It was a nice day for running still too warm for the dogs but ok and much cooler than the days before, temps around 68-70°F at 10:00. The first loop has at least 4 miles or so open fields’ means the dog also runs in the full sun exposure. So I had to carefully watch Kaillou whom I decided to take for the first loop for any sign of dehydration. Even though it was very warm the last days I had not expected that there would be almost none puddles or brooks on the trail. That made it difficult to keep the dog hydrated. At every water station I stopped and poured water over his head and body. At kilometer 8 or so Kaillou stopped running and just walked beside me. So I started also to walk and we lost a couple of minutes, I did not force him to continue to run not to mention to pull I thought he simply knows what’s the best for him. So we walked up two or three hills until he again started to run.
At kilometer 10 or so a security officer from Pineland came with his Jeep and tried to get me off the trail – no dogs are normally allowed – I told him “er kann mich mal sonst wo” and he could try to cache us if he can (he was a big guy). There is an exception just for that race and no one informed him.
After 15k we came back in the start/finish area in 01:40 still 5min. faster than last year. Christa was there and Jeff helped us to change the dogs. Thanks to Jeff and Mark for helping Christa out with the Kids and the dogs.
Luc of course was very excited. And made some loops around me until he realized what’s going on here and that he has to run – in front of me. But then he surprised me, he simply was so excited that he pulled the whole time up and of course down the hills. Luc is an awesome dog. We managed to run the second loop in nice fast and steadily pace including a long stop at the water station and that just because of Luc was really good focused. We came in 2:26:56min, more than 30min faster then last year. There is still a lot of space for improvement but we are on the right track.
There were 6 or more starter in the 4K canicross. Nice to see more people finally running with there dogs.
At kilometer 10 or so a security officer from Pineland came with his Jeep and tried to get me off the trail – no dogs are normally allowed – I told him “er kann mich mal sonst wo” and he could try to cache us if he can (he was a big guy). There is an exception just for that race and no one informed him.
After 15k we came back in the start/finish area in 01:40 still 5min. faster than last year. Christa was there and Jeff helped us to change the dogs. Thanks to Jeff and Mark for helping Christa out with the Kids and the dogs.
Luc of course was very excited. And made some loops around me until he realized what’s going on here and that he has to run – in front of me. But then he surprised me, he simply was so excited that he pulled the whole time up and of course down the hills. Luc is an awesome dog. We managed to run the second loop in nice fast and steadily pace including a long stop at the water station and that just because of Luc was really good focused. We came in 2:26:56min, more than 30min faster then last year. There is still a lot of space for improvement but we are on the right track.
There were 6 or more starter in the 4K canicross. Nice to see more people finally running with there dogs.
Even if everybody has still to work on how to “mass” start with a dog. That “chaos” was nice to watch.
All pictures from Pineland here
Now I could say the season is over. But actually that was our first trainings - run for the coming winter season. Especially for those mid distance pulka runs I will train on next winter.
And in 8 weeks the 16miler in Newbury Port is calling. :)
Now I could say the season is over. But actually that was our first trainings - run for the coming winter season. Especially for those mid distance pulka runs I will train on next winter.
And in 8 weeks the 16miler in Newbury Port is calling. :)
