Training Log Archive: boyle

Much of the log refers to the walkabout taken through the 3.9k course before the race. While I think the group walk with 30+ dogs may have been a hindrance to Ziggy's race performance, the walk was needed because the park was just a confusion of trails and we had no signs or marshalls on course. However, for a pack walk, I thought Ziggy was very well behaved.

Canicross
Rigaud QC
9/21
75.3%

This was our first race in full battle gear. In my bright red hip belt, I probably looked more weird than my little dog in the full dog harness. This was also our first race with a mass start.

We have some things to learn. Because of the mass start, this was our first time at passing dogs. Ziggy didn't exactly get the idea. He thought we would race to get in front of the dog and then wait for the dog to catch up so we could do it again.

We also need to practise being passed while on the move. With the Mush Larose club, we would usually step off the trail while the husky or pointer sped by and then attempt to grab on to back of the faster team. In Rigaud, as we're passed and repassed by teams of similar speed, Ziggy lunged at one or two dogs and one of the humans. Fortunately, she knew to 'tch' at Ziggy to command him away.

Ziggy didn't work up much of a sweat. I did most of the work, holding the bungy cord slack with him sometimes running beside me. On the back half (all downhill), if I let him pull straight out with harness tight near his tail, he thought he needed to stop and get something off his butt. I guess we'll also need to practise running like that.

I thought we were last. We weren't near last. The entry fee was great, $0. By the end of the day, Ziggy probably put in more than 11k.

Ziggy & I should have run yesterday but my knee is so sore that I was reminded to rest, hoping that will help out things if we race Saturday.

Ziggy was in race harness.

The back half was the longest time (14:25) and distance that Ziggy actually ran in his race harness though he didn't pull. I'm still not sure if he'll race Saturday in Rigaud.

Lac Bourgeois, Gatineau Park
12/(15+2)
41.1%

I enjoyed visiting some fresh spots on this familiar map. However, I badly blew a few legs. It was only from years of trail races in the area that I was able to relocate as well as I did. For trail running, conditions were poor with water under foot and biting raspberries on the thighs. From my one face plant on the ski trails, I still have raspberry bites on my forehead two days later.

Since last April, this was the first O-event longer than 6k that I have actually completed.

Long advanced - Splits