The following article was written by trail runner Sarah Barber and shares her special relationship with her dog Payette, amplifying ATRA’s 2024 Better Together theme.
Experts say that social isolation and loneliness are “silent killers” because their effects on health are less visible, but just as deadly as conditions like heart disease, and just as risky as well-known harmful behaviors like smoking. While it’s been shown that lack of a social support network can lead to mental health concerns like depression and low self-esteem, there are also proven links to physical conditions like immunosuppression and sleep disorders. Certainly, outdoor exercise can mitigate all this and more, but it’s often the type of activity that lends itself to solitude. However, I’m here to tell you that in my experience, trail running is better when I’m not alone.
Training partners
I’m lucky to have a good group of friends who also enjoy jogging off-road. But on those dark winter mornings when my only option to get in a run means starting at 5 am while sleet is blowing sideways, it’s tough to find someone hardy enough to brave conditions like that. And if my workout schedule has “as much vert as possible” on the menu, well, not everyone wants to eat hills for breakfast.
But, I’ve got a training partner who’s never turned down an invitation to run. Her enthusiasm is unrivaled, and she never complains when we do the same route we’ve done the past five days, or when we go somewhere we’ve never been before and find it more rugged than either of us anticipated. She’s even up for a double when I’m in a high-mileage week. She’s been by my side for over 4 years, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Meet Payette
Her name is Payette. She’s a Weimaraner with a sleek gun-metal gray coat that highlights her sinewy muscles when the sun hits it just right. If her coat is like Teflon, her personality is like Velcro, at least when it comes to my husband and me. But the hair on her spine stands up, and she barks assertively at any apparent threat—both the four-legged and the two-legged variety. She stalks squirrels and birds like an assassin, ranging off-trail with her nose on a scent and easily doubling the distance I cover in a typical outing.
Although I don’t have any Native American roots that I know of, I often think of Payette as my “spirit animal,” with deep respect for the term’s cultural origins. In many ways, she’s my guide and my protector, gamely blazing trail as I navigate this phase of my life. Her vital energy and endurance, along with her ravenous appetite and appreciation for snacks, are traits that resonate with me.
Adventures with Payette
As a trail runner, I want to be just like her, effortlessly bounding uphill and hurdling obstacles as if they don’t exist. As a human, I still want to be just like her, embracing each moment of my life with the courage of a creature who knows the trail isn’t just a path—it’s an adventure! Even while bounding at top speed after something I can neither see nor hear, she regularly reassures both of us by craning her neck to glance back at me. Encountering a surprise, she stops, head erect, ears perked, waiting for me to close in—until, not even close, the steady beat of my feet pounding dirt cues her onward.
Who cares how many legs you’ve got when you’ve got each other? Shared experiences are what make life meaningful, and sharing the trails with my canine companion is a constant reminder that we are definitely better together!
Editor’s note: Read more articles and gear reviews from Sarah Barber here. Learn about ATRA’s 2025 theme.
