Two weeks shy of her first real cani-cross
event, Crosby the Rescue Pup has racked up a reasonably successful outing in
her first actual 5K race. And she did pretty well, especially for such a young
dog.
This process has been more than a little challenging. Crosby is a two-year-old Lab/Dalmatian/Collie/etc. Her energy levels generally have two settings: warp-speed and full-stop. But we’re working on that.
This process has been more than a little challenging. Crosby is a two-year-old Lab/Dalmatian/Collie/etc. Her energy levels generally have two settings: warp-speed and full-stop. But we’re working on that.
We’ve gone running together plenty, logging
miles on both trails and roadways. She’s learning to listen better, adapting
her paces to my steadier jog and staying on-task (even as trucks rumble by and as
bunnies hop across the trails).
We’ve
tried out our cani-cross equipment, which includes a dog harness, a bungee
leash, and a sturdy utility belt for me. It all seems to work well.
 |
| LAN/Runderdog photo. All rights reserved. |
So it
seemed to be a good time to test the waters, so to speak.
With Crosby in tow, I lined up for race-day
sign-up at a small running event nearby. The course included back roads,
sidewalks, and a paved pathway.
We kept a fairly steady pace throughout the
5K race, with the exception of three brief stops. These included two puppy
relief pauses (for #1 and #2, if you must know) and the halfway water station,
where we shared a cup of water. Even with these brief sidelines, we managed to
finish respectfully (and about 30 seconds slower than my current usual solo
racing pace).
Crosby surprised me with her attentiveness, staying mostly on-track when we passed oncoming runners (and a few dogs) on the out-and-back course.
The field was small, totaling less than 100 runners. We managed to win my age division, although I think there might have been just one or two other contenders in our chronological bracket.
Crosby surprised me with her attentiveness, staying mostly on-track when we passed oncoming runners (and a few dogs) on the out-and-back course.
The field was small, totaling less than 100 runners. We managed to win my age division, although I think there might have been just one or two other contenders in our chronological bracket.
The
wonderfully supportive race staff even gave my dog a medal!
Let’s call it a success for the young pup.
Maybe Crosby can actually become a solid running buddy.
One thing is sure: Her enthusiasm is a
given. Just say the word “running,” and she’s raring to go.
No comments:
Post a Comment