Sometimes I get it wrong....

There exists a world where teleportation does not require a teleportation device. Wormholes can open and close in the blink of an eye....

I entered abruptly on day 1, thrown into a relentless river – fast slowing, torrential rapids. I tried to keep afloat, grabbing rocks and branches, anything to keep my head above water. But I kept getting swept further and further downstream. Dragged down from below and pushed from above.

I continued down this river for most of day 2. Sometimes able to gasp some breaths of air, mostly being smothered by the water, dragged further under and away from the surface. Away from life…

On day 3 I reached the sea. I saw no surface of this sea, only the dark murky depths of the ocean. I sank lower and lower into its depths. It was welcome relief when I finally reached the bottom.

On day 4 some magical force entered the ocean and caught me in its wake. It helped guide me to the surface of the ocean and the pushed me along to the sea-shores.

On day 5 I dragged my aching body from the ocean and took my first steps onto dry land. I started walking along the beaches.

On day 6 I started running. Running across the great deserts, the grass plains and through the forests and the moor lands.

On day 7 I will take to the sky. I will spread my wings and fly. Fly over the grasslands that I have run upon, over the beaches that I have walked upon. I will fly over the ocean that had once held me captive at the bottom, and over the raging, torrential river.

I will continue flying until I reached the foot of the mountains. This is where I will rest for a while.

One day I will climb these mountains. It might take a lifetime to reach the tops of these mountains. As long as it takes is as long as it will be....

I used to think that when I reached the top there would be someone waiting for me. Someone with whom I could totally be me, share me. And I share them. It would no longer be my world alone. It would be our world.

I got that wrong, I did not need to reach the top of that mountain to find that person. And even more amazingly along the way I found others that wanted to be a part of my world too. It is not my world alone, or to share with only one person.

And it is a world where magic really does exist and can be created by the mere use of words.....

The 5k dream... better than any time or position aspiration...

I am running out of time for one dream.... I dream of running a 5k race with all five huskies - the 5“K”s running together in a 5K.

The original plan was to achieve this dream run in celebration of Kez winning his 50th parkrun. I now fear that the extra weeks wait to reach this goal will prove too much for Kade.

Kade had another fit last weekend, his mind and body rapidly declining. He can still run, and indeed he loves to run, sometimes he seems to forget where he is in life and runs forward with such enthusiasm. At these times I remember him as the Kade of days gone by.

Next Saturday at Andover parkrun, I am going to make this dream happen..... Kade, Kroft, Kez, Kobi and Kroi will all join me on the start line of a 5k run.

There will be a 6th “K”, helping guide us round the course. Kai, forever present in my heart and mind, will be there. Without him, four of those dogs would not exist and I would not be the person that I am today.

I went for a practise run with all the “K”s this morning. It is certainly challenging to keep them running together as a team. The puppy and teenager wanting to race each other, the old boys wanting to doddle at the back and Kez happy to do whatever his “mum” wants!

When I run all the team together, they are so happy. Each dog fulfilling a different purpose within the team, some more productive than others! They are a pack, a very happy pack that loves to run and loves to be together. And I love the fact that I can give that to them.

It is going to be a very entertaining 3.1 mile run, a memory that I will treasure forever....

The humbling reality... when one thinks like a dog....

I had a wake up call yesterday. I struggled badly during a short race. Running 11k with dogs is normally a relatively easy run. I don't normally walk up hills and I don't normally end up close to tears running down hills. In fear of my life perhaps, but not an overwhelming fear of not being in control of two dogs securely attached to me. More importantly, I did not enjoy the run, did not enjoy my special time with Kez and Kobi, and it was that fact that “woke me up”...

For the purposes of this particular wake up call, I am choosing to ignore the fact that my body is presently fighting infection and I have two damaged ankles - those issues can be analysed later!

The plan was to run the first lap with Kez, and the second lap with both dogs. Dog runners had a two minute delayed start behind non dog runners and I knew that we would soon catch up and overtake most of the other runners. Kez confidently runs amongst other runners, weaving in and out as necessary, fully respective of every runner and will always run wide to ensure no contact. Kobi needs to practise his weaving a little more, and so I left him with Ian as Kez and I started the race.

I never start from the front, for some reason I always get to the start line and think there are many faster runners than us there and it is best if I respect them and stay behind. This then poses a few problems for Kez as he does not like to overtake other dogs. He has been attacked and lunged at on numerous occasions by dogs running with humans and now fears every dog will try to infringe him in some way. He waits until there is a huge gap and even then runs very wide and at full speed!!

Lesson 1: Next race, we start from the front!

The first lap went well, I was puffing more than normal, Kez's behaviour was impeccable. Fellow runners were very supportive, most complimenting Kez as he glided along while his runner huffed and puffed! Fantastic course, winding through glorious woodland littered with freshly fallen leaves – hiding a few tree roots, one had to be diligent where feet were placed.

Approaching the start of the second lap, I did consider stopping, it was hurting too much. However, I was keen to let Kobi have a run and thought that his enthusiasm would provide the energy that my body and mind were missing.....

Ian handed him to me and we were off.... almost immediately way off course and into the crowd. Whoops. Fortunately Kez soon guided Kobi back onto the racing route.

Lesson 2: Try and find some way to explain to a husky, how “relay running” for dogs is supposed to work!

Kobi has been absolutely amazing at recent parkrun events, racing them from the gun. On this day that was not happening, he was all over the place, jumping on Kez and running from side to side along the course. Speeding up every now and again, his pace was very erratic. Kez was obviously unsettled and kept on pulling over to the right hand side (his preferred racing route). This resulted in a constant battle between both dogs and me receiving no assistance whatsoever as all their pulling power was against each other.

I reminded myself of Kobi's background, tried to justify to myself that his behaviour was due to his upbringing and the fact that he was not from a “working” Siberian Husky blood line. “He wasn't a team player and could not run in partnership with another dog”,I thought. Running on his own he is fine, as long as canine support is nearby as he is still very fearful of most humans.

At no point during the race did I try and view the situation from his perspective....

The only human that he fully trusts and his best friend (and love rival) run away into the distance, leaving him behind with someone that he is still not 100% confident. He is then left somewhere that he has never been before surrounded by dozens of strange people and strange sights, sounds and smells. Humans shouting and probably scaring him unintentionally.

Suddenly I appear he is attached to both Kez and I and we dash off, without even stopping for a sniff from Kez, or a pat from me.

Poor little boy must have been so confused. He knows what to do at parkrun events because he has learned that they are safe and he knows what is expected of him.

Lesson 3: Treat the next race just like a parkrun, run from the start with both Kobi and Kez.

Lesson 4: Spend time allowing Kobi to become accustomed to a neckline and working in a team – he has not been trained as a sled dog the way our other huskies have, it does not mean that he cannot become one if shown what is expected.

Back to the race..... I decided to keep running as best we could, no reason to have DNF against my name. Kobi was fabulous on the up hill sections, speeding up immediately on command, but on the down hills he would not listen to me. I was forever shouting “steady, steady” each time getting louder and more desperate as he refused to listen. He did slow down, but was still pulling on the precarious descents of some sections of the route. I feared for my ankles and worried that soon I would be the laughing stock of fellow runners as I went head over heels....

I even tried pleading with Kobi, my voice getting desperate “please Kobi, will you please stay close!!” And suddenly he stopped, as did Kez and both actually turned their heads around and looked at me... They then proceeded down the hill in a very controlled and comfortable way. Did they finally understand my “plea”s...? Did they know I was in danger...?

No, the reality was that I had finally used the very words that they are trained to respond to. “Stay close” is what I use when I want them to stop pulling completely, i.e. come to heel. I use “steady” when I just want a little ease up on pulling power. It took me until almost the last hill to realise what I was doing wrong!! When I run Kez on his own, he knows what is required of him and I have taken this for granted during all our races together. Yesterday's race was the first time I had run Kobi on a hilly course requiring composure, poor little boy was only doing what I had trained him to do, he didn't understand why I was getting so upset.

Lesson 5: always remember the hours of training. The precise words and phrases used every day. If they don't respond, immediately ask why not, whilst remembering that squirrels will always overrule any human relayed instruction!!

We got to the finish of the 11k, huskies with beaming smiles across their faces, me in a grump because I decided not run another 5k (there was a16k distance option), which was definitely the correct decision!

I learned some very valuable lessons during this race, lessons I am already learning from and put into practise today. I am also changing all our training – “all” being me, and five huskies. We all have different goals, objectives and needs. The huskies' basic needs are top priority, it just so happens that I can combine them to help me meet my objectives, or rather, help me achieve my dreams.

Tribute to the original king of canicross....

I first met Kade the day he entered this world. Months of planning and preparation, he was the first born son of Kai. Nearly 13 years later, and after a lifetime of amazing experiences, I know that our time together is almost at its end.

I want to speak of him, and his life, whilst I can still touch him and cuddle him, a constant reminder of the amazing dog that he is.

I thought he was leaving me this morning, but he is still here and I am more than happy for him to break the rules and sleep on our bed as I reminisce...

I remember exactly where I was when I received the telephone call announcing his arrival. A little black and white puppy, destined to share our lives. Named after his father, “Wildenfree Blues KaisKade” he arrived on 30th January 1999.

When he was of age to leave his mum, Kai took on his paternal role and protected his little boy throughout their lives together. If Kade cried or was upset, Kai was instantly by his side, reassuring him. The bond between them was amazing and when it was cruelly broken in 2009, Kade mourned his loss as much as me. It was heart wrenching to hear his mournful howls in the early morning. We cried together and did our best to continue in a life with a huge void.

Kade has always been a very particular dog, with quirky little habbits. Selecting toys and placing them into different little piles, removing food from his bowl and rearranging it on the floor to then choose what he wanted to eat first. One time he carefully selected all the biscuits in his bowl, eating around the chunks of cheese that I had placed there. Thinking that he did not like the cheese, I removed it and gave it to Kai, much to Kade's surprise – I later discovered that this little dog actually preferred to save his favourite foods until last!

Kade as a youngster was a never ending ball of energy. The dog that never slept, he was always doing something. A very active mind and body, he was easily the most intelligent of all the huskies I have shared my life with. I would test him with little problems and be amazed to see him actually thinking out a solution. He was also a phenomenal hunter and Hampshire's mouse and rat population was controlled in a ruthless manner....

Growing up around horses, he had full respect for them. I would take Kai with me when out hacking and Kade would wait behind at the stables, playing with the little Falabella Stallion. He would also play with Friday my Welsh x Arab. He would chase Friday and then Friday would turn round and chase him – it was fabulous to watch their high speed chases! When Friday passed onto the next world, he took on the role of playmate for Brego, the baby Spanish Purebred, although Brego was not quite as keen to share his sugarbeet!

In my days of Husky racing (on wheeled rigs) he excelled himself, when at only nine months of age, he led a three dog team round his first ever “R” class at an ABSA event. He continued this when he was old enough to compete in the proper racing classes. We were never super fast as a sled dog team, but we did sneak a few wins on technical courses!

With Kade at the front of the team, I would confidently hitch up six huskies to the front of my mountain bike, knowing that I could trust him 100%.

He has taught all the other huskies how to lead from the front. When to take turns, speed up, overtake and ignore distractions. Numerous dogs have been hitched up to Kade on rig, bike and human – each time Kade showing the other dog what is required.

When the UK discovered the sport of Canicross, Kade and I were already prepared. Having run thousands of miles together, we took to racing like a duck takes to water.

We ran most Canix races in the early days, Kade earning a reputation which many original UK canicrossers still remember to this day...

He also managed a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to Belgium for the 2010 European Canicross Championships. Running with Ian, he led the way round the course, smiles upon both their faces. Ian perhaps having to work a little harder as Kade was determined to enjoy rather than race!

We started running parkruns to help Kez and I – both of us become anxious running around other dogs and people. Kade would help guide us round parkruns, controlling the puppy enthusiasm of Kez and ensuring we got the most from our speed training sessions!

Kade no longer cares for the speed session element of running, and prefers to trot around with children – both husky and child with big beaming smiles upon their faces.

He also helped Kobi (our rescue puppy) during his early days of parkrunning. Guided him round people, helped teach him that not all humans are bad and that it can be fun running with them. Kobi took it a little further and now believes that he has to beat all humans when racing them!

Kez, Kobi and I would never have been so successful had it not been for Kade. He helped me become an international athlete, triumphing against the odds. It almost seems fitting that he will probably leave me in the year that I retire. He has done his job very well and I am so proud of him.

His body is now struggling, but his desire to run remains. He jogs for a little bit and then stops, then suddenly he will dash forward as if remembering what he used to do – he becomes a puppy again and for a few seconds I can smile and dream that we are not where we are.

It was not only in the world of running that Kade excelled. In a past life we used to show very successfully. He won numerous awards including two Challenge Certificates, Reserve Best in Show and well as Best Puppy in Show at many open events. A part of me wishes that I had continued the quest for the third CC, but in my heart he will always be a Champion and that is what really matters.

Whatever happens between now and October 2012, Kade will be with me when I run in the European Canicross Championships. His physical strength will not be helping guide me round the course, but his legacy will be and his spirit will be with me all the way round. If I achieve the dream, I will have achieved it through him.

And when I hang up my racing trainers for good next year, I will hang Kade's collar beside them.

Helping Britain Glow: Doggie JOGLE

Idea evolution....

The original idea was to organise a continuous journey from John O'Groats to Land's End, with a relay team of dog runners. The logistics and organisation would be phenomenal, requiring a huge amount of time and effort. Shortage of time is the reason why I am moving onto Plan B (Plan A can be placed “on hold” for now...).

“I” is also going to become “we” as alone I could not make this work!

Plan B: Helping Britain to Glow, in so many ways.

Running is good for humans, running is good for dogs, combine the two and you have happy healthy and glowing human and canine. Next year is a very special year, an Olympic year where all the World's best athletes are coming to the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Coming to our very land that we walk and run on every day.

I find this thought very inspirational, and remember the dreams I had as a child. I still believe in dreams and will never give up on the ones that are truly important.

Helping more and more people to enjoy the benefits of running and enjoy the great British countryside is something that many of us strive to do. Every day at least one of you speaks to another person about running or about your dog. How many of them have gone on to try running themselves and then in return spread the word to others. Just like a little happy virus, it spreads quickly and easily, although for some it does prove more of a challenge than others.

Whether you are an accomplished runner, or someone about to start running for the first ever time, you can all help realise the challenge that is Plan B of the Doggie JOGLE.

The challenge would commence on the 1st January 20XX. The primary objective is to run 868 miles between John O'Groats and Land's end. However, it does not need to be one continuous, unbroken journey, it will be an accumulation of everyone's miles, metres or centimetres, run all over Great Britain. Ideally at least one run will be done in every county or region of the UK.

Thanks to the assistance of some very smart IT people (who are also runners), there will be a special programme where people can log the miles that they run. This programme will be linked to a map of the UK and every time a distance is logged, the map will light up in the region where the run was done.

The second objective of this challenge will be to have all areas on the map lit - Britain will be glowing!

There are already many dedicated groups of canicross runners all around the country – those miles must add up....

If you go on holiday, you can pop out for a little run – great opportunity for planning some really interesting holidays in obscure locations.....

Even people that do not own dogs can participate – you can borrow a friend's dog, or perhaps even visit your local dog rescue centre and take a resident for a little walk. You only have to jog a little bit to include it in this challenge.

Families can participate. School children can take part, encouraging sport amongst the future generation, help inspire those that will one day shape our nation in so many ways.

Huskies Running can also go on tour – we have 5 dogs that can all be made available to visit and to run in most parts of the UK. We will happily share them with anyone that would like to try canicross with a fully trained husky (with the exception of the puppy who we cannot claim to be “fully trained”).

So how about it? All you have to do is put your trainers on, pop out the door with your dog and then share your run with a nation...... I wonder which county will glow most....

What is my motivation for doing this? Simple, making dreams happen. This is a free event open to everyone. Yes, I would like to raise money for charity and think there are opportunities here to do that. My reward will be knowing that all over the UK, happy humans and dogs are having fun :-)

If any of you are non UK resident and would like to take part in a similar challenge, let us know and we can include your country/ area of preference – no limits (although we might be struggling a little to make the moon glow...)

(photo courtesy of Wikipaedia)