure didn't have enough oomph to hurl my body upward.  What to do, what to do???

Aha!  Mister Taz, spark plug that he is, had plenty of energy; energy enough for two as a matter of fact.  And, although small, he does have a bit of a linebacker build...nice and solid.  So! I sez "Go on Taz" and he hops up the bank.  I sez "Sit Taz" and he sits.  I sez "Wait Taz" and he waits there sitting like the prettiest anchor you ever saw.  And thus I hold my end of the leash and pull myself right up out of that ditch
.  All the while with Taz grinning away, happy as a lark to be out running with his human...no matter how wobbly that human might be.

Always great to run with a dog!