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.

Compton 40

Hottest April day since 1949.
Mark writes - today was going to be tough for me: just avoiding dehydration and cramps was going to be a successful result; so even though I finished in 6:27 (about an hour slower than previous races here) I was fine with the time - although naturally I felt that I should have gone at least 7 mins faster to win V50. I didn't have any major collapse, but just was slow today; my only cramps were in the final mile, and about 2 mins walking seemed to help. A 2 minute lie down in Ginge Brook (at 33 miles) also helped refresh the legs.
Most of the race I was looking to stay cool - hunting for shade, and reducing pace to avoid overheating. I had 8 Nuuns and 7 salt sachets during the race, nibbled at food, but didn't eat a lot. Julian said he'd had a cup of tea at CP6.
Maybe the week in the Lakes had affected my performance? I will see in the Marlborough 33.

Lakes April

4 days in the Lakes with the junior juniors.
This year we had a bigger van so I had a seat to myself. Much better weather this year, and lots of lambs to study.
Slept in porch of tent with Eddie, both of us keeping watch over Mark, Tim and Nick inside. At 0430 each morning I crept outside the tent to study the sheep and their lambs in the next field.

On the last day we hired some canoes; the boys seemd to spend most of the time splashing each other and the girls; Mark and I shared a canoe, and I was barking at the paddle everytime it went in the water.

On Snowdon Sat 19th March

Good running this morning, though without Charlie, who'd stayed at home.
0630 start and normal route up from Llanberis up tourist path (1:21 to summit), then from summit to Carnedd Ugain (1:35); no visiblity at top so followed compass due west and met the Snowdon Ranger path spot on; Moel Cynghorion (2:10), then dropped down to path and fast back to the car (2:29), followed by breakfast at Pete's Eats. Collected Gran from Beaumaris at 1030 as planned.

Mark was beaten by another collie!

Mark did the Haworth Hobble yesterday; after the third checkpoint (approx 13 miles) he was overtaken by a collie with its human on a lead. Mark did his best to keep up with said collie, but lost contact after Stoodley Pike, and she (and human) finished about 5 mins ahead of him. She is about 3 1/2 years, just slightly older than me, so I'm not impressed at being left out of this race.
Mark, however, has entered me for a 13 mile Cani-X race in May, but he's told me that I can't stop at every tree and fence post.
He says that it is the law that only Border Collies are allowed in Yorkshire, but he did hear of a couple of spaniels who got in unobserved.

Sheep are as intelligent as humans

See here: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/21/lamb_cutlets/
So that makes Border Collies the most intelligent creatures on the planet

Need a bath

Red flag on the Isis this morning, so no rowing on the river, and Mark decided to take the juniors up to Shotover. Glad to see that they'd all brought their cycling helmets. It took just under 35 minutes to get to the top, and I had to pull Mark up the last steep part of the hill - drat, 3 of the boys had already got there.
When all the girls had arrived, Mark said something about avoiding rabbit holes, and off they all charged. We had a good run around the yellow circuit, but I'm sorry to say that some of them didn't run the whole way. After I'd finished I found a deep muddy puddle to lie down in and drink from - generating a few sounds of disgust from the children, but it tasted good to me.
On the run back to the club, Mark mentioned something about me needing a good clean. Imagine my surprise when we approached the river, and he didn't stop, but ran up to the water edge and hurled me in. He then said something about cleaning the children as well, but they'd run away.
By the time I'd got home, we'd run about 15 miles.