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.
