Canine 4K

Today was the annual LAPS Canine 4K in Frisco, CO.

Jack and Rudy got to run their first summer race with me - wheeee!

About 10-20 yards from the start and look who is already in 1st place - the sled dogs!!!

Ok, so it's not skijoring; but what else are we going to talk about in the summer :)

We took the last few years off from running the Canine 4K as Max & Zorro were getting older (they'd rather rest in the summer and save themselves for snow :)  But, with 2 and 1 year old Jack and Rudy, we need to put their bodies (and minds) to work all summer too!

I was not sure how the two youngsters would do with all the dogs surrounding them at the start; would they want to sniff & play or listen to me and run? Max & Zorro always took off like rockets at this event and we were ALWAYS in first place within the first 10-20 yards of the race. Well, look at the photo above and look at perfect Jack & Rudy - within 20 yards and we are sprinting along already well in front of the rest of the participants! Go boys go!!!

A few steps further and a little closer look at the sprinters (them, no me! :)

"Hi Mom!!!!" says Jack flashing a smile to Nancy & Zorro taking this shot.
"Going, going, GOING!" says all-business Rudy.

A few more steps and nice side shot of beautiful running Rudy. As Rudy is bigger than Jack, all you can get from this angle is Jack's tail tip as he is eclipsed by big Rudy :)

Beautiful form Rudy!
Cute white tail tip Jack :)

Just as was always the case with Max & Zorro, we were far in front of the crowd by the first turn.

"We are going to WIN!!! Come on human!!!" say the sprinting pair.

But, as was always the case with Max & Zorro, the big slow human could not maintain this fast pace for the whole 4K. There are always some "real runners" in the field who always catch and overtake us as the reality of my slowness settles in...

Finally, as is always the case - here we come to the finish with Jack & Rudy still looking at fit & fast as at the start!

"Over already? We could go another round!' state the endless pair cruising to the finish line.

So, how did we fare? Well, the better question is "how did I fare" as Jack & Rudy could have easily won the race. The slow human was second in his age group and 8th overall.

Sorry guys, these old legs cannot go any faster :)

Well, that's our summer fun. Ok, ready for snow. Bring it on - Pray for Snow!

Annual K94K

This morning was the "LAPS Canine 4K" run in Frisco, CO. This is an annual event where you get to run a 4K with your canine partners. A great time had by all....

"Go!" and we are off. Here we are at the beginning of the race starting off in a close second
to the guy who won the overall race.

The race progressed exactly the same as it does every year... We shoot out of the gate and are in first or second place by the first corner. Max & Zorro are so ready to GOOOO and we hear gasps from the crowd as they see the two huskies launching their human along. Then, as we get about 1/3 of the way into the race, the "slow human" factor comes into play and we get passed by some real runners. It is always funny to watch these runners pass us with their dogs in tow (either at their side or behind them) whereas Max & Zorro are taut leash in front of me the whole race!

We always finish in the top 10; but never first overall as I am just too slow (ask Max & Zorro)!

Hauling the slow human across the finish line as we finish about 6th overall for this year's race.

My excuse? Hey, I'm old! We did get first place in my age group (40-49)...

Zorro sporting our ribbon for first in my age group.
"We would have won overall if he wasn't so slow!" declares Zorro.

A little cool down after running the race and it was time for Max to go to work. He is a registered Therapy Dog and he helps recruit new therapy dogs at the Summit Therapy Animals table at the event. He is quite the draw as people have just witnessed this "monster husky" launch me through the air for 4K and then he is a model therapy dog 30-45 minutes later!

"I run fast, I work hard, I love life!" declares sweet Max.

We always say that once the K9-4K race is over that we are done with our commitments for summer. Ok, ready for snow ... bring it on!!!

Pray for Snow.

K9-4K

The first weekend of every August is the K9-4K event in Frisco, CO. This is a 4K run with your canine partners.

This year's race tally: 5th place overall and 1st place in my age group - woohoo!

The race always progresses the same for Max, Zorro & I. We are always in first place by the first turn of the race as Max & Zorro shoot out of a cannon at the start. We then proceed to learn how slow the human really is as we cannot maintain the amazing start to the finish. Max & Zorro could maintain the pace, of course, but the slow human holds the team back and we fall back into 2nd to 8th place (2nd is our best finish ever, 8th our worst).

Here we go.....

"Go!" says the race marshall and "BOOOOM!" go Max & Zorro launching off the start
line. The really get "race" and love blowing out of the crowd as quick as possible.

10 feet or so off the starting line and the huskies are hitting stride as the human
hangs on for dear life :-)

"Out in front, exactly where we belong!" say the smiling & sprinting pair as we are
establishing our typical lead out the gates. It is funny to hear the crowd gasping and
exclaiming, "Look at those huskies!" as we fly out of the chutes.

About 3.8K later and here we are flying into the finish of the 4K. Max & Zorro are just about the only dogs that are "out in front" of their human the entire race. Others are constantly talking to their dogs to "keep going" while I am struggling to keep up.

We just rounded the last corner and are in the final straightaway to the finish line.

Perfectly synchronized from start to end.
Why am I the only one who is tired?  :-)

Zoom, zoom, zoom - if only I could keep up.... Oh well, we did place first in my age group (fast, young kids in front of us) and a great time had by all! Thanks to our friend Justin Saunders for the great action shots from the race!

Zorro sporting our "first in age group" ribbon!

The full "bag of swag" we got for running the race!
The ribbon, 2 stuffies and box of Buddy Biscuits were the "first place" reward to
go along with the rest of the swag handed out at the event. Oh, and the human got
a t-shirt too :-)

We view the K9-4K as our "end of summer" bash. There is nothing left to accomplish for the summer, time to bring back the snow and get back to skijoring.

Pray for Snow.....

K94K Race

"Come on human, faster - follow us!!!" Max & Zorro 08/04/2012

"Exit Stage Right - there's an opening to the front of the pack this way!"
demonstrates focused little Zorro!

Saturday was the annual "LAPS K94K" in Frisco - a fun 4K race where you can enter with your pups. In past races, our typical race has gone as follows: (1) shoot out of the gates at the starting line and be in 1st or 2nd place by the first turn; (2) push the human as hard as we can for the first 2/3 of the race; (3) lose all confidence in that slow human as we drop into the lower "top 10" during the last 1/3 of the race. But, this year.....

"We've been training the human hard on the trails this summer. We are sick of him holding us back, he's an embarrassment to the Siberian Establishment!" declared Max & Zorro back in June. We have been logging some serious miles on the trails since May. The result: We placed 4th overall in this year's K94K! "Woo Hoo - that's a step in the right direction - but he's still too SLOW!" say the Siberian partners.

I never imagined we could place as high as 4th in this race. What wonderful coaches and training partners Max & Zorro make! Some fun photos and videos of the race below:

A fun/short video clip of the start. As usual, Max & Zorro are on a tear and

we are in 2nd place within no time!

Before the race started - let's get this show on the road!

At the starting line. You have to love the focused little Siberians. Zorro is
down but lined up in a straight line to shoot out of the gates once given the
ok. Max is sitting and staring right at the "starter" waiting for the slightest
indication that it is time to GO!

Love these two classic "Siberians in Unison" clips from the start video
Tuck	and Go!

Race Over... Human tired, Siberians wondering if we are going to get some
exercise today!

Running the K9 4K

Saturday found us doing a little "summer training" by running the Annual K9 4K Race in Frisco.

Max, Zorro & I crossing the finish line. Note the huskies are "shoulder to shoulder"
and look ready & willing to run another 4K!

Highlights:

1. We shaved almost 30 seconds off our previous "fastest time" - finishing in 17m 10s!
2. We placed 8th overall in the race!
3. We placed 2nd in my (the human's) age group!

As usual, all times & places were the human's fault. The huskies were primed for first place and a record pace. I tried, I tried...

The start of the race made the front page of the local Summit Daily newspaper, here are some scans of that front page - sorry it's kind of grainy... The result of a scan of a newspaper using my el-cheapo scanner:

Closeup of Max & Zorro taking off at the starting line.
Shoulder to shoulder, legs in unison, happy faces.
These 2 "get it" when it comes to racing!

Full shot of the race start (click to enlarge) - we are to to the left in yellow (Brad),
red (Max) and black (Zorro). Note the haphazard dogs going every which way,
except the 2 huskies who are in perfect form and charging straight ahead.
We were in second place by the time we hit the first corner - focused, sprinting
Siberian machines!

It's also fun to scroll through the "finish line shots" of the race - patient, this page has over 140 images! What's so interesting? Most of the dogs cross the finish line at or behind their human partner. The exception? Max & Zorro - they finish every race in full sprint at the extension of their gangline (leash, in this case). No human, on foot, can match their speed & endurance!