If you want a case of dog envy, check out the All-Around Dog Agility Championships, July 4-7 at Cleveland Metroparks Polo Field in Chagrin Falls.
The free event brings in more than 200 dogs and their handlers who will cajole, encourage and coax their canine charges to jump, climb, run, see-saw and weave their way through agility challenges.
No, your dog probably can’t do what they do. And, yes, it’s perfectly fine if yours takes power naps and begs for treats. Stop by anyway. Well-behaved dogs are welcome to watch as long as they’re on a leash. See how yours stacks up. You can test their agility aptitude on Saturday and Sunday in the Agility 101 ring for a $5 donation. Proceeds benefit Geauga County Humane Society’s Rescue Village.
To learn more about what your dog probably can’t do, but could if either of you really tried, go to usdaa.com
Tall Order
Ship Shape
You can enjoy the thrill of tall ships this summer without swabbing a deck or hoisting a sail.
The Tall Ships Challenge returns to Cleveland’s waterfront on July 11 for a four-day festival of live entertainment, historical exhibits, food and tours of the traditionally rigged sailing ships.
The event starts with a dramatic Parade of Sail at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 11 with 10 ships from Canada, the United States and New Zealand. The Captain’s Reception and Opening Ceremony are at 7 p.m.
Gates open at 9:30 a.m. July 12, 13 and 14 with festival activities, exhibits and public ships boarding from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily. Ninety-minute excursions aboard the Appledore IV, Appledore V and Inland Seas ships are available for an extra charge over regular admission.
You’ll find the Tall Ships Challenge just north of FirstEnergy Stadium. Buy discounted presale tickets at tallshipscle.com.
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Regardless of the weather, our cover couple, Rosalie and Tom Franek of Hiram, find plenty to do outside throughout the year.
Well-known throughout the running community in Northeast Ohio and beyond, they’ve coached hundreds of athletes. Physical fitness is important to the Franeks. They live what they believe — and a big part of their time is spent outdoors during Northeast Ohio’s long winters.
Ages: Tom, 53, Rosalie, 54.
Married: 30 years.
What they do: Rosalie is a licensed massage therapist and owns Right Path Massage & Fitness, LLC (rightpathmassage.com) in Hiram. Tom teaches horticulture and arboriculture at Kent Roosevelt High School and is a certified arborist and owner of Butternut Hill Farm, a cut-your-own Christmas tree farm.
Favorite outdoor winter activities: For both, it’s cross-country skiing, ice skating, running, mountain biking and hiking.
Favorite places to explore outdoors in the winter: Backyard trails around their farm and in Hiram Township and village, Chapin Forest and Girdled Road Reservation (Lake Metroparks).
How do you stay fit the rest of the year?
We run, mountain and road bike, hike, cut and carry wood, dig trees, sheer trees, plant and maintain the garden, push a wheelbarrow, etc.
We do two days per week of functional arm, leg and core strength. We stretch and use a foam roller daily and get regular therapeutic massage. We truly believe that one of the keys of maintaining fitness, weight and energy levels throughout the years is not only to “exercise” regularly, but to pick leisure, recreational and social activities that keep you moving.
Tell us about your kids. Fitness runs in the family, right?
Bridget, 30, is a women’s distance coach at the University of Akron.
Josh, 27, is a Sherwin-Williams store manager in Baltimore, Maryland.
Both competed in track and cross country in high school and college, along with other sports.
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