My afternoon exercise coach is a real taskmaster! She doesn't care if I'm tired, if I've had a long day, or what. There she is waiting impatiently for me to change clothes and lace-up my walking shoes. Before I can catch my breath, we are out the door and heading for a long walk. So who is this personal trainer? Why our dog, Miss Maya, of course! She's the cute golden retriever in the picture. If you notice a tail
behind her, that is our other dog, Mr. Maxwell. He might go on a walk with us, but he prefers hanging back, usually on the couch.Even though I go faithfully to the Shades Valley YMCA every morning before work, I find these afternoon walks with Maya give back more than fitting in extra fitness. They give me a chance to unwind, relax, and stop and smell the woods (almost 300 acres) that surround our house. On the weekends, we make a point to walk at least 10 miles. Sure, there have been afternoons or weekends when I think I really need to stay inside. But then, sweet Maya looks at me, places a paw on my knee, and I'm done! She is already racing down the driveway knowing I will be following.
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