Red Dog's Dog Days
WE'RE ALL GONNA BE HAS-BEENS SOMEDAY
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Don "Red Dog" Gardner and Jim "Punkin'" O'Connell started Red Dog's Dog Days in the summer of 1984 as a fitness program designed to help prepare the Lawrence High School football team for their fall season. What started with only a handful of football athletes then spread to include the school's volleyball players, other sports, athletes' parents and siblings, and more. Since then, Red Dog's Dog Days has grown and transformed into a community workout for all ages. With the assistance of Red Dog's wife, Beverly, and a small army of dedicated helpers, the program continues to flourish. Thousands of people participate each year and that number keeps growing.
 
Throughout the years, Red Dog's Dog days has remained free for anyone who wishes to participate. Everyone is invited, regardless of your fitness level or athletic background.

The T-Shirts

Spend enough time in the Lawrence area and you're bound to see someone wearing a Dog Days T-shirt. You can't buy 'em. The shirts are wearable trophies that can only be earned by extensive participation in the program. There are several shirts out there (Summer, Fall/Winter, and Saturday shirts). Thanks to our generous Dog Days sponsors, the T-shirts are free to all participants who attend a set number of workouts each season.

For Summer 2017, participants need to complete 25 weekday workouts or 6 Saturday runs to earn a T-shirt.
 

The Rules

Red Dog doesn't have many rules, but he does ask that you follow these guidelines:
  • Bring a bottle of water (a towel is also recommended).
  • No cell phones.
  • No headphones/mp3 players.
  • Always encourage others. Never put anyone down.

The Workouts

If you've ever wanted to join Red Dog's Dog Days, but have been intimidated because you didn't know what to expect or thought the workouts might be too hard or too advanced, don't be! Everyone is encouraged to complete as much of the workout as they can, and at their own pace. You'll get support from Red Dog and the rest of the group whether you're the first to finish a run or the last. Red Dog's participants range from competitive high school athletes to adult weekend warriors and parents with their toddlers in strollers to 75-year-old grandfathers. 
 
Weekdays: The workout varies every session. Each starts with some warm-ups and calisthenics (sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, etc.). Sometimes Red Dog incorporates hills, stairs, lunges, shuffles and sprints. Workouts normally end with a run across campus ranging from one to three miles.
Saturday Mornings: The Saturday morning "fun runs" are a great opportunity to change up the weekday routine. After short warm-up, Red Dog will announce the route for the day. This typically is between 2 and 4 miles. And during the hot summer, there are always popsicles to look forward to as a prize at the end of the run!
 
 
©2017 Red Dog's Dog Days