Fleet Feet and Peppy Paws

My favorite running store, Fleet Feet Sports Madison, is always finding new and creative ways to support runners and walkers of all ages and abilities, as well as doing good in the community. Through the efforts of Alexis Ziemann, a runner and volunteer with Shelter from the Storm (SFTS) animal rescue, Fleet Feet has joined forces with SFTS  to create the Sneakers and Leashes program. It is based on the premise that runners run; and dogs in a shelter desperately want and need to run. As the SFTS website points out, "As long as the runners are going to run anyway, why not take a dog along?" Well... yeah! 

Tonight was my first time to join the Fleet Feet gang for the SFTS run, and I loved it! SFTS volunteers exuding feel-good helpfulness met us at the door and determined just what level of running buddy we wanted. ("Do you have a dog just like me that whines about its aches and goes barely faster than a walk?") I was assigned Ziggy, a St. Bernard/Mastiff mix.* (Check out the link for the lovable, wonderful Ziggy, who is available for adoption. [8/16/2011:  Newsflash! Alexis Ziemann just notified me that Ziggy was adopted Saturday 8/13. Yeaaa Ziggy! May you have a wonderful forever home!])

Only slightly smaller than a Suburban with a head the size of its engine block, Ziggy is a gentle giant that loves having his ears rubbed and hates the gentle leader nose harness as much as my dog Jazz does. He lumbered along, excited to be out, sniffing and wheezing. Really, Ziggy needs an inhaler—after the first block he sounded like I do after a couple of wind sprints. I could barely get him going faster than a 12-minute mile; but with the knee and hamstring problems I've been experiencing (see what I mean about the whining?), that was fine with me.

Before the wheezing set in, Ziggy stopped to take a whiz that went on so long, even I felt a vicarious sense of relief. About a mile into the run, he took a dump that, on continents where no dung is left behind, would have fertilized the rice fields of an entire nation. (Note: We are good citizens all and pick up after our sidekicks.) Ziggy and I enjoyed 2-1/2 miles of exercise and companionable togetherness on a beautiful summer's evening. It was great.

After I checked Ziggy in, I took Scottie—a puppy with more enthusiasm than leash training—for a quick spin. He was so obviously thrilled to be running, it made me happy to be part of such a joyful experience.

Another joy was the camaraderie of the other Fleet Feet runners. We would cross paths with our respective dogs, compare notes, run on. Towards the end we all congregated in the parking lot and hung out, just basking in sweat and canine goodness.

This is a theme I keep coming back to: volunteerism should feel good. It should be fun. It might require a little extra effort, or make the week's schedule a little less flexible; but it should allow the use of skills, talents, and hobbies that the volunteer gets to share with the world while having a kick-ass time doing it.

If you are in the Madison area and interested in going to the dogs.... er.... running with the dogs and making some homeless canines really happy, contact Alexis Ziemann at aeziemann@yahoo.com. You can join the Fleet Feet group or make arrangements to walk/run at a time that is convenient for you.

For those runners not in the Madison area, get in contact with a shelter near you and start your own Leashes and Sneakers program.
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*Scott later asked me if there had been any unusual dogs. Like a St. Bernard/Mastiff mix isn't exotic enough?