Mark did a race without me on Wednesday while he was away in Manchester. He was complaining to me before he went that it was too short for him - 5 miles was not worth me getting up for either.
He said afterwards that he was not used to races where you have to keep running uphill.
Anyhow he finished 3rd, which just goes to show how much better he is when I pull him along - when he races with me, we always win. Serves him right for not running with me.
Friday 6 May 2011
Sunday 1 May 2011
Neolithic Half Marathon Canicross
Today it was down to Salisbury Plain to meet many new friends. Mark gave me a motavational talk in the car on the way, saying things about pain being only temporary, not getting distracted, and needing to focus on my own race; but when we go out at the start I forgot all this as I was so happy to see lots of dogs - all breeds, including Kelly the Dalmatian, but quite a few BCs (we saw one human with 3 BCs) - I couldn't get round them all quickly enough. Mark said he's never been to a race where all the competitors are socialising hard and playing together before the start. He put some vaseline on my front paws (the organiser had said that some dogs get blistered pads on the hard stony surface).
After a short run to get warmed up (Mark was very clumsy - he twisted his left ankle) we took our place at the start. I was very excited - all the dogs were doing different things - some were sitting, others running around their masters getting their leads tangled, some were barking, and most were facing the wrong way.
When the start hooter went, one dog at the back broke free and ran to the front causing other dogs to chase after him (lots of runners shouting at his owner!), and then the second dog at the front stopped for a poo after 100 metres.
Mark told me to be steady, and after we went past Rosemary and Bella, he tried to find some grassy tracks for me to run on. This was great, running alongside 2 big alsations, and a husky, with all the other dogs just behind. There was a very fast dog (must be mostly a BC) out in front going faster than all the others, but Mark told me to be steady and go at our own pace. Mark was talking to me a lot, telling me not to pull, to go left or right, and saying what a good boy I was - I know I'm a good boy, but it's nice to be reminded. After a couple of miles we were in second place with a spaniel just behind us. So we kept going, I wanted to go faster downhill, but Mark kept telling me to be steady.
After 5 miles they'd put out a paddling pool for me to lie down in and drink while Mark splashed me to cool me down; he also had a quick drink from a cup and poured the rest on my head. A quick shake and we were off again - getting closer to the #1 dog. Mark kept taking me to the side of the main track onto the grassy bits, which was a bit easier on my paws. We passed a field of sheep, but I remembered what Mark had said, and I stayed focused on the race.
At the next paddling pool, I lay down and drank for longer. We saw Bella and Rosemary there, and they had an extra drink ready for me. As we left the pool, the spaniel had caught us up, but I was determined not to lose 2nd place for long, until I felt a desperate urge for a poo. Mark muttered something like "what a time to do that, Charlie" and picked it up in a bag and carried it for the next 2 miles to the bin. Anyhow I felt much better, and much lightened we quickly caught up the spaniel and headed after #1. As Bella and Rosemary drove past I hurried up and we caught the leading dog at about 3 miles to go. I kept wanting to look back at the other dog, but Mark told me to stay focused. With 2 miles to go, he stopped telling me to steady down and off we went - he said we should imagine chasing the juniors in their boats; we closed on a tandem bike and Mark suggested we overtake it before the end. Naturally I obliged.
There was a lovely paddling pool at the finish, so I made the most of it while Mark had an ice cream. I was very happy to meet the other dogs as they finished. To celebrate my win, Rosemary bought me a hamburger, but Mark ate most of it first; then she bought me a smart new yellow running harness. The results should be up soon on the canix.co.uk website: http://cani-cross.co.uk/results100.php - there's also a link to the race photos - we are numbers 113 and 114.
Now I'm back home, and after a very short rest I'm ready to play ball with Young Master.
After a short run to get warmed up (Mark was very clumsy - he twisted his left ankle) we took our place at the start. I was very excited - all the dogs were doing different things - some were sitting, others running around their masters getting their leads tangled, some were barking, and most were facing the wrong way.
When the start hooter went, one dog at the back broke free and ran to the front causing other dogs to chase after him (lots of runners shouting at his owner!), and then the second dog at the front stopped for a poo after 100 metres.
Mark told me to be steady, and after we went past Rosemary and Bella, he tried to find some grassy tracks for me to run on. This was great, running alongside 2 big alsations, and a husky, with all the other dogs just behind. There was a very fast dog (must be mostly a BC) out in front going faster than all the others, but Mark told me to be steady and go at our own pace. Mark was talking to me a lot, telling me not to pull, to go left or right, and saying what a good boy I was - I know I'm a good boy, but it's nice to be reminded. After a couple of miles we were in second place with a spaniel just behind us. So we kept going, I wanted to go faster downhill, but Mark kept telling me to be steady.
After 5 miles they'd put out a paddling pool for me to lie down in and drink while Mark splashed me to cool me down; he also had a quick drink from a cup and poured the rest on my head. A quick shake and we were off again - getting closer to the #1 dog. Mark kept taking me to the side of the main track onto the grassy bits, which was a bit easier on my paws. We passed a field of sheep, but I remembered what Mark had said, and I stayed focused on the race.
At the next paddling pool, I lay down and drank for longer. We saw Bella and Rosemary there, and they had an extra drink ready for me. As we left the pool, the spaniel had caught us up, but I was determined not to lose 2nd place for long, until I felt a desperate urge for a poo. Mark muttered something like "what a time to do that, Charlie" and picked it up in a bag and carried it for the next 2 miles to the bin. Anyhow I felt much better, and much lightened we quickly caught up the spaniel and headed after #1. As Bella and Rosemary drove past I hurried up and we caught the leading dog at about 3 miles to go. I kept wanting to look back at the other dog, but Mark told me to stay focused. With 2 miles to go, he stopped telling me to steady down and off we went - he said we should imagine chasing the juniors in their boats; we closed on a tandem bike and Mark suggested we overtake it before the end. Naturally I obliged.
There was a lovely paddling pool at the finish, so I made the most of it while Mark had an ice cream. I was very happy to meet the other dogs as they finished. To celebrate my win, Rosemary bought me a hamburger, but Mark ate most of it first; then she bought me a smart new yellow running harness. The results should be up soon on the canix.co.uk website: http://cani-cross.co.uk/results100.php - there's also a link to the race photos - we are numbers 113 and 114.
Now I'm back home, and after a very short rest I'm ready to play ball with Young Master.
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