Puppy training

Back out with the Girls this morning - what a beautiful start to the day - nice and cool, slightly misty on the drive over to the forest and then the sun came up slowly, perfect for training. It was just warm enough not to have to wear gloves.

Flint (the pup) has been off sick, having had an abscess, but he is back, fit and raring to go, so he gets to run along behind the teams. We took turns running with him today and I tried out one of Ali's patent human harnesses. He is so keen to run now that he will pull for quite a way. Here he is wearing his harness - I can't believe how much he has grown!

I tried the human harness with my two on our run later, and it was comfy for me but their lead is too heavy for it and swung too much when they weren't pulling. I'll have to get Ali to work something out for me. Just a short run this morning as we have a busy day and starting training that bit later (4.30am now) has a knock on effect.

Blogging again

I've been rubbish at this recently, probably because I don't feel that i am progressing enough, especially in the light of watching 'On Thin Ice' over the last couple of weeks, but actually I'm doing better now, so they have become an inspiration. As Red says: my metaphoric distance is long!

Generally the running is getting much better and I no longer feel any aches and pains on the morning run, which varies between 2 and 4 miles now. I'm aiming for 5 miles a day next week, once I can work out a road free route for my dogs. I'm going to have to get some heavier weights as the 3 kg ones I have are no longer a challenge and I keep flinging them about, so I suppose that's a good sign. The whole press up thing is sorted and I am doing 3 x 12 each morning after my run. Cutting down on food was going quite well last week, but the weekend went a bit pear shaped after watching Rick Stein and having to try the duck braised in orange juice etc...

Sheyne gave me courage as well, thanks Sheyne, by taking up yoga, having listened to me blah-ing on about it, so my morning sun salutations have begun anew.

I'm looking forward to training with the Girls this week, in the hope that this weather will turn a bit dryer as it should be nice and cool for the huskies. I've learned how to harness and attach them to the line, as well as releasing the line although I am still a bit nervous of getting it wrong as the consequences could be dire, but I've got the hang of the rest of the routine: watering, face cleaning, feeding, removing harnesses and getting them back into the truck.

Hoping for a dry morning of training tomorrow.

I've been really encouraged by the fact that some people have already sponsored me, and I still have 7 months to go, thanks guys, much appreciated.

Please click through

By the light of the moon

Setting off with the oldies

This morning there were 24 dogs and the last team we took out were the oldies and training dogs. Parry is the Alpha female and she is in the lead, training others. She manages to turn the team on a corner.

When I returned home, having left the house at 3.20am, there had been a protest - she had been into my bag and helped herself to cheque book, wool, hand cream and then found a clog to haul into her space. She'd also chewed her bed. I don't think she is keen on this part of the training, she prefers the running and yoga.

Back in training

The bruise has started to come out now and I am able to run again, still uncomfortable - at least that is my excuse for only doing 2 miles this morning. I feel that I need to start again really, but I have managed to master press ups in the meantime. Did 3 lots of 30 seconds on plank pose this morning, so will go for 40 tomorrow. Discussed running with an experienced running friend and have decided that running would generally be easier if I lost some weight too, so today I start restricting my diet. I've been very hungry recently as a result of iron tablets and exercise, which has meant that I've not lost any weight so I hope it will be OK. The big incentive is that the less there is to carry around, the further I can go, in theory.

Watched On Thin Ice last night, rather a timely programme as I now feel that I cannot complain about my training programme when I look at theirs. I'm not going to be dragging tyres down the beach, that's for sure. They did so well, coming second, especially as the Fogle had that flesh eating disease at the time.

(The 2008 Amundsen Omega 3 South Pole Race was the first since Scott and Amundsen's historic race nearly 100 years ago.

Roald Amundsen completed the trek on December 11, 1911, with Robert Scott finishing on January 17, 1912.)

Hoping for a call from the Girls this evening as the weather has really cooled down here and it should be OK to go out with the huskies either tomorrow or Wednesday, hopefully both, so I'm going to get a nice early night tonight.

Food: pineapple and banana smoothie, steamed shredded chicken with dark soy and broccoli

We're having a heatwave

This weather is not good for large, hairy, excitable dogs, and so the huskies are having a little break until the weather cools down, even at 3.30am temperatures are in double figures and it has been very humid in the forest too. I spoke to Ali again yesterday and she had taken the puppy to the Norfolk show, he got second place, but they had to spend all the time in the shade with lots of other hot dogs. Apparently the pack are going out for playtime really early, digging holes and charging about, and then just resting in the shade, that is the great thing about their home being in the forest - lots of shade.

My personal training has hit a small obstacle too. I won't be running or doing any yoga that involves lying down for a couple of days as I had a little tumble yesterday resulting in a deep bruise and a bit of a pain in my arse - as my Mother agrees, it's better than my being a pain in the arse. It was as a result of trying to load a very large bench into the back of my ancient Landrover, some friends were holding one end as I climbed inside to guide it in but as they pushed I got sandwiched between the bench and a metal bar with my foot trapped. It hurt - a lot. If my arse wasn't so large I would probably be able to run today, but it bounces up and down - which hurts.

Not pretty either.