Heart Rate

I’ve been working on my overall level of fitness in anticipation of a fall biathlon in West Texas. The idea of being out of shape, a few hundred miles from home, in one of the hotter places in Texas is not something I’m ready to entertain. As part of my training, I picked up a Wahoo Fitness Heart Rate MonitorĀ which transmits data over Bluetooth to my iPhone while I run. Not to get too far into a review of it, but I can program the app to give me updates during the run on pacing and heart rate which is super helpful for making sure that my training is effective . . .

I can also download the data file to get my heart rate info at one-second intervals. Once I export it to Excel, I can make pretty scatter plots like the one above. As you can see, my heart rate steadily rose over the course of a fairly quick run down the street to run an errand. Never miss an opportunity to get a workout in right?

In any case, this sort of graph is fairly typical of a hot, quick(ish) run under two miles in length. But try as I might, I’ve never been able to push my heart rate past 187 BPM. That number is right in the money according to a couple different heart rate calculatorsĀ so IĀ haven’t worried too much about it.

But now that I have a good feeling on what my actual peak heart rate is after an ~80 lb dog decided I’d be a fun playtoy. That’s the spike you see there towards the end, and the peak value according to my fancy gizmo was a whopping 208 BPM. In case you’re wondering what that sounds like, there’s a cool website that can give you a digital metronome. Spoiler alert, it sounds real fast.

So what happened? I’m not really sure, to be honest. I was running, I lept across a ditch, felt something hit my heel, and next thing I knew, there was a large dog running right next to me. I kicked it into fifth gear and hauled ass before I really knew what happened. The dog kept pace off to my right and gave me that “happy dog” look.

I saw the dog’s owner running towards me telling me to stop running because, “he’ll just keep up with you.” At that point, I realized that the dog thought we were having a footrace, a prospect I knew I’d lose. I slowed down, recalled some comments I’d read here about soft places on a dog’s skull in case it came to that, and watched as the dog in question dutifully return to his owner, the victor of our short sprint. I kept running, not really interested in further contact.

This is the first dog encounter I’ve had while running, and I’ll be honest that it happened so fast, had it turned violent, I would have had what was in my hands and that’s it. Because I’m a Texas resident, carrying a gun openly is off the table, and carrying one concealed, but at the ready, is quite the problem. I guess I could run around with some pepper spray, and given my experience, that might be the best option I have at the moment. But I’m genuinely curious what the readers of this fine blog do when they run around in the great wild.

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84 COMMENTS

  3. I have yet to pay enough time & money to the State of IL for my CCW, but I regularly carry a flashlight, knife and pepper spray in my right pocket. Even fashioned an ugly-yet-effective little Kydex holster for all three, so they are always in the same place in my pocket (and don’t rattle). Even if I had a firearm while out, the pepper spray would be my first go-to for unexpected canine encounters. Coyotes? Well, I’d be less accommodating to those…

    Of course, I’d have to fashion some sort of secure clip method if I ever decided to take up jogging, but I’d still have the spray, at the least.

  4. Me too. I was thinking about getting a shield or lc9, then maybe sticking it a belly band, or something?

  5. Didn’t sound like the dog was acting very threatening, but unless he’s already got a piece of me I would go with some decent pepper spray.

  6. LCP reeeeally sucks but the only reason I own it is for this exact situation. I carry it when I go running because it so light I forget it is there on my waist.

  7. I don’t know. When you have a hammer everything looks like a nail.

    I get that this is a gun blog, but sometimes we forget that not every situation calls for a gun. It’s amazing how many articles TTAG has on policemen shooting dogs and then when you are startled by a dog you… wish you had a gun.

    I also recognize the fact that in life there are trade-offs. Would you carry a gun at the gym? At the beach? IWB on a first date where things may get… intimate later that night?

    We all make tradeoffs when it comes to safety versus expediency. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to carry pepper spray… or maybe we all have to recognize that sometimes fate is going to intervene whether we are prepared or not.

    • For the sake of clarity, I’d like to point out that having a gun on my body would have done jack in this situation. It happened quickly, and before I made the conscious decision to take action, I was already sprinting. And I think it’d be foolish of me to assume that carrying a gun would have made this better/worse/different. Had that dog decided to make me lunch, I wouldn’t pin my hopes of survival on drawing a concealed firearm. So while I love hammers, and this is a hammer blog, I’m also interested in pliers, and screwdrivers, if that makes sense.

      At the moment, I think the best I might be able to put together is a jogging holster that straps to the hand for pepper spray. Something like this.

      http://www.nwselfdefense.com/?product=jogging-holster-fits-2-oz-pepper-spray-fox-labs-sabre-wildfire-freeze-p

      • From your story is sounded as if, had the dog been interested in attacking, you would have been down and under attack before even realizing the dog was there: “I was running, I lept across a ditch, felt something hit my heel, and next thing I knew, there was a large dog running right next to me.” Even pepper spray probably would have been more of a liability than an asset. I think your best bet is to maintain a higher level of situational awareness while you’re running; a not insignificant task when you are trying to concentrate on maintaining good running form.

      • While I don’t run (my occupation requires that I climb, lift, and walk in excess of 10 miles a day… there’s no way ever that I will take up running while I have this job!), my wife runs and bikes. I have pondered many times how she could keep herself safe while covering pavement.

        I think you may have provided the solution just now. I really like the hand holster you posted. Very convenient, light and portable, more readily available than a side holster, and affordable.

        Thanks for the link. Too bad you don’t get a commission!

      • So lets assume the dog decided to bite into your leg and hold on, causing you and it to fall over (possibly into a ditch, but that isn’t important as long as the fall itself isn’t dangerous).
        If you have pepper spray on your hip, and you and the dog are rolling around in the grass, not only will you cover yourself in spray, but the dog might not run away because it is already in the process of attacking you.
        We aren’t talking about a deterrent to get a growling dog to run away. We are talking about something that can get the dog to immediately stop.
        Assuming any kind of lethal force is needed, because hey, a dog is trying to eat you, I don’t see a more suitable tool than a firearm. Even a tiny pocket revolver in shoulder carry for running would be better than nothing. Probably still better than pepper spray, even if it has to be concealed in an awkward fashion.
        But why not both? Why should someone not be able to choose? A feral dog growling from a few yards away won’t sue you for using pepper spray, but you might get a misdemeanor for discharging a firearm if the dog isn’t threatening your life. So keep both. My two cents.

      • Or you could just get this
        http://www.sabrered.com/servlet/the-113/JOGGER–Self-dsh-Defense-Pepper/Detail ,
        and not need to purchase any additional strap, nor need to have some ridiculous strap that goes around the thumb and just makes it even larger and more obvious.

        The only complaint I have about it is that if you look at the example in the picture, it sticks out past your thumb area. I think it should to be a bit more concealable, not everyone wants to advertise “Hi, Yes I have pepper spray practically glued to my hand!”

    • “IWB on a first date where things may getā€¦ intimate later that night?”

      Sorry, but while this sounds cute and all…it makes no sense to me.

      What laundry list of criteria do you use to decide when to carry?

      To me, it’s easy: Everywhere I’m legally allowed to carry. Period. And, I might be inclined to push that except for due to family obligations, I cannot afford a completely avoidable arrest.

      (Before anyone says, “if concealed, they won’t know you have it….” keep in mind that I would be the one that gets caught, and I would be the one they chose to make a public example of…just the way of things).

      So yeah, what’s wrong with IWB on a date? If you are thinking it would be a problem, maybe that says more about who one chooses to date.

      And, I’d like to take this moment to point out that I’ve been married 18 years, our first date was, in fact, going shooting.

      • Tell her you keep the rubbers in your car, dump the weapon in the glove box when you go outside. Simples?

      • Tactical machete in a back sheath of some sort? Had it been an aggressive dog sounds like it would have had him at the ditch. Maybe some sort of doggie stink bomb strapped to an arm you can pop to freak them out?

        • B
          Hey man, don’t you know “tactical” doesn’t cut it anymore, It’s “Tacticool”, or if your really hip, you can drag it out like: Tacticoooooooooooooooooooool.

    • While the focus on this site is firearms, they are not the only tools in the shed. I think most of the other commenters can attest to that.

      You asked questions that I found interesting.
      — Would you carry a gun at the gym?
      Yes. While not convenient, there are concealable weapons that would suffice. And, there have been incidents of attackers shooting people at the gym.
      — At the beach?
      Yes. Again, there are plenty of options available that would work. People get robbed and attacked at the beach too.
      — IWB on a first date where things may getā€¦ intimate later that night?
      Absolutely. I’m old fashioned. I take the responsibility of protecting myself those with me seriously. If she freaks over the weapon, it won’t work out anyway.

    • “When you have a hammer everything looks like a nail.”

      The hammer to nail correlation might be the way you personally see it but most of the comments I’ve seen around here seem to trend more towards the old Boy Scout mantra of “Be Prepared”. When I gear up EVERY morning I hope for two things….
      1) I hope I NEVER have to use that firearm to harm another.
      and
      2) I hope I am never in a situation where I NEED a firearm and don’t have it available to me.

      There are also some of us interested in the topic for other reasons. I don’t jog or run but I do have an active job that requires me to work in some pretty rough areas from time to time. Why would I deny myself the best tool for self defense if an option exists that would make that available?

      Also…. Rick Perry shot a coyote while jogging. He didn’t go out looking for a nail, he was just prepared when the nail found him.

  8. When I get around to jogging, it’s an LCR IWB. I’m not out to decrease drag so my clothing is loose. It does move around a bit but that’s the trade off. If it’s dark, I’ve got my Fenix light set to high in my weak hand.

    ASP makes a discreet pepper spray that could be carried in the hand without drawing attention to it. It’s on my shopping list.

  10. I had my own “Whoa who’s dog is that”! while out jogging just last week myself.

    I was running along, got into “the zone” around the 3.5-4 mile mark when I felt a presence near me, looked down, here’s a really big dog happily running beside me – he startled me, I yelled, I flinched. The dog gave me the look of “what the hell is your problem buddy” and he wandered off to the nearby field watching me. as I rounded the loop and came back he again came to pace me – didn’t get quite so close this time. And I kept telling him to go home. He didn’t follow past the house I presume he came from (only house in the area).

  11. I like a mousegun in a belly band AND a can of pepper spray in your hand. And I would actually carry a can of pepper spray in both hands for balance and to slightly increase the effectiveness of running — sort of like having wrist weights.

    I don’t have any data, just intuition on this. I imagine the pepper spray will work on most dogs and it is immediately available. Of course you can always escalate to your mousegun in your belly band if the pepper spray does not work.

    • Had an incident a few years ago. On a walk, I rounded a corner in the little town I live in, and this small “decoration” dog went for my ankle. I kicked him away and put my hand around my mouse gun that was in my pocket. The dogs owner came out and got the dog under control, no leash, no fenced yard, he just let the little fart run around where he pleased.
      I talked to the local police chief whom I knew well enough, and asked how much trouble would I be in, if it ever came to the point that I would have to shoot a dog. He gave me a can of pepper spray and told me to carry any time I walked. He told me it was illegal to discharge a firearm within city limits?? I wonder if it would be illegal to discharge a firearm at a mugger who robbing me, if it was within city limits??
      Hey buddy, would you mind walking a few blocks out this street until we get to the city limits, I want to blow your ass away!

  12. I, along with the scientific community of meatheads, find traditional running to be highly counterproductive. Therefore, I do not participate.

    For low impact cardio, I use the good old fashioned powerwalk. For this, single stack 9 mm in a belly band is my go to.

    For intense cardio, I do repeat sprints 30-40m at a local track usually. Cannot find a carry strategy for such violent movement. Gun is stashed in drawstring bag, clipped via my keychain carabiner to the chain link fence bordering the track (and not accessible from the other side).

    In the gym, gun is in drawstring bag which travels with me and contains log book, chalk, lifting straps, and tiger balm.

  13. Run? What is this “run” of which you speak? Is it as arduous as, say, getting out of bed in the morning? If so, I have no interest in “run.”

    • It’s been so long since I done any running, that I forget what it is. I think it’s something like walking, only a hell of a lot faster! Getting out of bed is stressful enough.
      I keep all essential household stuff at least 30″ up from the floor. My “bendover” hasn’t worked very well for many years. All my shoes have Velcro straps, haven’t had any shoe laces for 20 years, Yeah man, it’s great to a senior citizen!

    • Ralph, I don’t run unless someone is chasing me.

      If she’s good looking, I don’t run very fast.

      While walking around, I have my 1911 IWB, and I’m skinny!

  14. When I did repo I carried a gun for two legged predators and mace for four legged predators. It’s hard to get a clear shot in an urban environment on a dog, but mace or pepper spray worked every time, it’s just a lot easier than trying to shoot, and mace is small enough to carry it while you run

    • I’m guessing you probably did a lot of your repo at night. What’s really scary is to have something like a big “black” lab come at you when it’s pitch black,

  15. I run with my LCP in a Desantis Nemesis holster tucked in a PT-2 Pistolwear (so it stands straight up). Been doing it for a year and a half now. Works great. The PT-2 allows room for an extra magazine and a two card wallet.

  16. Try the 5.11 holster compression shirt. Holds a pocket pistol very securely. Use the other side to hold your phone. Great for exercising.

  17. The two times I’ve had dogs chase me like that I stopped running and just looked at the dog. In each case the dog stopped when I did. I did have a gun with me in one case IIRC, but it obviously didn’t come to that. I understand a dog’s nose and muzzle are pretty sensitive, I tapped (really, just a pretty good tap) one on the side of the muzzle with a flashlight when he tried to take a bite out of my Chihuahua, he yelped pretty good and took off. Maybe run with a two-ft, relatively substantial stick/rod/whatever in your hand?

  18. “a fall biathlon in West Texas”, “in one of the hotter places in Texas”?

    Pecos Run ‘n Gun?

    If so just be warned that you’re in greater danger from careless water and vac truck drivers then you are from the heat (atleast when driving). Also remember that however much water you are planning on carrying it wouldn’t be a bad idea to double that amount.

  19. My rule is, if it’s not on fire or bleeding profusely, I’m not running :D. That being said, my only questionable dog encounter happened about 15 years ago, while I was walking my own dog. We were confronted by a pit bull from down the street who began circling us and eyeballing my dog. My only defense was noise, attitude, and bluff, all of which I have in ample quantities, so I roared and stomped at the dog to confuse it, and raised enough of a ruckus to get someone outside to round up the dog before things escalated. I’m lucky and grateful that the outcome wasn’t much worse.

  20. 5’7″ and 165 lbs. I’m running faster now, so as much as I like the PistolWear with a P3AT in it, I’ve taken to carrying a CRKT Drifter clipped to my waistband. It doesn’t bounce or shift and I don’t feel it at all. Should there be trouble, it will do.

  21. The bayo on my 91/30 usually keeps yappy dogs away. Of course, that’s not always practical to carry, so I got an M44 for longer distance running.

  22. I stopped running in 93. So this article doesn’t pertain to me. However since I have an opinion about everything. Dogs are dogs and since I’m 6’5″, and of rugged good looks, they know I’m Alpha. And since a German Shepherd tasted a chunk of my calf, you learn they don’t eat much, just snack occasionally, killing dogs doesn’t win you friends. Entirely different action required when they attack kids. My recomendaton is walk up grab its rear leg while flicking your blade open and gut them where they stand. That will confirm your a bad ass and owners will think twice before uttering lame excusses.

    BTW. My heart rate has never got above 167 except for the time I was lip locking a gal, in a church, which turn out to be some guys wife, who was with 8 inches of grabbing me, at which time I put the throttles into afterburner and increase the gap. The addrinalin shot was AWESOME.

    • Best comment I have read on this site in quite a while.

      On another note if your life is so calm that the most you have to worry about is a strange dog running near you, count yourself lucky.

    • Mk10108 – Love Thy Neighbor does _not_ include thy neighbor’s wife.

      And NEVER his 16 year-old daughter.

      As long as you don’t get caught.

      *wink*

  23. I wore my heart rate monitor once on my way to work out. I had turned on the timer and my watch was keeping track of everything when I had a car in front of me cut me off. I barely missed him and jumped the median and back (without hitting anyone). When I went back and downloaded my workout I saw the same peak at 210 bpm. It’s insane what you’re heart can endure. I think about the year I spent in Iraq and wonder about all the moments I nearly S**t myself and think about what kind of effect it had on my heart and how I’ll pay for it in the future.

  24. I cycle around 40 miles one morning on the weekends, and dogs aren’t an uncommon companion. I usually have plenty of gas in the tank to drop the hammer and simply outrun them. When I don’t a quick squirt from my water bottle at the face has done the trick ten times out of ten. Try cycling for cardio, low impact, and I guarantee you can push your heart rate just as high. Plus in the winter hook up to a trainer, pop on a good show and grind away.

    • When I do my distance rides, I prefer being a few yards behind a pleasantly assembled female rider.

      The miles just melt away…

  25. Mini can of Sabre Red spray on waist for morning mileage. Ten foot stream of searing pain for canine or human.

  26. Highly doubt the rate of 200. Sorry. Blood being fairly viscous, by the time you’re in the 150 or so range, your heart pumps LESS and blood pressure starts falling, although the muscle activity helps. Imagine trying to pump honey. Otherwise, nice story. Sounds like you’re coming to El Paso. Wish I could run.

  27. GEEZ, ……..

    I have been a dog trainer for over 30 years, in two countries (you have to be licensed in Germany!). For 6 years of that I did it professionally. Now, retired in North Texas, on the OK border, I am back to doing it as a hobby. So I know just a little about this issue.

    First, What a bunch of bloodthirsty group of folks you are…..Well, except for “Another Robert.”

    The CORRECT answer to the question is:

    a. STOP RUNNING, IMMEDIATELY. STAND STILL and OBSERVE.

    b. DO NOT yell at the dog.

    c. WAIT for the dog to lose interest in you and walk away. (Yes, it can take 5 minutes or so, so relax and get your breath back.)

    d. SLOWLY start walking away, once the dog is not interested in you, start jogging and then pick up the pace.

    e. IF the dog acts aggressively and closes on you after you stop, spray it directly in the face with your pepper spray and step out of the way, slowly opening the distance between you. (You REALLY should be carrying pepper spray with you when running alone, no matter where you are.)

    f. Do NOT use your gun, knife, or baseball bat on the dog. It will cause far more headache and problem than you really want to create (especially if the owner is anywhere in the area).

    Look, let’s face it, in the situation where the dog has an owner, that person is at fault for letting the dog “run free.” He (or she) simply is a jerk who is too lazy to train their property to obey properly, and also too lazy to keep the dog under control. Still, a lethal reaction to a situation like this is never appropriate if you are prepared with a small pepper spray unit, and if you exercise the proper response (STOP, STAND, DO NOT stare at the animal)

    Where you have a problem is with a feral dog pack, or a group of coydogs/coyotes. You end up having to use the same approach as above, only with the possibility of having to use lethal force to defend yourself. If you continue to run in that situation you will simply be tired and unable to defend yourself when they take you down (and they will). Luckily, in municipal areas you are only going to have such a situation about once every few hundred years.

    In Texas, if you are running, walking, hiking in non-municipal areas you SHOULD have a CCL and carry concealed, as well as carrying pepper spray.

    As a slightly off-topic note…..ALWAYS keep running if you come across large agitated feral pigs, even if you are carrying a handgun.

      • I’ve actually had several encounters with dogs while running. The 1st incident was with a pitbull. I was jogging with my dog near an elementary school and heard screaming coming from behind me about. Turned around to see a pitbull bounding toward me full speed and it’s owners yelling and waving their arms frantically from about 50yds away. No way I’m out running this thing, and not about to let it tear my dog apart I did the only thing I could think of; I took my shirt off, and threw it over its head as I tackled it to the ground and pinned its head to the ground with my body weight until the owners could retreive their damn dog.

        The other note worthy incident involved a very aggressive husky mix jumping over a fence near the same school after one of my long distance runs. I stopped and slowly started backing away, but this dog clearly not happy with me. I grabbed the closest thing I could find, which happend to be a ~20lb chuck of concrete laying in the grass and bull rushed the dog. His expression immediately changed, and he tucked tail and booked it. Someone saw me sprinting after the dog with the chuck of concrete over my head and actually called the cops for trying to kill that poor dog. Damn hippies.

        I can’t say I’d recommend either of my responses as a solution, since they both could have ended poorly for me, but if you’re out of options, improvise with what you have. I now carry a commander framed 1911 in a 5.11 fanney pack and and thing of mace on my wrist. I also now avoid that school like the plague.

    • I actually had an experience like this while jogging with my G19 in a PT holster. Pit mix came running out at me from a driveway and I just stopped and watched him. He walked up, stared at me for about twenty seconds, then turned around and walked back home.

      If he had bit me I would’ve tried to shoot him, but he didn’t.

      Still didn’t appreciate the owner being so careless, though.

    • I agree with the strategy you propose when it involves a single dog but a pack is a different matter. My experience is to keep moving and let the pack follow, you can act tough by yelling and making aggressive moves but if they start to circle you and there is no where to go like a tree or vehicle you better try to pick off the leader(s) with a pistol or they will pull you to the ground. In my case I had to shoot both the alpha who lead the pack and the beta who circled to my rear. After that the pack left. I don’t have your experience and my experience was with a pack of six feral dogs. What are your thoughts?

  28. You just experienced the difference between “athletic performance” stress and “threat-to-life” life stress.

    Congratulations, you now know the difference.

  30. Ready………..set………….go!

    If you just shot the dog in the head, you could just laugh and walk back to your car like cops do on no knock raids with impunity.

  31. Get a heavy ass kettlebell. Swing it until your go deaf and blind.
    Bring said kettlebell to the range. Swing until deaf and blind. Put bell down and shoot. Repeat.
    It’ll do more for you in less time and space than running.

    • I don’t doubt the bell, and I swing them fairly regularly. But for training for a race, there’s still no replacement for getting some mileage in. It is part of an overall workout strategy, not the only thing I’m doing.

      I also try to back squat and front squat until I go deaf and blind. Advisable?

  32. Tiny nitpick: “a fall biathlon in West Texas.” Biathlon or duathlon? Biathlon: You slide on skinny skis, then stop and shoot a rifle (usually .22LR), lather, rinse, repeat. Duathlon: You run, then you ride a bike, then you hop off the bike and run some more. http://www.livestrong.com/article/559126-biathlon-vs-duathlon/

    Given that the skiing component of biathlon kinda requires snow, a fall biathlon in West Texas doesn’t seem terribly likely… šŸ˜‰

    ETA: I should have read all the comments first. Just saw the one about the Pecos Run’n’Gun. Looks like a fun race. šŸ™‚

  33. If you can carry, I recommend you carry. If you are carrying, you need to make room and have a cell on you. Mace/pepper spray is a good choice. Regardless, tell some one where you are going and when.

  34. Don’t need a strap against a dog, a kick to the face keeps them off. If they bite don’t try to get loose, rather push whatever body part it caught further into its mouth (it will spit it out).

    A pack of dogs? A heater is nice and makes things easier but not entirely necessary, a whip (or a belt) does it just fine. A friend of mine drives tourists in a stagecoach and when dogs give him problems (try to attack) he just hits one of them, preferably the leader, in the face with the whip and they all back off.

    I have some experiences with dogs since we can’t exterminate them anymore. “animal friends” wouldn’t like that and they will sue.

    • I’m not sure that tip to push your body part further into the dog’s mouth to get it to release its death grip on you is very practical. For starters, except for perhaps a hand or forearm, you may not really have a way of pushing forward that particular part, like a shoulder. Or it may not fit any farther forward in the mouth, like a thigh.

      That technique is, however, very valuable for training dogs to release things on command, like sticks, balls, ducks, pretty much anything, even people. We’ve used it for training our hounds to consistently successful effect over the years. But that’s provided you’re actually training the dog patiently, repetitively and rewarding it for success. That’s an entirely different scenario from an impromptu attack from a vicious strange dog, though.

      • Obviously you can’t push a shoulder further into its mouth but you can push a foot or hand presuming that it latched onto the arm/leg. Besides, I doubt that a dog would hold onto your shoulder since you can’t really tear off a shoulder like you can a hand or foot.

        It is also important to be calm and whatever you do don’t turn your back to them (think Librarians in Metro 2033).

        NOTE: I am not a dog trainer, just had run-ins with many dogs and so have a good deal of my friends. That and the whole “I am not responsible for what you do with this info” legal stuff.

  36. Get a reasonable sized Karambit knife and run with it folded in your hand. The shape is very conducive to keeping it palmed. Most have a retention ring and even a small one is intimidating due to its nasty appearance.

    I’ve also found that running with anything in your hand seems to help with form…at least for me it does…keeps my hands from flopping around like a spastic T-Rex or doing Karate hands.

  37. ca slave talking so I’m have no experience running with a gun. Im also an avid competitive mid distance runner.

    I run shirtless with pepper spray in an Uncle Mikes sidekick size1 holster with my shirt tucked into my shorts while draped over the holster and the outside of my shorts. (wow run on sentence). I do 6-10 mile runs with that setup and its totally comfortable.

  38. Ha! Try squatting 500 for 23 reps to parallel. You might get a bit winded. I can’t believe the crap I used to do. Never was much of a runner( extremely flat feet) but was stupidly good on a bike. Normal pulse 50 & I smoked pot every day. (30 some years ago). BTW I’m in Illinois and do what Flubnut does. Pepper GUN, knife and light. Hey Tyler-I KNOW your pulse can hit 200. I wish I was in shape in my 60’s.

  39. But now that I have a good feeling on what my actual peak heart rate is after an ~80 lb dog decided Iā€™d be a fun play toy. My experience has been that the larger dogs are much less aggressive than the small dogs. Seems like Tyler made a fun Kong toy for Rover.

  40. I love the pepper spay idea… except for the fact I’ve seen dogs get sprayed and out of the five I’ve witnessed only one dog was mildly unhappy about it… Hell I was pepper sprayed and the only thing stopping me from killing the guy who did it was the fact that it was a good friend. The effects are easy to overcome when testosterone is pumping

  41. I don’t know what you are talking about. The operators here have already decided that open carry is tactically unsound and therefore unnecessary and that anyone pining for such protections through any activism is a hobgoblin single-handedly sinking the entire gun-rights ship. The tactically sound way to carry while running is to use a gray plastic Wal-Mart bag, or to shove an NAA .22LR up your…

  42. Few things happen at the extreme level the very first time. Today, it’s pacing and smiling, tomorrow it’ll be chasing and biting. I doubt that dog was “just playing” or “being friendly”, as so many jackwipe irresponsible dog owners are wont to claim. It is just a matter of time before that animal attacks a person, another animal, or gets hit by a car. That’s an aggressive, menacing animal and a clueless, criminal owner.

    Most places in Texas are going to have a leash law for dogs in public spaces, with exceptions being for designated dog parks. You don’t get to let your vicious mutt run around off leash just because you want to. What weapon is appropriate, you ask? I say you should have shot both the dog and the owner…..with your cell phone camera…..to document the leash law violation, then turned them in to the city/county and your HOA for punishment. You need to act proactively now, not reactively later.

    A nice little fine may be enough to leash that beast at first, but a second offense, especially if there’s contact, with be enough to get the animal seized. Then you won’t have to worry about winning or preparing for a violent encounter with this dog ever again.

    Rights come with responsibilities. Every good and selfish little libertarian loves to forget that second part, until their cute little dog who “would never hurt a fly” rips a mouthful of flesh out of your ass.

  43. I go to the local school track to run–unarmed.

    Good thing Paul T. McCain isn’t here or he’d tell you you were an idiot for thinking of open carrying.

  44. I have a very snug fitting camelback with a pocket in it. It fits a holster neatly, or a large knife sheath, both of which can be reached with ease, though likely less so if being actively attacked by an animal. To be honest, I would think that if being attacked by a dog or similar animal who is already on me, it would be better to protect my neck and try to gauge it’s eyes. Nothing likes that, least of all predators. Just my opinion.
    Also, silk undershirts help avoid chafing.

  45. Well, I don’t run around in the “great wild,” and I actually like dogs, but dog owners need to learn to keep their dogs the hell on the leash!!! I’ve run into more than a few dogs running around outside without a leash, and every time the owners finally see me or their dog run up to me, they give me the retarded deer-in-the-headlights look. They think that because they don’t see anyone is around, that no one is around – until I [unintentionally] prove them wrong. This lack of taking responsibility pisses me off. If you own a dog, it needs to be on a leash ALL THE TIME, unless it’s secured in your own back yard with a high fence and leash/chain, your house, or at a dog park. You don’t know me, you don’t know if I have a weapon, and I don’t know if your dog is violent or not. Just recently I read an article about a man killed while jogging, I’m sure many people here have ( hint*hint* it was an article posted here), and someone I know got viciously attacked by a dog at about the same time.

    This is a message to anyone who let their [leash-less] dog run up to a stranger, because I could have been that stranger: Be lucky that I like dogs and give them the benefit of the doubt, I could just as well have shot them!

  47. I just wanted to put this out there for people considering pepper spray:

    When considering pepper-spray, it’s important to be discriminating, as if you were purchasing a gun. Not all sprays dispense the same distance, have the same spread, or are activated the same way. It’s also important to practice using it, since you don’t want to be fumbling around with it to familiarize yourself when you really need it.

    This video talks about the different types of spray
    http://youtu.be/JYWPBakeVhc

    and this video compares different brands
    http://youtu.be/PMpZCbM3lKQ

  48. I have been accosted by some pretty aggressive dogs on my way to and from the gym, every time it happens makes me curse the fact that my country’s government forbids me from carrying even pepper spray to defend myself, much less an actual firearm.

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