A Chilly Pembrey

2007-02-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

Graham:

Well this weekend event was thoroughly enjoyable. Temperature was -2 and clear skies at the Pembrey Forest rally site on Saturday morning. A quick check of entries, start times, race course is 4 miles for 6 & 4 dog teams. Good. Looks a nice route. Not too many entries, but their never usually is. A bit too far West for a lot of teams. Never mind.

Did the usual pre-race prep. Up to the start line ably assisted by the usual gang (Debs, Roly and Lou), Roger was marshalling. Sue had an earlier start time and had already gone out. Millie & Lia are doing their usual screaming, Spirit & Dudley are a little more controlled, but equally as enthusiastic. Dogs on and 1 minute to go. Stretch, Focus, Stretch & focus. 5-4-3-2-1 and away !!

Good fast start, hit 23mph 150-200 metres out. 500metres on and hit the first sweeping left turn off the main trail. No problem. On a lovely grassy surface now and going well. A blind sharp right hander coming up fast. Marshall Jill Pitcher up ahead in middle of trail with arms directing the turn. Oh Hell she's spooked the girls, Geeee, no Geee!! got them round and going again having lost about 5 seconds. Bugger, too late now. I am sure Jill meant well. Anyway, were back on pace and zipping through the meadow, very frosty on this nice grassy surface. Went past the old course turning with a bit of a glance from the girls. On By-On By, good got by that OK. Next right turn coming up, no problem and on up the roller coaster narrow trail. Off and running up the final sharp incline. Over the top and down to another sharp right turn.

Full tilt now and off the brakes for this turn. Almost broadside, but the rig holds firm and we pull away nicely. The team are holding the pace with lines still tight. A nice fast undulating section still on about 19-20mph down to a left turn. No problem and 200 metres up a grassy section again, down past the old course sand dune turn, the girls glance a bit harder. On-byyy! Phew, next fast right hander again onto a smooth road section and still going well. Last right turn coming up and were on the home stretch coming up to 10 minutes. This is not 4 miles. Never mind. It's a good run. The team picks up as we hear the calls finishing strongly in 11.19 minutes and a distance of 3.35 miles. Holding first place for now.

Aviemore Diary

2007-02-01T10:52:00.000-08:00

Sue:

We arrived at the race site on Thursday morning after travelling through the night. It was a lovely sight, lots of snow about and the first thing I did was walk down to the shop with Ellie and buy her a sledge. That was it, she was gone and we didn't see much of her for the next five hours or so, apart from the occasional foray to the van for food and drink!

The trail was sleds only as there was a fair bit of snow, so Graham took Smiler, Drift and Trooper out. I think he was wary of taking too many dogs after loosing the 6 dog team a couple of years ago.

We got all the dogs out for a little play in the snow and chatted to a few people then headed back into Aviemore for a snack at the Mountain Cafe (had to be done) and a quick look around the shops before booking in at Pine Bank Chalets.

Friday was the weight pull, we never seem to make it to the end - its always too cold for standing around - a day for the Snow Mantras I think, then back to the Mountain Cafe again and a little retail therapy.

In the evening is the mushers' meeting, loads of people crammed into a room in the Hilton Coylumbridge, a few stalls to peruse and check in where you pick up your whiskey minatures, competitors' pins and sweatshirts. Then each class has its draw, there was so much chatter that it was hard to hear your number and name, but hey, we're all here to enjoy ourselves, and some hadn't seen others for a year or more. Graham and I were both in the 4-dog class and drawn 10 minutes apart, so we talked to a few people about giving us a hand up to the start, rounded up Ellie and went back to the accommodation to try and get an early night ready for the race the next day.

Saturday

Up at 4:45am and out early to make sure we get a reasonable parking spot, we certainly wern't the first there. Ellie still in her pjs and when we got there she hopped into the Keen's van to watch DVDs with Katie and Rohan. I stayed in the van to keep warm for a while and Graham "spuddled" got dogs out, played with his generator, put dogs away, drank tea, hunted for food.....etc, etc. Gradually it got light and the day got underway. It seemed strange not having to get everything ready for the six dog class, but it meant we were able to help one of the eight dog teams to the line, its always fun to see that many dogs go off, Aviemore is now the only race to run 8 dogs, mainly I think because of lack of support, not many want to take 8 dogs out on a rig!

I was off 10 minutes before Graham, so got ready and headed up to the start. Unfortunately I had miscalculated the time and so arrived up there a bit late (but not past my start time). There is always a lot of noise up there, with the starter talking over the tannoy and the dogs getting excited, you can hardly hear what the person next to you is saying. Riker was getting a bit stressed out by it all and I wasn't sure where Graham had put my rig, I spotted his but it took me a little while to locate my own. In the confusion one of the committee told me I was too late to start, then another told me I still had time, then the first said no I was too late... and so on. I did get off, but about 10 to 15 seconds late and it took the dogs a little while to settle down and warm up to running, but at least we were off.

Well, after all that worry, the trail was fine, still a bit stony up at the top, but the downhill section had plenty of sand on it and so the dogs flew down with no worries. I was running CinCin and Riker in lead and Sophie and Jack at wheel. I wasn't sure how Riker would pass, he'd run in lead for me a few times, but this was Aviemore and you always pass a few teams here. But he was fine, a little star, he flew past four teams without a glance and straight on no looking back - good lad! Before I knew it we were approaching the finish, we ended up 11th, not too bad I thought.

Back to the van and sort out the dogs and wait for Graham, I'm always more nervous for him than I am for myself. He was OK of course, but I'll let him tell his story.

In the afternoon I was marshaling down at the Deer Gate, this is at the bottom of the long downhill and the best view of the Marshall points, you can see the loch from there and it was beautiful. The time was spent chatting to the Ray Net marshalls and a passer by who stayed a while to watch the dogs (and commented on how loud Graham's voice is!), they even provided a cup of tea and a biscuit, such luxury!

Graham 4 Dog Class:

Well Sue's gone up to the start for her race. I am just finishing off my final preparation. Rehydration drink and water ready for the dogs after the race. Check my personal kit, shoe laces double tied, don't want to trip up at a crucial moment. Helmet on. I am not taking any risks even in four dog. Did some final stretching exercises and relaxed breathing and put a mental picture in my mind of the trail. I find it always helps me prepare mentally. Harnesses on the team, all going mental and raring to go. I am confident my race prep is spot on and looking forward to a good run.

Sharon And Martin helped me up to the start chute and joined the line up. 1 minute starts this should be interesting. Wendy Chambers came up to say that Sue had gone off late and also to say the team in front of me would be a slow team. Be gentle with them!!. Hm mm. How was I going to get past this team on the goat trail. Fingers crossed they would be clear.

Right 1 minute to go. Check rig, tires, tugs lines and snaps. 30 seconds to go and as always a stroke and words of encouragement to the team. 10 seconds and a final leg stretch. 5-4-3-2-1 and we're away covering the ground very quickly!!. This feels good already. Cameras going off all along the first 250metres.

300 metres. Getting anxious. Where is the team in front, still nowhere to pass. Then I clock them just going up the first part of hill. Great, relaxing now and prepare to get stuck into the hill . Pass the team in front no problem and onwards up the hill still at a good pace. Ran a couple of short stretches to keep the cadence going. The leg stretching has done me good.

Over the hill round the first bend and flying! This feels as fast as the 6 dog team last year. Millie and Lia are up front setting a hell of a pace! Dudley and Spirit in wheel and at full stretch. The two boys are really the only dogs at the moment able to match their pace. Through second right-hander and at the water butt turn and heading down the hill before I have time to worry about last years tangle The trail surface is good if a little sticky, but as always a hell of a long way to the bottom. Things are going well. It feels fast but there's no real sensation of speed, just a consistant pace with nice tight lines. The trail surface continues to be good and much improved on last year!.

Run time is 13 minutes and we are at the bottom of the last hill. This is great so I leg it like mad. Can I go under 14 minutes in the four dog? The team have run so well. Tick Tick Tick. Christ this hill seems long again, or is my legs not working properly? Over the top and still going full tilt. Can hear the calls now. Do I scoot? No. This is great. Stay on, crouch and enjoy the ride. Down through the finish line and feeling elated. I could not have asked for more from them. A real dream team for me. Quick glance at the speedo time. 14. 25 Excellent!

Sunday

Sue 4 dog class:

Another early, cold (-2) start, and when we arrived at the race site it started to snow, prompting all sorts of questions about what would happen if enough snow fell for sleds - would those who hadn't brought sleds still be able to race? What would we do, we only have one sled and as we are once again only 10 minutes apart, there is no way Graham would get back in time for me to race - luckily for us the snow showers didn't amount to too much, just enough to make the racing pretty. We were up at the start in good time and set off up the goat trail. The hairpin at the top was quite fun, the rig slid round, no point in using the brakes, it was too slippery. I know that on the second day, the team following me can make up time on the hill, there's no way I am able to run up that hill, but I scoot as fast as I can! As I rounded the water butt turn I could hear the team behind me, I was pleased to have got up the hill without being caught, especially as it was a male musher behind! The ground was a little harder than Saturday and Cinny didn't like the frozen ruts on the trail so we didn't have such a good run down the hill and near the bottom the team behind overtook. Unfortunately he couldn't then get his team to go on, I tried to back off but the rig just slid forward, poor Jack got a tangle and fell over, but up straight away and off again. I sat in behind the other team for a while, giving him the chance to go on, but his dogs didn't want to go on so eventually I overtook, Cinny and Riker went straight past and on. The loch was absolutely beautiful, the water was still and the reflection of the trees was stunning. We went all the way round the loch like that, with the other team just towing in behind me. They finished strongly, I'd lost a place, but finished 12th overall, better than last year at least!

Graham 4 Dog Class

Graham 2 Dog Class:

Race Stories

A Chilly Pembrey

Aviemore Diary