The Little Angel Dog

Dear Mummy,

When I first started writing to you one year ago, I was cold, hungry and lost. I had run away from the “bad place” and was trying to find you. I hope one day I will find you as I have so much to tell.

So much has happened in a year. I have lived in many different homes and had many different names. I have met some really nice people and some very bad people.

I like where I am now, I think it is my forever home.

I have nice food every single day and I get to go out exploring the countryside every day. I am not allowed to run free when I am in the countryside, but I do not mind as I am allowed to play freely in a very large garden where lots of little mice and slow worms play chase with me. I can even pick my own raspberries and apples from the trees.

No one hurts me any more or gets cross when I try to talk or try to play. They don't lock me outside or ever tie me up. There is a little flappy door thing that I use to get from house to garden. It took me a very long time to not be scared of the flappy thing as it reminded me of when people hurt me when I tried to go through the door.

I have found a human mummy and daddy – they don't have fur like you, but they give me lots of love and attention and help me when I get scared.

They already had three fur kids when I first arrived at their home and recently they have got another little one – he is going to be BIG trouble.....

All the other fur kids were really nice to me when I arrived. Two of them are very old, and I know to respect them, but sometimes I tease Krofti and he pretends that he gets really grumpy. I also tease Kez and he pretends that he is a motor bike. I copy him - I sound like a Harley and he sounds like a Honda...

The new little fur kid is my best friend and I am showing him how to behave like a grown up. He thinks it is funny and tries to bite my ears and steal my food a little too much. I had to tell him to stop the other day and he ran and told human mummy and daddy. They smiled at me and told me I was a good boy, which I think annoyed the little fur kid because he thinks he has special rights as he is so cute. He even stole bananas and tried to hide the banana skins in my bed.

Sometimes people scare me and remind me of the bad people that didn't like me. If I get scared I ask my human mummy for help and she always seems to know what to do to make me feel better.

My human mummy and daddy run a lot and take me running with them. It was very hard at first as my body had suffered a lot from not having proper food as a baby and I could only run short distances. I would get tired quickly and have to stop and lie down.

Running makes my human mummy happy and I want to help make her happy. I have been trying very hard and sometimes I run round and round the garden to make my legs stronger and faster. I have watched the human athletes on the television and if it works for them, it can work for me.

Every Saturday Kez and I go with the humans to a local park where we get to run with lots of other people. I like running with other people as they help me go faster, but human mummy is not quite fast enough and slows me down. I think she should try running round and round the garden every day then she would be able to keep up with me.

I really like Saturday mornings as human mummy is so happy when we run and even happier when we finish. She always hugs me when we stop, and today she started crying. I don't think she was sad as she was smiling at the same time. She told me I was a very special little angel dog and she was so happy to have found me. She spoke of PBs, but I don't know what they are.

I like that she calls me an angel dog as it reminds me of you mum. You were my real life guardian angel for such a short time when I was little. Throughout the sad and bad times of my life I always thought of you and pretended you were near me, watching over me.

If I ever find you, you can come and live in this special house where the furry children and humans live a very happy life. There is a spare bunk bed for you.....

Always in my thoughts,
Kobi “the little angel dog”.

The Secret Training Diary of.....?

We are about to launch the Huskies Running website. The objective of this site is very simple – we want to share with people our huskies, running and general information and training advice based upon our experiences. We will also be offering competitions, with prizes for a wee bit of fun!

For those of you that do not know us, Huskies Running consist of Ian, Sandra and five huskies ranging in ages from 5 months to nearly 13 years old. The huskies have become affectionately known as “the K pack” as their names all begin with the letter “K” - Kade, Krofti, Kez, Kobi & Kroi “Kree”.

Both Ian and Sandra are accomplished athletes. Sandra has represented Scotland and Great Britain in World, European and Commonwealth Ultra Running Championships. Ian has a marathon PB of 2:39, and is in training to run from John O' Groats to Land's End in 2012.

Sandra has become an international athlete as a result of some fabulous training partners, our Siberian Huskies. Together they run from sub 5 minute miles to 50 mile mountain races, each husky playing an integral part in her quest to be a better runner and better person.

Our older dogs regularly run with children, to help encourage and motivate both child and husky!

We compete in both the CaniX UK canicross championship and the Canicross Trailrunners events where canicross runners are permitted to compete in traditional human running races.

Feel free to read through any items on this blog. There are both dog and non dog related running articles.

One of the features that we would like to share on the Huskies Running website is the training diary of one member of the team. This is where we need your help as to which one would be most beneficial to others....

Option 1: Our rescue husky, Kobi and his quest to run 15:45 for 5k, building towards next year’s European Canicross Championship.

Option 2: Baby puppy Kroi , his introduction to the world of canicross and his quest to become an ultra running dog, like his big brother Kez.

The little lost dog that found himself....

When we first met Kobi, I tried to look into his eyes to see what lived inside the body that had suffered so badly at the hands of humans. A blank expression was all that met with my gaze, he would not make eye contact, and would not even try to focus on his environment. Absolutely no interest in humans whatsoever. His little body carried him around, but his vacant expression showed no life at all. I had a horrid sick feeling in my stomach when I envisaged what might have happened to him in his short life. He was a very young little person that looked as if he had already given up on life....

We knew it would be a huge challenge to bring a sparkle into his eyes. We had space in our pack for another dog, and we wanted to give a “rescue” dog a new life. A life that would include being part of an amazing pack, eating fabulous food, huge amounts of exercise, even his very own bunk bed!

I felt that there was something very special inside his little shell, one of those "gut feelings" I have earned a reputation for - as evidence all around me was to the contrary. I believed that I could help him and that in some way he would help me....

Kobi was completely petrified of human beings. Petrified to the point of freezing, his mind and body completely shutting down if a human went near him. When he went into this traumatised state, one could have done anything to him and I don't think he would have shown any reaction. Dogs he understood and was fine with, humans he did not trust and did not want to have anything to do with.

He was extremely underweight, covered in fleas and full of worms when first handed into the dog rescue. Apparently he was found on the streets, but it was generally felt by the rescue centre the people that "found him" were actually his owners. His original foster owners had performed a wonderful job of cleaning him, feeding and trying to connect with him. He quickly gained weight while living with them, but would not interact with them, preferring to spend most of each day in a cage, even though the door was wide open.

When we brought him home he quickly settled into his cage, it was his little safe haven, which we respected and would not infringe upon "his space". When he did come out of his cage if either Ian or myself went within 10 feet of him he bolted into another room. We had to wait until he was in a corner before we could clip a lead onto his collar, just to take him a walk. If we looked at him he would cower and drop to the floor.

We considered that he might be very ill or possibly be handicapped in some way. He had not pain responses and his reactions (or rather lack of) to certain stimuli lead us to consider this train of thought.

He seemed fascinated with his own paws as they moved, almost as if they were a live animal that he could chase. It looked like he did not realise they were his own. Baby puppies I can understand show this type of behaviour, as they learn about themselves and their bodies, but at possibly ten months he appeared too old for this immature behaviour.

He never refused any food offered to him, did not chew it, just gulped it down as fast as possible, probably fearing that it would be his last meal for a long while. And his sensitive little tummy took a very long time to heal.

One year has now almost passed since Kobi joined our family. We have all learned a lot in that time and been through a very emotional, roller coaster journey.

Kobi loves to run and loves to race against others, both human and dogs alike. I have run with many very good dogs during my 15 years of cani-crossing, but this little guy offers me something new, and something very special indeed.

He has appeared in glossy magazines, been offered sponsorship, raced against Olympic athletes and has even been nominated to help carry the Olympic Torch next year.

But more importantly, this little boy is happy. Every day he eats good food, runs across beautiful countryside, and every day he smiles. He appears grateful for what he now has, but the truth is that I am the one that is truly blessed to have him as a running partner.

A challenge of Ridgeway proportions...

The Ridgeway Challenge
And what a challenge it was....

I have never prepared as well for a race as I did for the Ridgeway Challenge - an 85 mile (although some say it is actually 87 miles..?) race from Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire, to Avebury in Wiltshire. Organised by the Trail Running Asociation, it has become one of Britain's prestigious long distance trail races and offers the title of UK Ultra Trail Running Champion to the worthy male and female winners. All one has to do is get to Avebury via Britain's oldest road (over 5,000 years old!) before all the other runners....

My preparation for this race included running parts of the trail - something I have never previously done. Guided by Ian, we ran part of the second half that we knew I would be running in darkness during the actual race. Worries about me getting lost in the middle of nowhere in the early hours of the morning, ensured that Ian "made me" do it, for which I am extremely grateful - sometimes he does know best!!

Beautiful sunshine and a cold wind greeted us as we gathered at the start, fabulous views surrounding us. Heavy rain in the week preceding this race would undoubtably come to haunt me later on, but as we ran down the first hill on good trail surface, I was glad of my decision to wear road trainers. But was regretting my decision to remove my arm warmers as it was a little bit chilly! Never mind, run faster and I would soon warm up.

The first section of the Ridgeway is on fabulous rolling grassland hills, amazing views all around. I had been forewarned that (in some people's opinion) the first half of the Ridgeway is the prettiest, and I was determined to make the most of this by absorbing all the sights, sounds and smells of the countryside before the cover of darkness removed at least one of those senses...

Everyone has different reasons for running. My reasons are (to me) quite simple. It gives me freedom. Freedom from the constraints and stresses of work, life and "stuff" in general. It gives me a chance to dig deep into my mind, something I cannot always do when surrounded by distractions. I can inspire myself and I can find what I regard as the true me. I do enjoy meeting new new people and sharing stories with them during part of my runs, but it is never long before I crave the solitude of just me, just me and the amazing natural beauty of the British countryside.

During the early stages of any ultra, there are always people close by and it was good to catch up with old friends and make new friends during this race, but it wasn't long until I craved the solo road. My ankle was causing me intense pain as we ran through Wendover Wood, shortly before the first Checkpoint at Wellhead Farm, pain makes me grumpy and not very sociable!

At the Checkpoint, I was instantly remined how amazing volunteers are. Giving up their time to cater for all the runners' needs, always a smile and a cheery thought to share. This was to be the theme for all of the Checkpoints throughout the duration of the race and I think there was a little competition going on for the accolade of "friendliest volunteer of the day". To me there was no clear favourite, but Mr Hot Cross Bun, Mrs Scottish Lady, Mrs Hot Dog Lady, and Mr Ever so Cheery by the campfire, deserve a special mention. You all helped give me the strength to continue the race when my mind was telling me to stop! I offer my thanks and gratitude to all of you and your friends - your spirits gave me strength and a "will" that I thought I had lost!

My memories of the sights between checkpoints 1 and 3 are very vague. Struggling to manage the pain in my ankle, I was switching off from all that was around me, digging deep trying to find some strength to keep running. One foot in front of one another, clock up the miles and just try to get to at least halfway before I quit. I remember going up a hill that was runnable just after Wendover, Coomb Hill I believe was its name. It was at this point that I overtook the leading female runner, something alien to me as I am traditionally a very slow starter in ultra races, and have never been at the front of a race before the halfway point.

The Ridgeway also pushed us up a very steep hill, a muddy slidey one that was definitely not runnable as my feet kept slipping from beneath me! The views at the top were worth the struggle and I was glad that I took advantage of my "enforced" walk break and consumed a homemade cheese and pickle sandwich. I do not know the name of the hill, but will soon find out... I do remember that a local runner knew it well as he came prepared for the ascent with walking sticks!!

There was also a section of trail that was heavily waterlogged, somewhere before and after Checkpoints 2 & 3. I just about gave up the will to live at this point, I agree that sounds somewhat melodramatic, but forcing my way through this slippery sludge reminded me of my recent encounter with Irish bogs, reminded me of my failure to finish a race and every time I slipped and kicked my ankle, reminded me of my vulnerabilities. In short it hurt, it hurt a lot!

If I could have made one change at this point, it would have been my trainers. Swopped my trusty, completely overworn and overused Nimbus and placed either my Mudclaws or Rocklites upon my feet. Hindsight is such a wonderful thing...

Mr Hot Cross Bun, offered some respite at the checkpoint - a jam filled bun and some well chosen words and I was moving onwards, "just get to halfway" ricocheting around my mind, "finish a leader, not a loser".

And then my first miracle, the first glimmer that my fighting spirit could still be found....

As we crossed under the M40, he saw me and came towards me, high up in the sky. He was soon joined by another, then another. Goosebumps over my body, I felt inspiration and motivation deep inside my body. The glorious site of the red kites of Oxfordshire! I was instantly transported back to the first time I ever saw a red kite, the first one released in Hampshire, before it became public knowledge. That day I flew home effortlessly, completely in awe of the beauty of nature. As I watched the kites today, it felt as though they were helping me fly across the ground, my Camelbak offering wings which I could use to rest my ankle.

All too soon, the kites were gone, taking my wings with them. They did however leave a little bit of hope that I might just be able to go a little further than the halfway(ish) point at Goring...

Checkpoint 4 appeared at the top of a long hill, and it was the first time I realised just what an amazing sight the banners around these checkpoints are - a welcoming little beacon and offer of help to all of us runners.

This is where I met Mrs Scottish Lady, who offered coffee, cake and a few wee words of encouragement, words that stayed with me as I continued on my way past Swyncombe church and I think this is when we crossed a golf course. Embarassing confession at this point is that I somehow managed to get a little bit lost! Just a little bit thankfully and soon I was back following the brilliantly way marked route - The Ridgeway is very well marked, and there were only on a few occasions when I wondered off the route....

At this point I must also say that Ian was following my journey with a car full of food, drink and words of support. Plus a camera with a very big lens - if any fellow runners found themselves hurdling a man lying in the road with a camera with a camera pointing in their direction, that was Ian. Forever in a quest for the best angled shot - which he normally gets!! All photos can be found on the TRA website.

The plan was to meet Ian and change into trail shoes just before I hit the Thames section of the Ridgeway as we anticipated very wet conditions....

Hmmm, didn't quite turn out to be the bog that we had anticipated and was in fact completely dry! However there were three significant events on this section of the trail, heading towards Goring..

The first was upon reaching a church gate, which appeared to allow the Ridgeway through the church grounds. This felt wrong, felt disrespectful and I stood for several minutes hoping that I had made a mistake and that the route wound its way around the church. To no avail, the route definitely went through, and therefore so must I. Carefully closing the gate behind me I crossed the grounds, apologising to no one in particular, it just felt necessary to say "sorry".

The second event, was the delightful sight of Ian standing outside the Perch and Pike Pub in North Stoke, with a 1/2 pint of Guinness sitting atop the car! We had joked about this during our pre race meal in this very pub, but I did not think it would happen. With great pleasure I downed most of the soothing beverage, so full of nutrition and goodliness....

The third event, and most significant of the entire race was what happened next. Perhaps it was the Guinness, perhaps it was the reminder of how much Ian loves me, or perhaps it was something else.. Whatever the reason I suddenly believed that I could find the strength within me to finish the race, to run all the way to Avebury.

The pain in my ankle was becoming manageable and I suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to continue my quest to inspire as many people as possible. For some time I have been considering retiring from competitive ultra running, regardless of whether or not that is what I do, from this point forth in this race I wanted to prove that you can achieve your dreams. No matter what, dig deep, find hope, find belief and find that special energy to achieve what you dream of. I will never forget the day I was told I would never run again, I refused to accept that, and look at what I have achieved since that day, how many miles I have run...

A change of socks, clean ankle support and back to my road trainers at Goring, fueled up and lights at the ready, I was up for the challenge of taking on the second half of the Ridgeway. I would soon be on familiar terrain, and now the negative switch in my mind flipped over - now I was running home!!

The road section coming out of Streatley feels like it goes on forever, and then some more... I was convinced that I had missed a turn, running on the road did not feel right. I was somewhat relieved to see head torches of fellow runners in the distance, confirmation that I was still on course.

Light was rapidly diminishing and I finally relented and joined all the other runners already using a headtorch. I am very experienced running in darkness and feel completely at home running off road in the dark - this is my "normal" daily life!

Suddenly, and in the middle of nowhere, there was a headtorch coming towards me, accompanied by the familiar voice of Ian - perfect timing as I was completely out of water and very thirsty. Unfortunately, Ian had no water - he had just run over one mile from the road to meet me at this point as he realised that we had misinterpreted the route and the point where it crossed the A34. If I followed the path that we had walked on the day before I would be off the Ridgeway Trail and probably lost!! Ian does not believe I can read sign posts,undoubtably based upon his experiences when I am driving.... Whatever the reason, I thank thee and also the very kind man that filled up my water reservoir from his own supply - I am sorry that I did not get your name. Thank you.

Checkpoint 6, lights blazing and spotted from far down the track, was a welcome sight, as was the realisation that I was now on familiar ground. As I munched upon a vegetarian hot dog I recognised the car park as the very one we had parked in less than one week ago, from where we had walked the dogs. We were now running on the outskirts of Swindon (I think), the town lights could be see far in the distant valley.

Tiredness was now catching up with me and the biting wind on the hills was causing my body temperature to drop dramatically. Ian reacted quickly to my deminishing mind and body strength and pulled out the jacket and buff that I had been carrying, insisting against my protests that I wore them!

Onwards once more and now it was becoming a struggle. Quite simply I wanted my bed. Didn't want to be running across country in the middle of the night, that was for crazy people. Sensible people should be all tucked up in bed dreaming sweet dreams...

One foot in front of the other, drudging onwards to the next checkpoint. Darkness all around, the only company I had were the little bats fluttering around catching their supper. I wished the dogs were with me, my daily training partners and excellent pacemakers. I started dreaming of them, drifting in and out of wooziness as I tried to concentrate on where I was placing my feet. I had already turned both ankles earlier on the course, now would not be a good time to do further damage. I became a little disorientated and could not work out where I was on the route, distances felt longer and I worried several times that I had gone off course.

Checkpoint 7 and Ian insisted I ran with a fellow runner that was also going through a tough spell. It was a good idea and for many miles Matt and I shared stories and experiences, I walked/ ran as he ran constantly, fearful of a knee injury that was seizing up when he stopped or walked. His girlfriend was on her way to meet him at the next checkpoint, this was spurring him on and I tapped into some of his energy!

At checkpoint 8 I had the most delightful peanut butter sandwich and met with Mr Ever So Cheery and the campfire supporters! They were awesome as they cheered the runners and passed on words of encouragement. I learned at this point only 5 or 6 people had passed through, a complete shock to me as I thought there were about 30 people ahead of us! I was also a little concerned at this checkpoint as there was no sign of Ian. He had mentioned an Indian Restaurant on the route, just after the trail joins a busy road before crossing the M4 again, but I expected to see him at this checkpoint. What if something had happened to him...

Not so, my knight in shining armour was waiting in the Indian Restaurant car park, bottle of Dioralyte and Sudo cream at the ready... Unfortunately I arrived too late for the Naan bread that I had been dreaming of!

I caught up with Matt for the last time, just as we crossed the M4, heading towards Marlborough. My strength was returning as his knee was troubling him and it was with deep sadness that I ran away from him and up the hill towards Ogbourne St George and crossing of the A346. I did take some comfort when I looked back and saw another headtorch join his, hopefully a fellow runner.

I knew that once I crossed the A346 I was on the final leg home. Ian and I had run together on the Ridgeway from this point and I had taken in every sight and sound on that day. Two hours from Avebury at that point, ONLY two hours...

I felt very emotional as I ran towards Marlborough. Marlborough Downs to be precise, the place of my first ever ultra - the first time I ran beyond a marathon and loved every single minute of it. Where my love of ultra running began...

I crossed the A346, met Ian and had some more coca cola, dioralyte, crisps and chocolate - what a lovely conconction. Ian left me to continue via car to our next rendevous point, I ran on alone with only some chocolate shortbread for company as I commenced my last ascent of the day to the final checkpoint at Barbury Castle.

As I ran up the never ending hill to Barbury Castle, a huge flashing beacon led the way. I was impressed, what a fabulous idea of the organisers, a huge ball of fire showing us weary runners where our final checkpoint was. I am sure the red kites must have been nearby as I suddenly sprouted wings as I ran up the hill....

There was no checkpoint at the flashing beacon, in fact the source was not even on the Ridgeway trail! I think it belonged to a farm building, absolutely nothing to do with the Ridgeway Race!! Never mind, it helped me up that final hill and I am sure others felt the same way..?

The final checkpoint and I was met with tubs of tomatoes, cheese and kiwi fruits, but no Ian? As I munched on a few delightful fruits Ian suddenly appeared in a terrible fluster. Apparently I had out run him and had arrived too early!

No one at the checkpoint could confirm how many miles to the finish, guesses varied somewhere between 4 and 7 miles. It did matter not as I knew that I had still had many more running miles in my legs...

As I ran through Barbury Castle Hill Fort, I was once again reminded of the similarities between it and Figsbury Hill Fort (where I do my hill reps). I felt so close to home and had to fight my desire to "floor it"... Not yet, it was way too soon and collapsing miles from the finish would not do my street credibility any good!

The last section of trail heading towards Avebury is fraught with potential hazards: large loose stones; deeply rutted tracks; long grass. Lose my concentration and I could easily topple over or turn my ankle again.

I knew to look out for the turning to the right, just after Fyfield Down. This was when the race route separated from The Ridgeway trail and headed into Avebury along the Wessex Ridgeway (I think that is the correct name..?) If I missed this turn I would have to turn around when I reached a road - signalling the end of The Ridgeway.

Panic set in as the stretch of trail I was familiar with suddenly became alien and I convinced myself that I was on new ground, slowing to a jog I feared the worst...

Until.... as if by magic, I spotted the little yellow sign laid down by the Race Director pointing down the very track that I thought I had missed. Relief swept over me as I ran down the hill and finally allowed myself to accept that not only was I finishing this race very strongly, I was finishing as the very first Lady.

No pint of Guinness awaited me at the finish as the pub had long since closed, instead I was met by a small crowd of very enthusiastic supporters and the most delicious mug of tomato soup!!

And so, upon reflection, will I be retiring from ultra running? Yes, and no...

There is one area of competitive ultra running that I have no dreams to pursue. However, the facts remain that I do love running very long distances, I love personal challenges and I love the thought of inspiring others to enjoy running and fulfilling dreams. I am on borrowed time with my ankle and know that one day I will no longer be able to manage the pain. Sometimes I struggle, always I have to fight at some point during every race that I run. One day I will not be able to continue this fight and it will come to an end.

Ankle pain withstanding, I struggled during a large percentage of this race, and know where I made mistakes. I have spared you some of these issues/ errors as not all can and should be shared. I truly believe that I can run considerably faster on this course and that belief has given me a deep seated desire to return next year to prove this belief.

Until then, a different life awaits me. No more chasing vests or quests to seek people's approval. The true me is a chaser of my own dreams and I am a dream catcher.....

When one becomes two...

Falkirk Parkrun - an opportunity to run a 5k route in Scottish temperatures and on husky friendly terrain. Perfect opportunity for pocket rocket Kobi to continue his quest for super speed further than 1 mile....

Set in the glorious surroundings of Calendar Park in Falkirk, this new Parkrun is run by an amazingly friendly group of runners that offer dog biscuits and human sweeties to all finishers!!

True to form, we arrived at the start line not quite fully prepared to start the race and managed to lose about 30 seconds untangling dogs from ganglines and necklines - runners disappearing off into the distance! When finally both dogs were free from constraints, Kobi shot off the line in hot pursuit, determined to catch every runner at lightning speed.

We zipped past quite a few fellow parkrunners before reaching a narrow pathway, upon where I decided that it was not safe to try any super speed overtaking and would try and take advantage of the human runners blocking the path to slow Kobi down and not let him burn himself out.

My plan worked very well as we ran through some fabulous trails in the woods, up and down little undulations, avoiding squirrels and tree routes. Lovely course and it was a delight to watch the two dogs working well together, stride for stride and obeying my every command. I could see the happiness on the dogs' faces, as we flew round the bends clocking up km after km...

First mile 5:24, second mile 5:26 and then..... Kobi could no more.... Just as we reached the foot of the hill that is commonly known as "the mountain" to most Falkirk Parkrunners, Kobi ran out of run (in true Pooh Bear style..) and came to a spluttering stop, almost standstill.

He turned to look at me, confirming that he was now very tired and the fire in his belly to catch every runner truely burnt out. There is nothing I can do from this point forth other than jog/ walk to the finish and encourage him to just keep on moving forward.

And so to the finish we did plod, to resounding cheers of support from a fantastic crowd of Scottish supporters. Post race biscuits, sweets and chat an absolute pleasure.

Brilliant little parkrun event and I took fantastic encouragement knowing that Kobi can now run two fast miles!! Now all he has to do is hold it together for one more mile....

Hot dogs: country bumpkin dogs in city centres...

Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1, fabulous event that offers a variety of distances for both walker and runners - dogs allowed!

Excellent training for me coming the day after a fun 50 miler across the North Downs Way, jog in the park for Kez, and big challenge for little Kobi - running 30k with lots of people....

A rather how day, my first concern is always the well being of the dogs. The dogs have been training in warn conditions and so are very acclimatised to them. They are phenomenally fit and best of all they always let me know well in advance if they need help, i.e. a river swim. I know the signs and it works for us. We train on the race route, and I know where all the accessible river crossing. I also carry water and electrolytes for them, just in case...

Due to the earlier start, we began the run at the same time as the 50k runners (or rather we missed the start and chased after them for the first two miles...) with the intention of picking up the 20k route part way round and completing a final distance of 30k - the furthest Kobi has ever run.

In true Kobi style, we ran the first few miles at more effort than required... Thankfully Kez with his pacer's head on ensured we didn't do 5 minute miling! When Kobi did finally settle, it was an amazing experience to see him actually working with Kez. Head down, tail flying behind, he looked like a true husky. This is the first time he has shown this pose while in harness and bodes very well for his future as a longer distance athlete. Perhaps his dream to one day run a marathon may well become a reality....

The first river stop very nearly resulted in some outdoor swimming for me (much to the amusement of my fellow runners!!) - I forgot that the lines attached to the dogs were much shorter than the ones I normally have when the dogs are bathing in that particular section of the river!! Thankfully Ian was by my side to "anchor" me to the river bank.

We ran alongside our fellow runners for many miles, enjoying the scenery and chatting around us. The usual accusations of "cheating" were easily outweighed by the fantastic compliments and responses from our fellow runners as the huskies trotted past. Kez helped steer Kobi around legs, trees and lamposts. Kobi tried to barge his way through everyone and leave his "scent" on every blade of grass in the Wiltshire countryside....

We ran very slowly to ensure the dogs did not overheat, and stopped for very long times at the drink stations, which had been brilliantly supplied with a great variety of dogs bowls. We even discovered that Kobi rather enjoys jelly babies and Clif Bar Shot blocks!

The road sections (of which there are very few) were a huge problem for us - my country bumpkin dogs are not used to running on pavements and don't quite understand the safety protocol when running down a rather busy road. I do apologise to my fellow runners for our rather extravagant sprint on the road into Alderbury, when we probably clocked 3 minute mile pace in our desparation to get safely to the next traffic free section!!

Ian and I had to separate company in the Longford Estate as he was continuing for the full duration of the 50k, where as we had to now pick up the 20k route and head into Britford and back to Salisbury. A nice muddy tree lined route soon followed and we were able to have a little blast and dismiss the sadness as at not being able to continue with Ian for the full distance.

Kobi started looking a little tired and was beginning to show the behaviour we have come to recognise in our little rescue boy. When he gets tired his confidence drops and he starts to worry about things he is not familiar with. Different people, new challenges etc are all suddenly huge problems for a little boy that feels scared. Kez and I have to give him our confidence - he watches us listens to us and tries to follow our example. Only a few short months ago he would have given up at this point and shut down. Body drop the floor and his brain would shut down - this was how he had evolved in order to protect himself from all the trauma that he was subject to as a baby, before we rescued him.

The next river stop had a fence to negotiate before free river access, which Kez recognised and squeezed under with no problem. Kobi on the other hand convinced himself that the an axe wielding man was hidden within the fence and refused to even touch it. If I panic or show signs of stress, Kobi worsens, and so with a very deep breath and superhuman strength, I somehow managed to lift him over whilst not being hauled into the river by Kez who was happily splashing around! I was rewarded on the exit from river by suddenly seeing two huskies disappearing from me as I had forgotten to attach their dog line onto my running belt!! Thankfully Kez is extremely obedient and came running straight back to me when I called him.

The next challenge for little Kobi was to negotiate a very busy city centre -all that stood between us and the finish was a one mile section of a city full of tourists..... He panicked, I panicked and Kez just put his little head down and tried to drag us round all the obstacles. Kez really is a superstar. I know how stressed he must have been as he is not happy in crowds of people and certainly not ones that keep reaching out to touch him as we run past. People blocked our way and seemed to find it very funny to try and grab at the dogs, which were clearly scared. Poor Kobi was absolutely petrified as he tried to follow Kez. Both of them ran beside me and I tried to reassure them, and encourage them to keep moving. I knew that if we could just keep moving Kobi would be ok. Stressed yes, but it would give him strength for the next time we encounter such a challenge....

And we made it safely to the finish. Stopped short of the finishing chute to ensure our chip time was not recognised, however the sensors did pick it up and we were credited with a very fast 50k time for only running 30k (this has since been rectified).

The first thing I did when we stopped was call Kobi and Kez to me and praise them. Little Kobi just pushed his little body into mine and wanted to be hugged for a very long time. It was so sweet and so like a young human child wanting reassurance from a parent. When I finally managed to prise him out of my arms I looked at his little face and he looked so happy. So different from the puppy we met only last year. This little guy now loves life and all the challenges that it brings. These challenges do make him stronger and he is rapidly becoming a superstar. I am frequently in awe of his resiliance and fighting spirit. He has endured so much and actually appears grateful for what he now has. Human emotion and interpretation I know, but this is one of the reasons why I am able to get so much from my dogs - empathy and a desire to understand their behaviour in human terms.

Magic Miles in so many ways...

Speak of "Magic Miles" and I immediately think back to the days of Coe, Ovett and Cram. Hours of watching their races over 800m, 1500m & 1609m. Feeling inspired to run and dreaming of one day running for Team GBR....

Recently I have been looking for an opportunity to run a one mile race with Kobi our little rescue dog. A chance to see what he can do over the one mile distance (the little guy had a tendency to "blow up" in 5k races, but very fast for the first 1.5 miles). So when Martin Yelling and Tom Williams from Marathontalk.com came up with the briliant idea of a global Magic Mile challenge, I hoped this could be the perfect opportunity for us..

Poole Parkrun very kindly agreed to let us run in their staged event in Poole Park. Having previously run 49 Parkruns with Huskies, the dogs' behaviour has been complimented on numerous occasions and their reputation appears to be spreading.... Being a non dog runner myself sometimes, I know only too well the safety issues that need to be considered when running at high speeds around people and it is always my first concern, even if it means I have to stop or to run very wide, I will not put others in danger.

My original intention had been to run Kobi on his own, but after a pre race trial with him running solo I soon realised that he still has some major confidence issues that we need to work through before we take the next step.

For those of you that do not know Kobi's story, he was rescued last year very close to death and his future looked very bleak. Petrified of humans, his little mind and body had never known nourishing food or love. He was too weak for the vet to vaccinate him as the live vaccine could have killed him. I connected with him the first time I met him and knew I had to give him a chance of life and to be happy. I even allowed myself a very far fetched dream of one day turning him into a European Canix Champion...

Therefore Kez was drafted in to the race to give Kobi some canine support, and also to ensure perfect steering!!

Our pre race preparation did not go very well thanks to scarey men (Kobi's opinion), squirrels, loose dogs and a general "cannot be bothered" attitude from the dogs. I quickly reassessed my objective of trying to run 5 minutes, to just getting round the course with both dogs in front of me and no "incidents". The other extra exciting aspect of the race was that Liz Yelling (yes THE Liz Yelling of Olympic Marathon fame) and her husband Martin were both running in the sub 7 minute race!!

I started at the back, and very wide of all the other runners and with Ian's help we clipped on the neckline and held them for a few seconds to allow all the runners to get started. And then we were off...

Immediately both dogs went into work mode, full flight and chasing after the other runners. I kept them very wide for the first 3/4 lap to ensure all the runners had settled and it was safe to move over without infringement of anyone. I settled just behind the lead runners and felt completely in awe of what I was doing. Running this close to an Olympic athlete and watching the dogs running so freely and so happily and in full control I am glad that I was wearing sunglasses as I cannot be sure if the tears were due to the wind or the emotion.

The event organisers had very kindly set a course for dogs on the grass on the inside of the race circuit, but the dogs chose to run mostly on the tarmac - with the exception of the grass section on the far outside where we nearly had to hurdle the bench when Kez responded too quickly to me turn right "Gee" command (thanks Kez, we'll try steeplechase next time...)

My fears that the dogs would object to running three laps were soon overthrown as we flew round without breaking stride at the start/ finish point. On the last lap the fourth placed runner came up on the inside and I asked the dogs to go wide again to ensure he had full freedom to choose his route, they responded inmmediately but as we moved back to the inside I felt Kobi falter and slow down, was he going to blow up with only 300 metres to go...

Kobi moved onto the grass, and just as I started to fear that he had "run out of run", Kez decided that it was time for him to take control. Until this point Kobi had been setting the pace, Kez had done all the steering without much gusto, and to be fair I cannot blame him. He is an ultra runner, used to pacing himself for a very long run, not sprinting the entire distance. And he did not know how far or long he would be running this evening.

We soon started pulling back the distance we had lost to the runner in front of us and were gaining speed as we ran towards the finish. When a human is assisted by two racing huskies, the advantage in a sprint finish is phenomenal and I quickly had to make a decision as to whether I went for it or not. The risks were too great, visions of fast dogs, tangled lines and injured runners sprung to mind and I didn't ask for that final assistance. We stopped just short of the finish chute to ensure that Kobi didn't suddently bolt off to one side to avoid the people standing at the side.

Wow, I have never felt such immense pride in the team work that the boys and I showed during that run. Completely in control and all of us having such fun, doing what we love doing - running as a team. Running alongside athletes of such calibre and participating in such a fabulous fun challenge. And my ankle did not collapse or even seriously object to what was asked of it!

Our time was 5:02 and I know that with a little help and effort we can go faster.

Tomorrow I return to the 50 mile runs, but not before fueling the fire of the dream for little Kobi...

P.S. As the question will be asked... I have run 5:48 in a training run on an undulating course, without dogs.